Forest bathing and hiking benefits for mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mediterranean regions
Muro Rodríguez, Anna (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Evolutiva i de l'Educació)
Mateo Canedo, Corel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Evolutiva i de l'Educació)
Parrado Romero, Eva (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Evolutiva i de l'Educació)
Subirana-Malaret, Montse (Universitat de Barcelona. Facultat de Psicologia)
Moya, Montserrat (Cooperativa Sèlvans)
Garriga, Adrià (School of Nature La Muntada Sant Llorenç Savall)
Canals, Josep (Parc Natural de Sant Llorenç)
Chamarro Lusar, Andrés (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Evolutiva i de l'Educació)
Sanz Ruiz, Antoni (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Evolutiva i de l'Educació)

Date:	2023
Description:	12 pàg.
Abstract:	Forest bathing (FB) has evidenced positive effects on individuals' mental health and well-being, but its benefits have mainly been studied in Asian biomes. The present study aimed to evaluate whether its benefits are also generalisable to other forests and biomes of the world, such as the Mediterranean. Eighty-six healthy adults of the general population were assessed before and after a FB near Barcelona (Spain) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A control-hiking group of participants was also analysed to contrast the FB effects on anxiety, affect, mood states and mindfulness. Results show that the guided practice of FB in Mediterranean-Catalan forests increases mindfulness states and positive affect and reduces anxiety and negative affect, with effect sizes being large to very large. Hiking also induced significant changes in all variables tested, but FB showed higher effect sizes. An exploratory analysis also revealed a different profile of the FB participants compared to the hiking practitioners, being highly educated women living in urban areas and with lower basal levels of psychological well-being. Accordingly, it is concluded that both Mediterranean FB and hiking (to a lesser degree) might be cost-effective strategies to promote and restore psychological well-being after the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote sustainable tourism in Mediterranean biomes of the European forested and protected areas.
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	COVID-19 ; Forest bathing ; Mediterranean forests ; Mental health ; Well-being ; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being ; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

DOI: 10.1007/s10342-023-01531-6
PMID: 36779181

12 p, 977.7 KB

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