Restauración psicológica y naturaleza urbana: algunas implicaciones para la salud mental

Abstract

SUMMARYTopics relating to mental health promotion systematically lack research that documents the importance of physical environment qualities in the development of public health policies. At the present time, several emerging research lines regarding restorative environments (RE) and psychological restoration (PR) may contribute to the conceptual and operational definition of relevant environmental qualities promoting mental health. PR relates to the recovery of people´s cognitive resources and psychophysiological responses when exposed to environments with restorative qualities. The present study documents the application of an ecological social model regarding the impact of urban nature on PR in a housing context. We posed the objective to document possible restoration effects of variables related to Urban Nature-UN (for example, views of nature from housing windows, indoor plants and gardens, proximity to outdoor green areas) and Psychological Transaction Processes with the Environment -PTRAPE (activities in nature and perception of environmental restoration of housing) on emotional and cognitive indicators of PR. To achieve this goal, we carried out a study with 120 individual home interviews (mean age of 45.73 years, 63 men and 57 women) in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. The structural equations model showed that UN has both direct and indirect effects on emotional and cognitive dimension of PR. This theoretical, conceptual, and methodological approach provides a conceptual platform to carry out innovative research with relevant empirical implications for mental health promotion. Key words:Restorative environments, public health, stress, environmental perception. RESUMENEn las temáticas de promoción de salud mental existe una carencia sistemática de investigaciones que documenten la importancia de las cualidades del ambiente físico en el desarrollo de políticas públicas de salud. Actualmente existen varias líneas emergentes de investigación sobre ambientes restauradores (AR) y restauración psicológica (RP) que pueden contribuir a la definición conceptual y operativa de las cualidades del ambiente que pueden ser relevantes para promover la salud mental. La RP se relaciona con la recuperación de los recursos cognitivos y de la capacidad de respuesta psicofisiológica que experimentan las personas ante la exposición a ambientes con cualidades restauradoras. En el presente estudio se documenta la aplicación de un modelo ecológico social del impacto de la naturaleza urbana en la RP considerando un contexto de vivienda. Se planteó como objetivo documentar los posibles efectos restauradores de variables relacionadas con la presencia de Naturaleza Urbana-NU (e.g. vistas de naturaleza en las ventanas de las viviendas, plantas y jardines interiores, proximidad de áreas verdes exteriores), Procesos Psicológicos de Transacción con el Medio Ambiente -PPTRAMA (actividades con la naturaleza y percepción de restauración ambiental de la vivienda) sobre indicadores emotivos y cognitivos de la RP. Para conseguir tal ob...

Investigating the Mental Health Impacts of University Campus Green Space Through Perceived Sensory Dimensions and the Mediation Effects of Perceived Restorativeness on Restoration Experience

“…Mental fatigue and stress-related mental disorders, depression, and anxiety are related to individual mental health and wellknown risk factors for positive mental health (1)(2)(3). One in every four people suffer from mental disorders in their lifetime (1).…”

“…Mental fatigue and stress-related mental disorders, depression, and anxiety are related to individual mental health and wellknown risk factors for positive mental health (1)(2)(3). One in every four people suffer from mental disorders in their lifetime (1). Environmental health related researchers have suggested that green environments can reduce levels of stress related mental disorders and therefore enhance positive mental health (2,(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12).…”

“…It refers to renewal of "directed attention capacities" that have depleted with sustained usage in daily life, "physiological changes from tension and stress toward relaxation, " and "positive mood change" (15). Examining the literature, a great deal of attention has been paid to restoration experiences in investigating mental health promotion of green spaces (1,6,12). The importance of green spaces in the development of better state of mental health involves "the promotion of subjective well-being, " "the prevention of mental disorders" and "the treatment and rehabilitation of people affected by psychiatric disorders" (1).…”

“…Examining the literature, a great deal of attention has been paid to restoration experiences in investigating mental health promotion of green spaces (1,6,12). The importance of green spaces in the development of better state of mental health involves "the promotion of subjective well-being, " "the prevention of mental disorders" and "the treatment and rehabilitation of people affected by psychiatric disorders" (1). A number of approaches used by researchers to measure the mental health benefits of green spaces involve multidimensional definitions of health outcomes, such as cognitive and emotional restoration (1), attention restoration (16), cognitive functioning (4), and emotional well-being (17,18).…”

“…The importance of green spaces in the development of better state of mental health involves "the promotion of subjective well-being, " "the prevention of mental disorders" and "the treatment and rehabilitation of people affected by psychiatric disorders" (1). A number of approaches used by researchers to measure the mental health benefits of green spaces involve multidimensional definitions of health outcomes, such as cognitive and emotional restoration (1), attention restoration (16), cognitive functioning (4), and emotional well-being (17,18). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is not an absence of illness, it is a state of physical, mental and social well-being (3).…”