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The Effects of a Campus Forest-Walking Program on Undergraduate and Graduate Students’ Physical and Psychological Health

Author

Listed:
  • Kyung-Sook Bang

    (College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea)

  • Insook Lee

    (College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea)

  • Sungjae Kim

    (College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea)

  • Chun Soo Lim

    (Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea)

  • Hee-Kyung Joh

    (Department of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
    Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Health Service Center, Seoul 08826, Korea
    Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea)

  • Bum-Jin Park

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea)

  • Min Kyung Song

    (College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea)

Abstract

We conducted a campus forest-walking program targeting university and graduate students during their lunchtime and examined the physical and psychological effects of the program. We utilized a quasi-experimental design with a control group and a pretest–posttest design. Forty-seven men (M = 25.5 ± 3.8 years) and 52 women (M = 23.3 ± 4.3 years) volunteered to participate (experimental group n = 51, control group n = 48). The intervention group participated in campus forest-walking program once a week for six weeks; they were also asked to walk once a week additionally on an individual basis. Additionally, participants received one lecture on stress management. Post-tests were conducted both just after the program ended and three months after. A chi-square test, t -test, and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to evaluate the effects of the program. Health promoting behaviors ( F = 7.27, p = 0.001, ES = 0.27) and parasympathetic nerve activity ( F = 3.69, p = 0.027, ES = 0.20) significantly increased and depression ( F = 3.15, p = 0.045, ES = 0.18) significantly decreased in the experimental group after the intervention compared to the control group. In conclusion, using the campus walking program to target students during their lunchtime is an efficient strategy to promote their physical and psychological health.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyung-Sook Bang & Insook Lee & Sungjae Kim & Chun Soo Lim & Hee-Kyung Joh & Bum-Jin Park & Min Kyung Song, 2017. "The Effects of a Campus Forest-Walking Program on Undergraduate and Graduate Students’ Physical and Psychological Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:7:p:728-:d:103747
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Norimasa Takayama & Kalevi Korpela & Juyoung Lee & Takeshi Morikawa & Yuko Tsunetsugu & Bum-Jin Park & Qing Li & Liisa Tyrväinen & Yoshifumi Miyazaki & Takahide Kagawa, 2014. "Emotional, Restorative and Vitalizing Effects of Forest and Urban Environments at Four Sites in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2016. "Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of the Research in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Hiroko Ochiai & Harumi Ikei & Chorong Song & Maiko Kobayashi & Ako Takamatsu & Takashi Miura & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-11, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kyung-Sook Bang & Sungjae Kim & Min Kyung Song & Kyung Im Kang & Yeaseul Jeong, 2018. "The Effects of a Health Promotion Program Using Urban Forests and Nursing Student Mentors on the Perceived and Psychological Health of Elementary School Children in Vulnerable Populations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Topaz Shrestha & Zelda Di Blasi & Marica Cassarino, 2021. "Natural or Urban Campus Walks and Vitality in University Students: Exploratory Qualitative Findings from a Pilot Randomised Controlled Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Sus Sola Corazon & Ulrik Sidenius & Dorthe Varning Poulsen & Marie Christoffersen Gramkow & Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter, 2019. "Psycho-Physiological Stress Recovery in Outdoor Nature-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of the Past Eight Years of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Kirsten McEwan & Vanessa Potter & Yasuhiro Kotera & Jessica Eve Jackson & Sarah Greaves, 2022. "‘This Is What the Colour Green Smells Like!’: Urban Forest Bathing Improved Adolescent Nature Connection and Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.
    5. Jin Gun Kim & Tae Gyu Khil & Youngsuwn Lim & Kyungja Park & Minja Shin & Won Sop Shin, 2020. "The Psychological Effects of a Campus Forest Therapy Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Albert Bach Pagès & Josep Peñuelas & Jana Clarà & Joan Llusià & Ferran Campillo i López & Roser Maneja, 2020. "How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Jin Gun Kim & Jinyoung Jeon & Won Sop Shin, 2021. "The Influence of Forest Activities in a University Campus Forest on Student’s Psychological Effects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.
    8. Charlotte Wendelboe-Nelson & Sarah Kelly & Marion Kennedy & John W. Cherrie, 2019. "A Scoping Review Mapping Research on Green Space and Associated Mental Health Benefits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-49, June.
    9. Poung-Sik Yeon & In-Ok Kim & Si-Nae Kang & Nee-Eun Lee & Ga-Yeon Kim & Gyeong-Min Min & Chung-Yeub Chung & Jung-Sok Lee & Jin-Gun Kim & Won-Sop Shin, 2022. "Effects of Urban Forest Therapy Program on Depression Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Anne Skoglund & Øyfrid Larsen Moen & Kari Bjerke Batt-Rawden & Agneta Schröder, 2023. "Students’ Experiences with a Mental Health-Promoting Daily Life During COVID19: Balancing Predictability and Joy," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.
    11. David García-Álvarez & Raquel Faubel, 2020. "Strategies and Measurement Tools in Physical Activity Promotion Interventions in the University Setting: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-15, September.
    12. Poung-Sik Yeon & Jin-Young Jeon & Myeong-Seo Jung & Gyeong-Min Min & Ga-Yeon Kim & Kyung-Mi Han & Min-Ja Shin & Seong-Hee Jo & Jin-Gun Kim & Won-Sop Shin, 2021. "Effect of Forest Therapy on Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-27, December.

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