IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i4p2098-d748333.html

Some searches may not work properly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

   My bibliography  Save this article

The Mediating Effect of Nature Restorativeness, Stress Level, and Nature Connectedness in the Association between Nature Exposure and Quality of Life

Author

Listed:
  • Migle Baceviciene

    (Department of Physical and Social Education, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas LT-44221, Lithuania)

  • Rasa Jankauskiene

    (Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas LT-44221, Lithuania)

Abstract

This study aimed to test the mediating effects of nature restorativeness, stress, and nature connectedness in the association between nature exposure and quality of life (QoL). Urban and rural Lithuanian inhabitants (n = 924; 73.6% were women), mean age of 40.0 ± 12.4 years (age range of 18–79) participated in the study. In total, 31% of the respondents lived in rural areas. Study participants completed an online survey form with measures on sociodemographic factors, nature proximity, nature exposure, nature connectedness, and nature restorativeness, stress, and QoL assessed by the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Questionnaire’s (WHOQOL-BREF). Path analysis was conducted to test the mediating effects of nature restorativeness, stress, and nature connectedness in the model of nature exposure and QoL. Nature exposure was directly associated with a greater QoL (β = 0.14; B = 2.60; SE = 0.57; p < 0.001) and mediated the association between nature proximity and QoL. Nature restorativeness and lower stress levels were mediators between nature exposure and QoL. Nature connectedness was a mediator between nature exposure and QoL. A path model was invariant across genders and the urban and rural place of residence groups: patterns of loadings of the pathways were found to be similar. Nature restorativeness (β = 0.10–0.12; p < 0.01) had a positive effect on the psychological, physical, social, and environmental domains of QoL. Connectedness to nature positively predicted psychological (β = 0.079; p < 0.05) and environmental (β = 0.082; p < 0.05) domains of QoL. Enhancing nature exposure and nature connectedness might help strengthen QoL in urban and rural inhabitants.

Suggested Citation

  • Migle Baceviciene & Rasa Jankauskiene, 2022. "The Mediating Effect of Nature Restorativeness, Stress Level, and Nature Connectedness in the Association between Nature Exposure and Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2098-:d:748333
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2098/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/4/2098/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alison Pritchard & Miles Richardson & David Sheffield & Kirsten McEwan, 2020. "The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Eudaimonic Well-Being: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1145-1167, March.
    2. Gemma Simons & David S Baldwin, 2021. "A critical review of the definition of ‘wellbeing’ for doctors and their patients in a post Covid-19 era," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(8), pages 984-991, December.
    3. Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Donaire-Gonzalez & Edmund Seto & Antònia Valentín & Graham Smith & David Martínez & Glòria Carrasco-Turigas & Daniel Masterson & Magdalena Van den Berg & Albert Ambròs &, 2017. "Living Close to Natural Outdoor Environments in Four European Cities: Adults’ Contact with the Environments and Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Meredith A Repke & Meredith S Berry & Lucian G Conway III & Alexander Metcalf & Reid M Hensen & Conor Phelan, 2018. "How does nature exposure make people healthier?: Evidence for the role of impulsivity and expanded space perception," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, August.
    5. 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.
    6. Florian Lederbogen & Peter Kirsch & Leila Haddad & Fabian Streit & Heike Tost & Philipp Schuch & Stefan Wüst & Jens C. Pruessner & Marcella Rietschel & Michael Deuschle & Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, 2011. "City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans," Nature, Nature, vol. 474(7352), pages 498-501, June.
    7. Andrea Abraham & Kathrin Sommerhalder & Thomas Abel, 2010. "Landscape and well-being: a scoping study on the health-promoting impact of outdoor environments," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(1), pages 59-69, February.
    8. Elizabeth Nisbet & John Zelenski & Steven Murphy, 2011. "Happiness is in our Nature: Exploring Nature Relatedness as a Contributor to Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 303-322, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Adalia Y. H. Goh & Shu Min Chia & Nadyanna M. Majeed & Nicole R. Y. Chen & Andree Hartanto, 2023. "Untangling the Additive and Multiplicative Relations between Natural Scenery Exposure and Human–Animal Interaction on Affective Well-Being: Evidence from Daily Diary Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.

