Wellbeing Space and Society最新文献

{"title":"Student perceptions of people and places in their school that are influential for mental health and emotional wellbeing, and implications for wellbeing policies in Wales","authors":"Rachel Brown ,&nbsp;Jessica Lennon ,&nbsp;Caitlyn Donaldson ,&nbsp;Rebecca Anthony ,&nbsp;Abbey Rowe ,&nbsp;Graham Moore","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There have been reported increases in mental health challenges among young people in the UK, including since the Covid-19 pandemic. There is increasing interest in the role of school environment as both a potential contributing factor to these challenges and as a site for intervention. In Wales, this is embodied in 2021 government legislation which mandates schools to take a whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing. This research interviewed pupils in a range of school sites across Wales to discuss aspects of the social and physical environment in school that are perceived as more and less conducive to mental wellbeing. Twelve case study schools were recruited as part of a wider evaluation of the whole school approach in Wales and, within these, twenty-two group interviews took place with pupils of both primary and secondary age. This involved discussion of people and places in the school environment and a draw-write task. Findings highlighted differences between age groups on which adults in school were considered as key in supporting mental wellbeing, although all age groups reflected similarly on the qualities of supportive adults and on the role of peers. There were also overlaps in terms of spaces in school that were most challenging, with noise, crowding and lack of supervision key. Findings suggest that approaches aimed at tackling multiple aspects of both the social and physical school environment may be supportive of positive mental wellbeing, however not all of these aspects are equally amenable to change or under school control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100333"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing student wellbeing through nature-based social prescribing: A social return on investment evaluation","authors":"Abraham Makanjuola ,&nbsp;Carolyn A. Wallace ,&nbsp;Mary Lynch","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Social prescribing (SP) is a non-clinical approach connecting citizens to community support to better manage their health and wellbeing. Wrexham University (WU) offers a Nature-based Social Prescribing (NBSP) pathway for students to connect with green spaces on campus to support their wellbeing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the health and wellbeing benefits of the NBSP pathway and the associated social value generated and the monetise the health outcomes from access and use of high standard greenspaces.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The evaluation applied a Social Return on Investment (SROI) mixed-method approach. Data collected outcomes measures by means of the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and a ‘Time spent in nature’ question. SROI ratios were generated from two separate wellbeing valuation methods: the social value calculator and the mental health social value calculator along with contingent valuation (CV) questions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SROI value ratios suggest that for every GBP £1 invested in WU NBSP, generated between GBP £1.83 and £2.38 of social value. The results of the sensitivity analysis yielded a SROI ratio of £1:£1.45 and was generated following stricter thresholds for improvements in valuation criteria of high confidence and having access to a high standard greenspace. CV analysis indicates that 86 % of students value accessing and using the WU NBSP pathway and associated health benefits. On average students who have an average weekly income of GBP £125 are willing to pay GBP £7 per session to access quality greenspace and the associated health and wellbeing benefits of the WU NBSP pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The WU NBSP pathway generated positive social values for students which is consistent with evidence with other NBSP SROI studies. Based on the growing body of evidence universities should consider prioritising investment in NBSP services on campuses. This investment could assist student mental health and wellbeing by linking them to local community assets at times that suit their academic timetables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100310"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rising tide of stress: Global trends and structural predictors over 18 years","authors":"Elisabetta Febe Canaletti ,&nbsp;Phyllis Lun ,&nbsp;Levi D. Stutzman ,&nbsp;Meanne Chan ,&nbsp;Felix Cheung","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mounting evidence points to stress being a transdiagnostic contributing factor to health conditions. Given the health significance of stress, characterizing macro-level spatiotemporal trends and disparities of stress is necessary to understanding stress and its potential health burden across populations. The need to investigate structural factors contributing to stress is further underscored by the escalating instability worldwide over the past decade, which can trigger a stress response and lead to adverse health outcomes if left unaddressed.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study used nationally representative surveys (<em>N</em> = 2461,226; 146 countries) in 2006–2023 and the Fragile State Index (<em>N</em> = 137 countries) to i) describe global stress trends varied by world regions and demographic groups, and ii) examine whether nation-level state fragility, a summative measure that aggregates 12 economic, social, and political indicators to assess a state’s risk of collapse or conflict, predicts steeper increases in stress over time.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A state’s level of fragility may contribute to individuals’ perceived stress and in turn have profound consequences for population physical and mental health. The current study reveals an alarming increase in stress globally and calls for prioritizing structural approaches to reverse this trend. By doing so, we not only reduce stress but also its related disease burden.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100319"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145658600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social well-being of Canadian adolescents: A national socioecological analysis of individual, household, and living area correlates","authors":"Kiana Javaheri ,&nbsp;Nancy A. Ross ,&nbsp;Kevin Manaugh ,&nbsp;Mylene Riva","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In an era of widespread online socializing, little is known about the conditions that shape adolescent social well-being, a key aspect of their overall well-being. Using a socioecological approach, this study examines the social well-being (SoWB) of Canadian adolescents and its individual, household, and living area correlates. SoWB is conceptualized as an individual-level outcome reflecting adolescents' appraisal of their social connections and how these relate to their overall well-being. High SoWB is operationalized as the intersection of strong community belonging and high life satisfaction. