IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i24p16501-d997780.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Do Nature-Based Activities Benefit Essential Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Mediating Effect of Nature Connectedness

Author

Listed:
  • Xiang Huang

    (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
    South China Ecological Civilization Research Center, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Liangyi Luo

    (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Xinyi Li

    (Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Yingxin Lin

    (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Zhiqiang Chen

    (China Nature Education Network, Shenzhen 518028, China)

  • Chen Jin

    (China Nature Education Network, Shenzhen 518028, China)

Abstract

Although many studies have suggested that nature-based activities have a healing effect on human beings, there is little research on the underlying mechanism. This study investigated the role of nature connectedness in the relationship between the perception of nature and individuals’ physical and psychological health. We recruited essential workers who participated in disease prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic and their family members as the subjects for this study. The stress levels experienced by this group made them an ideal sample. The results of a survey-based study showed that nature-based activities had a positive effect on alleviating state anxiety levels. The results also showed that nature-based activities affected perceived restoration via the feeling of nature connectedness. This study examined the healing effect of nature-based activities that stimulate the five senses and nature connectedness and explored the potential of nature-based treatments for people experiencing high levels of stress.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiang Huang & Liangyi Luo & Xinyi Li & Yingxin Lin & Zhiqiang Chen & Chen Jin, 2022. "How Do Nature-Based Activities Benefit Essential Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Mediating Effect of Nature Connectedness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16501-:d:997780
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16501/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16501/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Andrew Howell & Holli-Anne Passmore & Karen Buro, 2013. "Meaning in Nature: Meaning in Life as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 1681-1696, December.
    3. Kyung Hee Oh & Won Sop Shin & Tae Gyu Khil & Dong Jun Kim, 2020. "Six-Step Model of Nature-Based Therapy Process," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Lara S. Franco & Danielle F. Shanahan & Richard A. Fuller, 2017. "A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More Than Meets the Eye," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-29, August.
    5. Marcia P. Jimenez & Nicole V. DeVille & Elise G. Elliott & Jessica E. Schiff & Grete E. Wilt & Jaime E. Hart & Peter James, 2021. "Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-19, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Denise Dillon & Sean T. H. Lee, 2023. "Green Spaces as Healthy Places: Correlates of Urban Green Space Use in Singapore," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Qiang Wen & Haiqiang Liu & Jinyuan Chen & Huiyao Ye & Zeyu Pan, 2023. "Evaluation of Satisfaction with the Built Environment of University Buildings under the Epidemic and Its Impact on Student Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Siruo Qu & Ruochen Ma, 2024. "Exploring Multi-Sensory Approaches for Psychological Well-Being in Urban Green Spaces: Evidence from Edinburgh’s Diverse Urban Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, September.
    4. Yuchen Lu, 2024. "Uncovering the Barriers to Foreign Residents' Enrollment in Japan's National Health Insurance: An Econometric Analysis Using Pooled Cross-Sectional Data," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2024-026, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    5. Neal Krause & Kenneth I. Pargament, 2017. "Losing My Religion: Exploring the Relationship Between a Decline in Faith and a Positive Affect," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(4), pages 885-901, December.
    6. Holli-Anne Passmore & Ying Yang & Sarena Sabine, 2022. "An Extended Replication Study of the Well-Being Intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI)," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2663-2683, August.
    7. Rocío Lavigne-Cervan & Borja Costa-López & Rocío Juárez-Ruiz de Mier & Marta Sánchez-Muñoz de León & Marta Real-Fernández & Ignasi Navarro-Soria, 2021. "Implications of the Online Teaching Model Derived from the COVID-19 Lockdown Situation for Anxiety and Executive Functioning in Spanish Children and Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, October.
    8. Sarah Koller, 2021. "Towards Degrowth? Making Peace with Mortality to Reconnect with (One's) Nature: An Ecopsychological Proposition for a Paradigm Shift," Environmental Values, , vol. 30(3), pages 345-366, June.
    9. Fei Qin & Yiqing Song & George P Nassis & Lina Zhao & Yanan Dong & Cuicui Zhao & Yiwei Feng & Jiexiu Zhao, 2020. "Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Emotional Well-Being during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Na-Hye Kim & Jung-Min Lee & Eunhye Yoo, 2022. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Adolescent Health: Physical Activity, Sleep, Obesity, and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, July.
    11. Xinqiao Liu & Yifan Zhang & Wenjuan Gao & Xiaojie Cao, 2023. "Developmental trajectories of depression, anxiety, and stress among college students: a piecewise growth mixture model analysis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    12. Gina Voss & Andreia F. Paiva & Alice Delerue Matos, 2021. "A Study of the Association between the Stringency of Covid-19 Government Measures and Depression in Older Adults across Europe and Israel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-12, July.
    13. Mateusz Ciski & Krzysztof Rząsa, 2023. "Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression in the Investigation of Local COVID-19 Anomalies Based on Population Age Structure in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-23, May.
    14. Volkan Yeniaras & Tugra Nazli Akarsu, 2017. "Religiosity and Life Satisfaction: A Multi-dimensional Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1815-1840, December.
    15. Andrea Alexander & Stephen Fung & Martin Eichler & Nadja Lehwald-Tywuschik & Vasuki Uthayakumar & Sami-Alexander Safi & Christian Vay & Hany Ashmawy & Sinan Kalmuk & Alexander Rehders & Sascha Vaghiri, 2022. "Quality of Life in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-10, March.
    16. José Pais-Ribeiro & Alexandra Ferreira-Valente & Margarida Jarego & Elisabet Sánchez-Rodríguez & Jordi Miró, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal: Psychosocial and Health-Related Factors Associated with Psychological Discomfort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.
    17. Alessandro Germani & Livia Buratta & Elisa Delvecchio & Claudia Mazzeschi, 2020. "Emerging Adults and COVID-19: The Role of Individualism-Collectivism on Perceived Risks and Psychological Maladjustment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-15, May.
    18. Joanna Baj-Korpak & Kamil Zaworski & Ewa Szymczuk & Andrei Shpakou, 2022. "Physical Activity and Mental Health of Medical Students from Poland and Belarus-Countries with Different Restrictive Approaches during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-15, October.
    19. Gülsen Erden & Asil Ali Özdoğru & Sami Çoksan & Hale Ögel-Balaban & Yakup Azak & İlkiz Altınoğlu-Dikmeer & Aysun Ergül-Topçu & Yeşim Yasak & Gözde Kıral-Uçar & Seda Oktay & Pelin Karaca-Dinç & Ezgi Di, 2022. "Social Contact, Academic Satisfaction, COVID-19 Knowledge, and Subjective Well-being Among Students at Turkish Universities: a Nine-University Sample," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 2017-2039, August.
    20. Mevlut Okan Aydin & Guven Ozkaya & Ilker Mustafa Kafa & Shafiul Haque & Zuleyha Alper, 2023. "Hopelessness among Medical Students Caused Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Linked Educational Hiatus: A Case Study of Bursa Uludag University, Türkiye," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16501-:d:997780. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.