Nature-Based Meditation, Rumination and Mental Wellbeing

Abstract

Novel approaches for children and young people (CYP) in the prevention and intervention of mental illness are needed and nature-based interventions (NBI) may be clinically useful. This proof-of-principle study tested the effects of a novel brief nature-based meditation on rumination, depressive symptoms and wellbeing in young people. Sixty-eight university students were randomised to one of three conditions: active control (n = 23), indoor meditation (n = 22) or nature-based meditation (n = 23). Participants completed self-report measures on state and trait rumination post intervention and depression and wellbeing at a 2-week follow-up. Depressive rumination significantly decreased post intervention in the nature condition and depressive symptoms improved for both intervention groups. Wellbeing only significantly improved at follow-up in the nature condition. Nature condition participants demonstrated one minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for wellbeing at follow-up. Depressive symptoms for this condition were below the clinically significant threshold for depression. The number needed to treat (NNT) analysis suggested that two to five young people would need to complete the intervention. Preliminary evidence suggests NBIs, such as the one in the present study, can reduce depressive rumination and symptoms and improve wellbeing. Replication with larger clinical samples is required to substantiate findings.

Group Nature-Based Mindfulness Interventions: Nature-Based Mindfulness Training for College Students with Anxiety

“…Students in the outdoor condition experienced a greater reduction in mood disturbance compared to the indoor condition regardless of activity, and students participating in the 20-min meditation experienced a greater reduction in mood disturbance compared with the control task, regardless of location. Although there was no added benefit of meditation in the outdoor location in this study, evidence supports brief meditation in nature enhances mental health benefits for college students compared to meditation indoors, and a control group [ 31 ]. Similarly, in exploring the impact of a 20-min walk on mood, students walking outdoors with and without mindfulness experienced an increase in positive mood compared to those walking indoors, while students walking outdoors with mindfulness experienced a greater reduction in negative affect compared to the other two conditions [ 32 ].…”

“…Additionally, anxiety is not the only mental health diagnosis of concern among college students. Although NBMT © is designed to reduce anxiety, the intervention can be adapted specifically for other mental health concerns by replacing the Anxiety intervention component with a different mental health concern (i.e., depression), with nature-based mindfulness interventions reducing depressive symptoms among college students [ 31 ]. NBMT © can be implemented with other populations (i.e., high school students; high-stress professionals) experiencing mental health concerns.…”

“…Because both exposure to nature and mindfulness practices are effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety, engaging in mindfulness practice in nature may have a greater impact on anxiety and enhance well-being [ 26 , 27 ]. Nature-based mindfulness connects nature with mindfulness techniques, with recent explorations supporting the benefits of nature-based mindfulness interventions for college students [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

A Systematic Review of Mechanisms Underpinning Psychological Change Following Nature Exposure in an Adolescent Population

“…Furthermore, nature plays a role in increasing adaptive emotional regulation strategies and decreasing maladaptive ones, depending on the characteristics of and cues in the environment [39]. Support for a model of affect regulation comes from evidence of individuals seeking natural environments to support their emotional regulation [40,41] and rumination reduction following nature contact [42], with evidence of this mediating the relationship between nature and negative affect [27,[43][44][45].…”

“…More recent and emerging theories suggest that there are other potential mechanisms of change between exposure to nature and psychological outcomes, some of which are of particular interest as they are also implicated in common mental health difficulties. These include: sleep [51], mindfulness [42], with support for it mediating the association between nature connectedness and wellbeing [52][53][54][55], and physical activity [56,57]. Other key factors relating to psychological change and wellbeing have also been implicated, such as self-esteem, with mixed outcomes, but possible effects via physical activity [58,59] and social cohesion [60,61].…”