Family engagement in outdoor activities may promote lasting positive relationshipsExisting research suggests that family participation in outdoor recreation supports many immediate benefits, including improved well-being, bonding and cohesiveness, and increased family communication. However, little attention has been given to the long-term influence of outdoor family recreation on family relationship quality. To fill this gap, this study examined the relationship between participation in family-based nature activities (FBNA) during the early life course (childhood and adolescence) and subsequent family relationship quality in early adulthood. In particular, the study aimed to clarify how FBNA may support family relationship quality among Latinx and Asian American participants. The study was grounded in the FBNA framework, which applies attention restoration theory to explain how family outdoor activities can enhance family functioning. The questions guiding the study asked: (1) Do participation rates in FBNA change across the early life course, and are there differences based on race/ethnicity, sex, and family income? (2) Does FBNA participation across the early life course predict family relationship quality in emerging adulthood? (3) Are different types of outdoor activities linked to better family relationship quality in emerging adulthood?
The study was conducted with 451 undergraduate students at a university on the West Coast of the U.S. The participants ranged in age from 17 to 27 years (average age 19.6), and the far majority identified as female (86%). The participants mainly identified as Asian (45%) or Latinx (43%), and to a lesser extent, White or Caucasian (19%) and Black or African American (6%). Online surveys completed by participants included self-reported assessments for family relationships, frequency and type of FBNA throughout childhood and adolescence, and demographic questions. Current family relationship quality (in emerging adulthood) was assessed using three established scales for family communication, family cohesion, and family social support. Participants retrospectively reported their frequency of engagement in FBNA by indicating how often they spent time with at least one other family member in outdoor environments during five developmental age periods. The developmental periods included early childhood (4–6 years), middle childhood (7–11 years), early adolescence (12–14 years), adolescence (15-17 years), and emerging adulthood (18 years and older). Participants also reported the types of FBNA they experienced with their families during each age period. The types of FBNA were categorized as physical activities (walking, running), social activities (picnics, family reunions), travel to nature areas, sports, entertainment (botanical garden, zoo), and nature activities (hiking, camping). Demographic information collected by the survey included age, gender, race/ethnicity, parental education level, and family income. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine the association between FBNA across the early life course and family relationship quality in emerging adulthood.
Analysis revealed that participation in FBNA declined from early childhood to emerging adulthood. In general, time spent outdoors with family remained stable from early to middle childhood but steadily decreased from middle childhood to emerging adulthood. Some differences in FBNA participation were detected based on demographic characteristics. Compared to lower-income participants, participants from higher-income families showed more rapid declines in FBNA. Females and white participants were more likely to spend time outdoors in early childhood than males or other racial/ethnic groups. Notably, analysis found that participation in FBNA across the early life course was linked to better family relationship quality in emerging adulthood. This finding indicated that individuals who experienced a less of a reduction in FBNA during childhood and adolescence were more likely to report higher-quality family relationships in emerging adulthood compared to those whose FBNA decreased more substantially. The relationship between FBNA and family relationship quality did not differ by race/ethnicity, income, or gender. Regarding activity type, participants reported engaging in social activities most frequently, followed by travel and physical activities. Nature and sports activities were reported the least frequently. Higher frequency of participation in nature, travel, social, and physical activities were linked to more positive family relationship quality in emerging adulthood. On the other hand, no relationship was found between participation in sports and entertainment activities and family relationship quality. Finally, a significant relationship between race/ethnicity and family relationship quality was found, with Asian Americans reporting lower levels of family relationship quality compared to other racial/ethnic groups. No relationship was found between gender or income level and family relationship quality.
The study suggests that maintaining higher frequencies of outdoor family time throughout early life may support stronger family relationships as children reach adulthood. This finding highlights the importance of sustained participation in FBNA across developmental stages of the early life course. Interestingly, sports and entertainment activities were not related to improved family relationships. The researchers suggest that the activity types linked to family relationship quality (nature, travel, social, and physical activities) "may have more components that invoke one’s soft fascination and restore their directed attention,” which may support positive dynamics between family members. “These findings may also help family counselors and practitioners more directly see how time spent in nature may promote family relationships and thus be more likely to suggest (or prescribe) engagement in outdoor family rituals.”
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