Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children
Increasing people's sense of connectedness to nature has the potential to be a powerful tool in driving pro-conservation behaviours, as well as improving physical and mental health. Multi-age cross-sectional studies have shown that nature connectedness signicantly dips after early childood befo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000041 |
| _version_ | 1819274277239652352 |
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| author | Eluned Price Sarah Maguire Catherine Firth Ryan Lumber Miles Richardson Richard Young |
| author_facet | Eluned Price Sarah Maguire Catherine Firth Ryan Lumber Miles Richardson Richard Young |
| author_sort | Eluned Price |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing people's sense of connectedness to nature has the potential to be a powerful tool in driving pro-conservation behaviours, as well as improving physical and mental health. Multi-age cross-sectional studies have shown that nature connectedness signicantly dips after early childood before recovering in adulthood. However, the precise pattern of this age-related decline is not well-described or understood. We conducted a questionnaire survey of children living on the island of Jersey, Channel Islands, using the Nature Connection Index (NCI) to identify biological, behavioural and social factors associated with nature connectedness levels. Using an information-theoretic approach, we analysed data from 17% of all Jersey's children aged between 7-18 years (N=1872) to investigate the effects of age, gender, school location and funding type. NCI levels were consistently higher in girls than in boys, and declined with age in both sexes into the early teens. Children attending schools in urban areas, particularly at primary level, had a lower mean NCI than those in rural locations. In adolescents (11-18 years), self-reported daily screen time was negatively correlated with NCI scores. Most students reported that their home was the place they preferred to relax, but the majority chose a natural environment as their favourite place. Our results confirm the marked decline in nature connectedness after early childhood but also point to interventions that may help reduce this deterioration, with associated wellbeing and behaviour change benefits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T23:05:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1762271fe5324dca8545277eae30788d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T23:05:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1762271fe5324dca8545277eae30788d2022-12-21T17:26:49ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Ecological and Social Psychology2666-62272022-01-013100037Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged childrenEluned Price0Sarah Maguire1Catherine Firth2Ryan Lumber3Miles Richardson4Richard Young5Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey; Corresponding author: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP, Channel IslandsDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, JerseyDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, JerseyDe Montfort University, UKUniversity of Derby, UKDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, JerseyIncreasing people's sense of connectedness to nature has the potential to be a powerful tool in driving pro-conservation behaviours, as well as improving physical and mental health. Multi-age cross-sectional studies have shown that nature connectedness signicantly dips after early childood before recovering in adulthood. However, the precise pattern of this age-related decline is not well-described or understood. We conducted a questionnaire survey of children living on the island of Jersey, Channel Islands, using the Nature Connection Index (NCI) to identify biological, behavioural and social factors associated with nature connectedness levels. Using an information-theoretic approach, we analysed data from 17% of all Jersey's children aged between 7-18 years (N=1872) to investigate the effects of age, gender, school location and funding type. NCI levels were consistently higher in girls than in boys, and declined with age in both sexes into the early teens. Children attending schools in urban areas, particularly at primary level, had a lower mean NCI than those in rural locations. In adolescents (11-18 years), self-reported daily screen time was negatively correlated with NCI scores. Most students reported that their home was the place they preferred to relax, but the majority chose a natural environment as their favourite place. Our results confirm the marked decline in nature connectedness after early childhood but also point to interventions that may help reduce this deterioration, with associated wellbeing and behaviour change benefits.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000041AdolescenceNature connectednessNature conservationSchool childrenWellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Eluned Price Sarah Maguire Catherine Firth Ryan Lumber Miles Richardson Richard Young Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology Adolescence Nature connectedness Nature conservation School children Wellbeing |
| title | Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children |
| title_full | Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children |
| title_short | Factors associated with nature connectedness in school-aged children |
| title_sort | factors associated with nature connectedness in school aged children |
| topic | Adolescence Nature connectedness Nature conservation School children Wellbeing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000041 |
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