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Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?

ABSTRACT: Nature-based activities have been used as therapeutic interventions for those experiencing stress and mental ill health. This study investigates whether group walks could be a nature-based intervention to foster resilience, by buffering the effects of recent stressful life events on mental health. An observational research design with propensity score-matched samples compared the mental health of individuals who did (Nature Group Walkers, n = 1081) or did not (Non-Group Walkers, n = 435) attend nature group walks. A sub-sample of Frequent Nature Group Walkers (at least once per week, n = 631) was also investigated. Data were analyzed using multiple regression with an interaction term. All analyses were controlled for age, gender, and recent physical activity. Results showed that neither nature group walking, nor doing this frequently, moderated the effects of stressful life events on mental health. Using a main effects model, the positive associations of group walks in nature were at a greater magnitude than the negative associations of stressful life events on depression, positive affect, and mental well-being, suggesting an 'undoing' effect of nature group walks. Group walking schemes in natural environments may be an important public health promotion intervention for mental health.

SUBMITTER: Marselle MR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6466337 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?

Marselle Melissa R MR Warber Sara L SL Irvine Katherine N KN

International journal of environmental research and public health 20190319 6

Nature-based activities have been used as therapeutic interventions for those experiencing stress and mental ill health. This study investigates whether group walks could be a nature-based intervention to foster resilience, by buffering the effects of recent stressful life events on mental health. An observational research design with propensity score-matched samples compared the mental health of individuals who did (Nature Group Walkers, <i>n</i> = 1081) or did not (Non-Group Walkers, <i>n</i> ...[more]

PMID: 30893850

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Project description:ImportanceBoth adulthood stressful life events (SLEs) and liability for schizophrenia have been associated with poor mental and physical health in the general population, but their interaction remains to be elucidated to improve population-based health outcomes.ObjectiveTo test whether recent SLEs interact with genetic and environmental liability for schizophrenia in models of mental and physical health.Design, setting, and participantsThe Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 is a population-based prospective cohort study designed to investigate the prevalence, incidence, course, and consequences of mental disorders in the Dutch general population. Participants were enrolled from November 5, 2007, to July 31, 2009, and followed up with 3 assessments during 9 years. Follow-up was completed on June 19, 2018, and data were analyzed from September 1 to November 1, 2019.ExposuresRecent SLEs assessed at each wave and aggregate scores of genetic and environmental liability for schizophrenia: polygenic risk score for schizophrenia (PRS-SCZ) trained using the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium analysis results and exposome score for schizophrenia (ES-SCZ) trained using an independent data set.Main outcomes and measuresIndependent and interacting associations of SLEs with ES-SCZ and PRS-SCZ on mental and physical health assessed at each wave using regression coefficients.ResultsOf the 6646 participants included at baseline, the mean (SD) age was 44.26 (12.54) years, and 3672 (55.25%) were female. The SLEs were associated with poorer physical health (B = -3.22 [95% CI, -3.66 to -2.79]) and mental health (B = -3.68 [95% CI, -4.05 to -3.32]). Genetic and environmental liability for schizophrenia was associated with poorer mental health (ES-SCZ: B = -3.07 [95% CI, -3.35 to -2.79]; PRS-SCZ: B = -0.93 [95% CI, -1.31 to -0.54]). Environmental liability was also associated with poorer physical health (B = -3.19 [95% CI, -3.56 to -2.82]). The interaction model showed that ES-SCZ moderated the association of SLEs with mental (B = -1.08 [95% CI, -1.47 to -0.69]) and physical health (B = -0.64 [95% CI, -1.11 to -0.17]), whereas PRS-SCZ did not. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed these results.Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, schizophrenia liability was associated with broad mental health outcomes at the population level. Consistent with the diathesis-stress model, exposure to SLEs, particularly in individuals with high environmental liability for schizophrenia, was associated with poorer health. These findings underline the importance of modifiable environmental factors during the life span for population-based mental health outcomes.

Dataset Information

Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?

Publications

Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?

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