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Does Spending Time in Nature Help Students Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Author

Listed:
  • Jessica E. Desrochers

    (Psychology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada)

  • Ashleigh L. Bell

    (Psychology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada)

  • Elizabeth K. Nisbet

    (Psychology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada)

  • John M. Zelenski

    (Psychology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our economy, social lives, and mental health, and it therefore provides a unique chance for researchers to examine how people cope with changes to their everyday activities. Research suggests that people may be spending more time in nature than they did pre-pandemic. The current study sheds light on how nature is being used to cope with the stresses of the global health crisis and lockdowns. Canadian undergraduate students ( N = 559) filled out a questionnaire during the fall of 2020 about their pandemic experience, including their affects, life satisfaction, and feelings of flourishing and vitality, in addition to a wide variety of nature variables. The weekly exposures, the perceived increases or decreases in the exposure to nature during the pandemic, and the feelings of connectedness (nature relatedness) were assessed. Those who felt like they were spending more time in nature than they did pre-pandemic experienced more subjective well-being. Nature-related individuals were more likely to access nature and to appreciate it more during the pandemic than others, but all people (even those less connected) experienced well-being benefits from spending more time in nature. Going into nature appears to be an increasingly popular and effective coping strategy to boost or maintain subjective well-being during the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica E. Desrochers & Ashleigh L. Bell & Elizabeth K. Nisbet & John M. Zelenski, 2022. "Does Spending Time in Nature Help Students Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2401-:d:753518
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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. Veronika Huta & Alan Waterman, 2014. "Eudaimonia and Its Distinction from Hedonia: Developing a Classification and Terminology for Understanding Conceptual and Operational Definitions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1425-1456, December.
    3. Sandra Rousseau & Nick Deschacht, 2020. "Public Awareness of Nature and the Environment During the COVID-19 Crisis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 1149-1159, August.
    4. Venter, Zander & Barton, David & gundersen, vegard & Figari, Helene & Nowell, Megan, 2020. "Urban nature in a time of crisis: recreational use of green space increases during the COVID-19 outbreak in Oslo, Norway," SocArXiv kbdum, Center for Open Science.
    5. Stefan Stieger & David Lewetz & Viren Swami, 2021. "Emotional Well-Being Under Conditions of Lockdown: An Experience Sampling Study in Austria During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2703-2720, August.
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    1. Kirsten McEwan & Harriet Collett & Jean Nairn & Jamie Bird & Mark A. Faghy & Eric Pfeifer & Jessica E. Jackson & Caroline Cook & Amanda Bond, 2022. "The Feasibility and Impact of Practising Online Forest Bathing to Improve Anxiety, Rumination, Social Connection and Long-COVID Symptoms: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-12, November.

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