Natural Restorative Environment Intervention for Positive Psychological Outcomes of College Students: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Mental health issues among college students are on the rise. Prior research indicates a correlation between natural restorative environment intervention and the enhancement of students’ positive psychological outcomes. However, no meta-analysis has been undertaken to derive a more accurate estimate of such intervention effect. This study aimed to examine the association between natural restorative environment intervention and positive psychological outcomes in college students. A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases was conducted, and 12 randomized controlled trials were selected for a meta-analysis. The results of this study, based on random-effect models, indicated that natural restorative environment intervention may enhance vigor, vitality, and positive affect among college students, though its effect on well-being was statistically insignificant. The findings revealed four sources of significant heterogeneity: intervention frequency, intervention duration, intervention mode, and environment type. The results also showed that using a real-world natural environment for intervention may be more conducive to improving well-being than using a virtual environment. The findings substantiate the benefits of natural restorative environment intervention on college students’ mental health, and provide support for the implementation of real world natural settings for such intervention.