The psychological and social benefits of a nature experience for children: A preliminary investigation. Dopko, R., Capaldi, C., & Zelenski, J. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2019.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
There are active movements to connect children with nature to improve their well-being. However, most of the research on children and nature has focused on cognitive benefits or used non-experimental designs. In a preliminary study, we examined the potential benefits of a 4-hour nature experience on children's mood, pro-sociality, and attitudes toward nature. Eighty students from an urban Canadian elementary school were recruited to participate in field trips to a nature school and an aviation/space museum. Children reported more positive and negative emotions, a closer connection to nature, and a greater willingness to protect nature when at the nature school. We also found indications that children were more pro-social at the nature school. Although further research is needed to replicate these findings with additional populations/environments, this study suggests that children largely benefit from spending time in nature.
@article{dopko_psychological_2019,
	title = {The psychological and social benefits of a nature experience for children: {A} preliminary investigation},
	volume = {63},
	doi = {10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.05.002},
	abstract = {There are active movements to connect children with nature to improve their well-being. However, most of the research on children and nature has focused on cognitive benefits or used non-experimental designs. In a preliminary study, we examined the potential benefits of a 4-hour nature experience on children's mood, pro-sociality, and attitudes toward nature. Eighty students from an urban Canadian elementary school were recruited to participate in field trips to a nature school and an aviation/space museum. Children reported more positive and negative emotions, a closer connection to nature, and a greater willingness to protect nature when at the nature school. We also found indications that children were more pro-social at the nature school. Although further research is needed to replicate these findings with additional populations/environments, this study suggests that children largely benefit from spending time in nature.},
	journal = {Journal of Environmental Psychology},
	author = {Dopko, R. and Capaldi, C. and Zelenski, J.},
	year = {2019},
}

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