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Experiencing Nature to Satisfy Basic Psychological Needs in Parenting: A Quasi-Experiment in Family Shelters

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  • Elise Peters

    (Department of Education, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, 2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands)

  • Jolanda Maas

    (Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Dieuwke Hovinga

    (Department of Education, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, 2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands)

  • Nicole Van den Bogerd

    (Department of Education, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, 2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands
    Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Carlo Schuengel

    (Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Finding fulfillment of basic psychological needs may be difficult for parents living in shelters after becoming homeless or after escaping violence. This study tested if experiencing nature was associated with the basic psychological needs of parents in shelters. Need satisfaction and need frustration were measured among parents in shelters ( N = 160), with one measurement in the standard indoor context of the shelter and one measurement while experiencing nature. Experiencing nature was associated with enhanced need satisfaction ( d = 0.28) and reduced need frustration ( d = −0.24). The effect was especially pronounced for parents with young children. Our findings suggest that the physical environment matters for parents’ basic psychological need fulfillment as they interact with their children in the context of sheltering. This finding opens a potential avenue for supporting parental functioning and resilience in the face of risk if these effects were to be replicated across settings using controlled experimental designs. At the very least, the findings may be discussed with practitioners and parents in the context of making shelter life and work more conducive to mental health and family functioning.

Suggested Citation

  • Elise Peters & Jolanda Maas & Dieuwke Hovinga & Nicole Van den Bogerd & Carlo Schuengel, 2020. "Experiencing Nature to Satisfy Basic Psychological Needs in Parenting: A Quasi-Experiment in Family Shelters," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8657-:d:448892
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ceridwen Owen & James Crane, 2022. "Trauma-Informed Design of Supported Housing: A Scoping Review through the Lens of Neuroscience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-27, November.

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