Studies suggest that outdoor activity is beneficial for both adult and child mental health, with schools offering an opportunity for children to spend time in nature. Until now, however, few randomized controlled trials have tested the link between weekly outdoor education and reducing mental health symptoms in children.
The researchers behind the current study thus conducted a 12-week nature-based randomized clinical trial involving 33 schools, 53 teachers, and 1015 students in grades 5 and 6 in Quebec.
The trial lasted between February and June 2023. The intervention involved classes taught outside in a nearby park or wooded area for two hours per week on regular subjects such as languages, maths, and science, alongside a 10-15-minute activity designed to promote mental health such as writing haikus, mindful walking, and talking about cycles of life and death in nature. The control group conducted class as usual.
The primary outcome of study was a change in student mental health, focusing on internalizing and externalizing symptoms and social problems based on questionnaires filled in by both teachers and students.
Ultimately, the researchers found no overall changes in children's mental health immediately after the intervention. Analyses, however, did suggest a small beneficial outcome for teacher-reported internalizing of symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and social problems among children with more significant mental health symptoms at the start of the study. They noted that the intervention did not worsen mental health.
"[The findings suggest] that nature-based programs may offer targeted benefits for children with higher levels of mental health vulnerabilities and potentially act as an equalizer of mental health among school-age children," said study author Sylvana Côté, a professor at Université de Montréal's school of public health and Canada Research Chair in the Prevention of Psychosocial and Educational Problems in Childhood, in a press release.
"Our results are particularly relevant for educators, policy-makers and mental health professionals seeking cost-effective and accessible ways to support vulnerable students," said first author of the paper, Tianna Loose, a post-doctoral fellow at Université de Montréal, in a press release, "The intervention was low-cost, well-received and posed no risks, making it a promising strategy for schools with access to greenspaces."
Sources: Science Daily, Pediatrics