Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence
Social prescribing of nature therapy “green social prescribing” facilitates access to local nature-based activities that improve biopsychosocial wellbeing outcomes, are affordable, accessible, and can be adapted to context. These are becoming increasingly popular and gray literature is emerging, how...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1041675/full |
| _version_ | 1828118259362168832 |
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| author | Tamsin Thomas Christina Aggar Christina Aggar James Baker Debbie Massey Megan Thomas Daniel D’Appio Eric Brymer Eric Brymer |
| author_facet | Tamsin Thomas Christina Aggar Christina Aggar James Baker Debbie Massey Megan Thomas Daniel D’Appio Eric Brymer Eric Brymer |
| author_sort | Tamsin Thomas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social prescribing of nature therapy “green social prescribing” facilitates access to local nature-based activities that improve biopsychosocial wellbeing outcomes, are affordable, accessible, and can be adapted to context. These are becoming increasingly popular and gray literature is emerging, however, peer-reviewed scientific evidence is exiguous. This scoping review aimed to identify and critique peer-reviewed evidence for green social prescribing interventions and develop recommendations for research and clinical practice. Included studies were published in peer-reviewed journals in English on/after 1 January 2000. Participants were community-living adults with mental illness; Intervention was any green social prescribing program; Comparator was not restricted/required; Outcomes were any biopsychosocial measures; and any/all Study Designs were included. Twelve databases were searched on 15 October 2022; these were Academic Search Premier, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, JSTOR, ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality. Seven publications describing 6 unique studies (5 UK, 1 Australia) were identified including 3 mixed-methods, 2 qualitative, and 1 RCT. Participants included 334 adults (45% female, aged 35–70 years); sample sizes ranged from 9 to 164. All studies showed improvements in biopsychosocial wellbeing, and participants from most studies (n = 5) reported increased connection to the earth and intention to further access nature. Participant demographics and diagnoses were poorly reported, and intervention activities and assessments varied considerably. However, MMAT scores were good overall suggesting these studies may reliably demonstrate intervention outcomes. We conclude that socially prescribed nature therapy can improve biopsychosocial wellbeing and is a potentially important intervention for mental illness. Recommendations for research and clinical practice are provided. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:28:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8f91794fe2c4e89bd8bacd3a251327e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:28:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8f91794fe2c4e89bd8bacd3a251327e2022-12-22T04:21:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-12-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.10416751041675Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidenceTamsin Thomas0Christina Aggar1Christina Aggar2James Baker3Debbie Massey4Megan Thomas5Daniel D’Appio6Eric Brymer7Eric Brymer8Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, AustraliaFaculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, AustraliaNorthern NSW Local Health District, Lismore, NSW, AustraliaPrimary and Community Care Services, Thornleigh, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, AustraliaGraduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Keiraville, NSW, AustraliaPrimary and Community Care Services, Thornleigh, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Bilinga, QLD, AustraliaManna Institute, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaSocial prescribing of nature therapy “green social prescribing” facilitates access to local nature-based activities that improve biopsychosocial wellbeing outcomes, are affordable, accessible, and can be adapted to context. These are becoming increasingly popular and gray literature is emerging, however, peer-reviewed scientific evidence is exiguous. This scoping review aimed to identify and critique peer-reviewed evidence for green social prescribing interventions and develop recommendations for research and clinical practice. Included studies were published in peer-reviewed journals in English on/after 1 January 2000. Participants were community-living adults with mental illness; Intervention was any green social prescribing program; Comparator was not restricted/required; Outcomes were any biopsychosocial measures; and any/all Study Designs were included. Twelve databases were searched on 15 October 2022; these were Academic Search Premier, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, JSTOR, ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality. Seven publications describing 6 unique studies (5 UK, 1 Australia) were identified including 3 mixed-methods, 2 qualitative, and 1 RCT. Participants included 334 adults (45% female, aged 35–70 years); sample sizes ranged from 9 to 164. All studies showed improvements in biopsychosocial wellbeing, and participants from most studies (n = 5) reported increased connection to the earth and intention to further access nature. Participant demographics and diagnoses were poorly reported, and intervention activities and assessments varied considerably. However, MMAT scores were good overall suggesting these studies may reliably demonstrate intervention outcomes. We conclude that socially prescribed nature therapy can improve biopsychosocial wellbeing and is a potentially important intervention for mental illness. Recommendations for research and clinical practice are provided.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1041675/fullsocial prescribingcommunity referralcommunity health servicesmental illnessnature therapyecotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Tamsin Thomas Christina Aggar Christina Aggar James Baker Debbie Massey Megan Thomas Daniel D’Appio Eric Brymer Eric Brymer Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence Frontiers in Psychology social prescribing community referral community health services mental illness nature therapy ecotherapy |
| title | Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence |
| title_full | Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence |
| title_fullStr | Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence |
| title_short | Social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community: A scoping review of peer-reviewed international evidence |
| title_sort | social prescribing of nature therapy for adults with mental illness living in the community a scoping review of peer reviewed international evidence |
| topic | social prescribing community referral community health services mental illness nature therapy ecotherapy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1041675/full |
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