    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. Migle Baceviciene & Rasa Jankauskiene & Viren Swami, 2021. "Nature Exposure and Positive Body Image: A Cross–Sectional Study Examining the Mediating Roles of Physical Activity, Autonomous Motivation, Connectedness to Nature, and Perceived Restorativeness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Wei Cui & Zhihui Yang, 2022. "Association Between Connection to Nature and Children’s Happiness in China: Children’s Negative Affectivity and Gender as Moderators," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 47-63, January.
    3. Larissa Samaan & Leonie Klock & Sandra Weber & Mirjam Reidick & Leonie Ascone & Simone Kühn, 2024. "Low-Level Visual Features of Window Views Contribute to Perceived Naturalness and Mental Health Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-35, May.
    4. Andreia Teixeira & Ronaldo Gabriel & José Martinho & Graça Pinto & Luís Quaresma & Aurélio Faria & Irene Oliveira & Helena Moreira, 2021. "Connectedness to Nature Does Not Explain the Variation in Physical Activity and Body Composition in Adults and Older People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Victoria Houlden & Scott Weich & João Porto de Albuquerque & Stephen Jarvis & Karen Rees, 2018. "The relationship between greenspace and the mental wellbeing of adults: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(9), pages 1-35, September.
    6. Nazaret Ibáñez-Rueda & Mònica Guillén-Royo & Jorge Guardiola, 2020. "Pro-Environmental Behavior, Connectedness to Nature, and Wellbeing Dimensions among Granada Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Raquel Redondo & Carmen Valor & Isabel Carrero, 2022. "Unraveling the Relationship between Well-Being, Sustainable Consumption and Nature Relatedness: a Study of University Students," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 913-930, April.
    8. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    9. 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.
    10. Carlos Cobreros & Neyda Medoza-Ruvalcaba & Mariana Flores-García & Rob Roggema, 2023. "Improving Psychological Well-Being in Urban University Districts through Biophilic Design: Two Cases in Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Juyoung Lee, 2017. "Experimental Study on the Health Benefits of Garden Landscape," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-11, July.
    12. 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.
    13. Stefanie Kley & Tetiana Dovbishchuk, 2021. "How a Lack of Green in the Residential Environment Lowers the Life Satisfaction of City Dwellers and Increases Their Willingness to Relocate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-15, April.
    14. John Zelenski & Sara Warber & Jake M. Robinson & Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Nature Connection: Providing a Pathway from Personal to Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-23, March.
    15. Wan-Yu Chou & Shih-Han Hung, 2021. "Cumulative Frequency of Nature Dose: How Continuous and Regular Forest Walking Improves Nature Relatedness, Restorativeness, and Learning Engagement in College Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-12, October.
    16. Aistė Diržytė & Aidas Perminas, 2020. "Nature-Related Cognitive Schemas and Self-Reported Psychological Flourishing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, May.
    17. Linda Powers Tomasso & Jie Yin & Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent & Jarvis T. Chen & Paul J. Catalano & John D. Spengler, 2021. "The Relationship between Nature Deprivation and Individual Wellbeing across Urban Gradients under COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-20, February.
    18. Marcello Nonnis & Mirian Agus & Francesca Corona & Nicola Aru & Antonio Urban & Claudio Giovanni Cortese, 2024. "The Role of Fulfilment and Disillusion in the Relationship between Burnout and Career Satisfaction in Italian Healthcare Workers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    19. S. Brent Jackson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & Lincoln R. Larson & M. Nils Peterson & Erin Seekamp, 2021. "Outdoor Activity Participation Improves Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, March.
    20. Plane, Jocelyn & Klodawsky, Fran, 2013. "Neighbourhood amenities and health: Examining the significance of a local park," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-8.

    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:4:p:2098-:d:748333. 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.