Tree Canopy Coverage Predicts Lower Conduct Problem Severity in Children with ASD

Barger, Brian; Larson, Lincoln R.; Ogletree, S. Scott; Torquati, Julia C.; Rosenberg, Steven A.; Gaither, Cassandra Johnson; Bartz, Jody Marie; Gardner, Andrew W.; Moody, Eric J.

doi:10.1080/19315864.2020.1714824

Cited by 11 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…A number of recent studies have associated tree canopy cover with better mental health [ 30 , 31 , 32 ] and physical health [ 2 , 30 ]. One paper specifically found that within 1000 m buffers, tree canopy but not grass cover was related to significantly better health outcomes [ 31 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree Canopy Cover Is Best Associated with Perceptions of Greenspace: A Short Communication

Mazumdar

Dunshea

Chong

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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A growing literature has supported a relationship between greenspace and health. Various greenspace metrics exist; some are based on subjective measures while others are based on an objective assessment of the landscape. While subjective measures may better reflect individual feelings about surrounding greenspace and the resulting positive benefits thereof, they are expensive and difficult to collect. In contrast, objective measures can be derived with relative ease, in a timely fashion, and for large regions and populations. While there have been some attempts to compare objective and subjective measures of greenspace, what is lacking is a comprehensive assessment of a wide range of greenspace metrics against subjective measures of greenspace. We performed such an assessment using a set of three objective greenspace metrics and a survey of residents in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. Our study supported existing findings in that overall, there is very little agreement between perceived and objective greenspace metrics. We also found that tree canopy in 10 min walking buffers around residences was the objective greenspace measure in best agreement with perceived greenspace.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree Canopy Cover Is Best Associated with Perceptions of Greenspace: A Short Communication

Mazumdar

Dunshea

Chong

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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“…Our lack of significant associations between greenspace and conduct problems is incongruous with literature examining its effects on children's psychobehavioural outcomes. For example, some of the available studies suggest advantageous effects of access to greenspace on children's conduct problems [55][56][57][58][59] . Whilst our findings may be indicative of a true null association between greenspace exposure and child conduct problems, it may also be an artefact of the longitudinal nature of this sample, as previous studies have been primarily cross-sectional.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The global prevalence of ID has been estimated at 1.37% 11 , with the frequency of comorbid challenging and aggressive behaviours in children ranging between 48% -94% 12 . Physical environmental characteristics such as air pollution and urbanicity 13,14 have been previously positively associated with conduct problems, whilst exposure to greenspaces has been negatively associated with these problems in both typically developing children 15,16 , and children with autism spectrum disorder 17 (ASD). Although previous epidemiological work has explored the varied nature of conduct problems in children with cognitive difficulties 18 , very few systematic reviews examine environmental effects on the trajectories of disruptive behaviours in children with ID and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) more broadly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Physical Environmental Characteristics and Intellectual Disability in Conduct Problem Trajectories Across Childhood: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Baird¹,

Papachristou²,

Hassiotis³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: The paucity of research investigating the role of the physical environment in the developmental progression of conduct problems and the potential moderating effects of intellectual disability (ID) is surprising, given the clinical relevance of elucidating environmental determinants of disruptive behaviours. Aims: To use data from a large UK cohort study to assess associations between physical environmental exposures, ID, and conduct problem trajectories. Method: The sample included 8,168 Millennium Cohort Study children (1.9% with ID). Multilevel growth curve modelling was used to examine the role of physical environment characteristics in the developmental trajectories of conduct problems after adjustments for ID status. Results: Exposure to external environmental domains was not associated with differences in child conduct problems across development. Alternatively, internal aspects of the household environment: spatial density (b = 0.40, p<.001) and damp problems (b = 0.14, p<.001) were both significantly associated with increased trajectories. Various individual and familial covariates were positively associated with conduct problems over time, including: presence of ID (b = 0.96, p<.001), autism spectrum disorder (b = 1.18, p<.001), male sex (b = 0.26, p<.001), poverty (b = 0.19, p<.001), maternal depression (b = 0.65, p<.001), and non-nuclear family structure (b = 0.35, p<.001). Positive ID status appeared to moderate the effects of internal household spatial density, reporting a non-linear negative association with spatial density and conduct problems across development (b = -1.08, p<.01). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the potential harmful consequences of poor internal residential conditions on child development of disruptive behaviours.

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“…For example, a number of studies suggest that exposure to natural environments improves the attentional functioning of children with ADHD, as well as typical children (Kuo & Taylor, 2004;Kuo, 2015;Kuo et al, 2017;Taylor et al, 2002;Taylor & Kuo, 2009;Taylor & Kuo, 2011). Furthermore, recent research shows that natural environments are associated with decreased conduct problems and increased anxiety in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Barger et al, 2020;Larson et al, 2018).…”

Section: Nature Effects On the Wellbeing Of Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This metric of wellbeing is measured with a series of items related to skills and capacities aimed at initiating and maintaining engagement, and following through on tasks (for items, see Primary Outcome in Methods). To date, there have been two published studies using data from the NSCH to investigate the effects of greenspace on child outcomes (Larson et al, 2018;Barger et al, 2020). Both studies examined affective outcomes, one the relationship between a zip-code level metric of greenspace (i.e., % covered by tree canopy) and presence of anxiety in children with and without autism (Larson et al, 2018), and the other the presence of conduct problems (Barger et al,2020).…”

Section: Nature Effects On the Wellbeing Of Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

The complex relationship between greenspace and well‐being in children with and without autism

Barger

Larson

Torquati

et al. 2022

Applied Psych Health & Well

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Greenspace (defined here as canopy coverage) positively correlates with improved wellbeing in typically developing individuals, but this relationship has not been established in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To investigate this relationship, the current study merged data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2012) with the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). Across typically developing children, children with ASD, and non-autistic children with special healthcare needs, greenspace unexpectedly negatively correlated with wellbeing. Further, compared to typically developing children, children with ASD or CSHCN status had lower wellbeing. Interestingly, typically developing children with conduct problems displayed an unexpected negative relationship (i.e., as greenspace increased while wellbeing decreased), though those without conduct problems showed no relationship. Children with ASD displayed no relationship between greenspace independent of conduct problems. CSHCN displayed non-significant trends sugesting mild positive relationships between greenspace and wellbeing. These data indicate the relationship between greenspace and wellbeing is more complex than expected, and may depend on the diagnostic traits of the population studied.

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Tree Canopy Coverage Predicts Lower Conduct Problem Severity in Children with ASD

Cited by 11 publications

References 65 publications

Tree Canopy Cover Is Best Associated with Perceptions of Greenspace: A Short Communication

Tree Canopy Cover Is Best Associated with Perceptions of Greenspace: A Short Communication

The Role of Physical Environmental Characteristics and Intellectual Disability in Conduct Problem Trajectories Across Childhood: A Population-Based Cohort Study

The complex relationship between greenspace and well‐being in children with and without autism

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