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2015–2020; n = 23,980) were analyzed for adolescents aged 12–17. Environmental measures were developed using 2016 Census data to capture living area differences based on population density, housing characteristics, and transportation modes, as well as the proportion of youth in local populations. Individual data and environmental data were linked using geographic identifiers. Results showed that adolescents with higher odds of high SoWB were significantly more likely to report better general and mental health, be younger, live in larger households, and belong to middle- or high-income groups. Living area characteristics were also significantly associated with SoWB: adolescents living in Atlantic Canada, in rural or small-town areas with weak metropolitan influence, and in youth-dense areas had higher odds of high SoWB, even after adjusting for individual and household factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100331"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Caught in a machine that de-emphasizes human potential: Using Goffman’s theory of the total institution to understand service provider perspectives on boredom among unhoused persons","authors":"Carrie Anne Marshall (Principal Investigator, Associate Professor) ,&nbsp;Rebecca Gewurtz (Associate Professor) ,&nbsp;Abrial Cooke (Research Assistant) ,&nbsp;Caleigh Inman (Research Assistant) ,&nbsp;Jordana Bengall (Research Assistant) ,&nbsp;Suliman Aryobi (Research Assistant)","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boredom has been identified as a factor affecting the lives of individuals during and following homelessness, yet no known studies have explored this experience from the perspectives of service providers. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 service providers working in shelters, drop-in programs, and housing services in two communities in Ontario, Canada. We analyzed our data using reflexive thematic analysis, guided by Goffman’s theory of the ‘staff world’ in his concept of the ‘total institution.’ The central essence characterizing our analysis was: Caught in a machine that de-emphasizes human potential. This essence is expressed through three themes: 1) “I think boredom is huge;” 2) “we just keep going back, and keep trying, and keep trying, and keep trying;” and 3) Housing is “…a shell that you could, with encouragement…potentially flourish in.” We conclude that the profound and pervasive boredom described in this research and in previous studies is symptomatic of broader structural problems created through inadequate responses to supporting individuals living with mental illness in our communities, contributing to rising and chronic homelessness. We argue that institutionalization of persons living with mental illness, which ended due to the neglect observed in such settings, has been replaced by an equally neglectful system of service provision taking the form of housing and homelessness services. We advocate for a system that not only provides basic resources for survival but also supports thriving through the provision of housing and opportunities for mitigating boredom through access to meaningful activities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100338"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationship between housing, neighborhood and community infrastructure and older adult depression in Colombia","authors":"Margarita Osuna ,&nbsp;Angela Jaramillo ,&nbsp;Jennifer Ailshire","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2026.100343","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2026.100343","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Colombia is undergoing rapid population aging, yet its infrastructure to support healthy aging is limited. This study examines the associations between environmental conditions—home, neighborhood, and community infrastructure—and depression among older adults, separately for urban and rural settings. Using data from the 2015 SABE-Colombia survey, a nationally representative study of adults aged 60 and older, we analyzed the association between depressive symptoms (GDS-15) and home disorder, housing materials, neighborhood disorder, neighborhood amenities, and community infrastructure. We found that for older adults living in urban areas with poorer housing materials had higher depression scores, while those living in neighborhoods with more amenities and community infrastructure had significantly lower higher depression scores. In rural areas, greater access to neighborhood amenities was associated to lower depression. Home and neighborhood disorder were not significantly associated with depression in either setting. Our findings highlight the importance of examining environmental conditions both independently and jointly, and of accounting for rural–urban differences when studying environmental determinants of mental health. The results highlight how contextual variation in infrastructure and housing quality can shape depression in later life in Colombia and may have broader relevance for other Latin American countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100343"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Like a family without being a family”: Social connectedness between social housing tenants in Aotearoa New Zealand","authors":"Elinor Chisholm ,&nbsp;Amber Logan ,&nbsp;Karen Witten ,&nbsp;Crystal Victoria Olin ,&nbsp;Ed Randal ,&nbsp;Lori Leigh ,&nbsp;Philippa Howden-Chapman","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The association of isolation and loneliness with early death and a range of poor mental and physical outcomes has resulted in the World Health Organization’s recent call to recognise social connectedness as a global health priority. This article explores what supports and constrains social connectedness for social housing tenants in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, as in various countries, social housing is targeted at low-income, high-needs people who find it difficult to access housing on the private market. Our study is framed around the concept of social infrastructure and draws on 54 in-depth interviews with tenants, the majority of whom were aged 55+ and lived alone. We show that living in medium- and high-density multi-unit housing complexes with common and shared spaces enables people to form social connections. For many people, these connections develop into relationships of mutual support and provide a sense of collective efficacy. Finally, we identify barriers to people forming social connections. Our findings suggest policies, interventions and design decisions to encourage social connectedness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100334"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Water insecurity and lived experiences in Nairobi, Kenya: a comparative mixed-methods study of informal and formal settlements through the lens of the Human Right to Water","authors":"Julia Foellmer ,&nbsp;Dennis Musyoka ,&nbsp;Dancan Owaga ,&nbsp;Caroline Kabaria ,&nbsp;Paula Janeka ,&nbsp;Carmen Anthonj","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2026.100419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2026.100419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) remains a major global challenge, disproportionately affecting residents of informal settlements, where insecure tenure, unsafe housing, limited WASH access, and socio-economic marginalisation exacerbate water insecurity, undermining health and well-being.</div><div>Our comparative mixed-methods study assesses water insecurity, lived experiences, coping strategies, and community recommendations in informal and formal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya, through the Human Right to Water (HRtW) – considering availability, accessibility, quality, safety, affordability, and acceptability. Integrating focus group narratives with survey data, this is the first study to compare HRtW realisation across settlement type, gender, and age.</div><div>The HRtW remains unrealised across settlement types, with frequent interruptions, unreliable supply, uneven access, long collection times, high costs, and poor water quality, especially after service disruptions and during the rainy season. Conflicts over water access are widespread, undermining trust, and deepening social and gendered stress. Water collection causes illness, emotional strain, and fatigue across settlements. Water insecurity is deeply gendered. Women, particularly in informal settlements, bear the greatest burden regarding time, safety risks, physical and emotional strain, whereas age differences are less pronounced. Residents adopt diverse coping strategies, yet those in informal settlements are more constrained by limited storage and financial capacities, relying on social networks. Our findings show that residents across settlements navigate water insecurity through hybrid, negotiated strategies, challenging the formal-informal dichotomy.</div><div>Addressing water insecurity requires integrated, participatory approaches, with active community engagement to co-develop gender-inclusive, context-specific solutions that meet the needs of the most vulnerable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100419"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148167844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the awareness of changes in outdoor mobility and the influence of the neighbourhood environment among people living with dementia in British Columbia, Canada","authors":"Kishore Seetharaman ,&nbsp;Habib Chaudhury ,&nbsp;Lillian Hung ,&nbsp;Atiya Mahmood ,&nbsp;Alison Phinney ,&nbsp;Richard Ward","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100314","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100314","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fostering an inclusive neighbourhood environment is a critical part of the social responsibility to support people living with dementia to participate in community activities and maintain autonomy, identity, health, and wellbeing. Dementia scholars and advocates have emphasized the need to understand how people living with dementia interact with and adapt to the neighbourhood environment. This understanding will inform dementia-inclusive policy and practice to create enabling physical and social environments. The present study explores the experiential knowledge of people living with dementia gained through their awareness of age and disease-related changes, perceptions of the neighbourhood environment, and adaptive processes to maintain outdoor walking. Sequential semi-structured sit-down and video-documented go-along interviews were conducted with 14 people living with mild to moderate dementia in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Thematic analysis produced two themes: 1) Awareness of needing to adapt to changing abilities to walk in the neighbourhood, and 2) Heightened awareness of risk factors and influence of neighbourhood environment on outdoor mobility adaptations. Recognizing people’s awareness and adaptive responses, and cultivating relational understandings of the agency and capacities of people living with dementia are integral to creating inclusive neighbourhood environments that enhance the capabilities for participation in the community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100314"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The physical environment of Green Care Farms and its relation to residents’ activity engagement","authors":"Katharina Rosteius ,&nbsp;Laura Frissen ,&nbsp;Bram de Boer ,&nbsp;Andrea Gabrio ,&nbsp;Sil Aarts ,&nbsp;Hilde Verbeek","doi":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wss.2025.100300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and aim</h3><div>For people with dementia, being actively engaged in activity can slow down cognitive decline and increase quality of life. Green Care Farms (GCFs) integrate nature and animals into daily life aiming to encourage engagement in activity. This environment might trigger engagement, in the present moment, as well as during longer periods of time. This study explores the environmental design of GCFs in relation to residents’ use of the environment and engagement in activity, contributing to understanding the role of the built environment.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Maps, floor plans and photos of four Dutch GCFs were compared. Ecological momentary assessments (<em>n</em> = 5436) were conducted including 151 residents. Observations noted residents’ place of stay, the activity, which they performed and whether they were actively engaged in it. Data was analyzed with descriptive analyses and a general linear model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>GCFs highly varied in their spatial design; however, all provided an environment rich in sensory stimulation. On average, residents spent 10.1 % of their day outdoors. The variety of places used strongly differed between residents. Nevertheless, engagement in activity was generally high (86.4 %), particularly in outdoor and activity spaces. The activities in which residents engaged were mostly recreational activities, looking around, social activities or eating and drinking. Engagement triggered engagement in subsequent moments in time.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion and conclusion</h3><div>This study showed that certain places within GCFs are meaningful in encouraging activity engagement. Considering different interests and dementia stages, it is important to create varied, meaningful opportunities for engagement both indoors and outdoors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52616,"journal":{"name":"Wellbeing Space and Society","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100300"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}