A study conducted in Finland focused on the meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals in relation to the wellbeing of adolescent girls living in the northern parts of that country. The nineteen girls who participated in this study were from 13-16 years of age and lived in rural areas, small towns, or an area of dispersed settlement. Most of the girls interacted with animals on a regular basis.
Semi-structured interviews were used for collecting information from the participants about their experiences relating to seasonal changes, nature, and animals and their reflections on how each of these influenced their sense of wellbeing. The interviews -- conducted at local youth centers, schools, places of recreation, and homes -- ranged in length from slightly longer than 10 minutes to over 35 minutes. The participants were encouraged to provide as many illustrations and explanations as they wished.
From the data, three main categories relating to a sense of wellbeing emerged: adaptation to seasonal changes, restorative nature, and empowering interactivity with animals. Seasonal changes and their variations impacted the girls' sense of wellbeing in both positive and negative ways. The summer season had an activating effect, while winter had a restrictive effect. In the summertime, the girls felt happy, vivacious, active, and outgoing. During the winter months, both their mood and activity levels seemed depressed.
Nature, for the girls, proved to be restorative in offering tranquility and the possibility for sensory perceptions. The girls described how nature affected them through looking, touching, hearing, and smelling. They also talked about the silence they experienced while in nature and perceived this as an important sensation. The girls reported having positive feelings while engaged with nature and described nature as being liberating and relaxing. They also appreciated the way nature allowed them to be themselves.
The girls' interactions with animals (which included dogs, cats, horses, and reindeer) were perceived as empowering, offering both calming and invigorating effects at the same time. The girls reported feeling accepted and not criticized or discriminated against when interacting with animals. They described animals as being altruistic and comforting companions reducing their feelings of seclusion and isolation. According to the researchers, one of the most important realizations that animals gave to the girls was the understanding that, by taking care of animals, they learned to take care of themselves as well.
Based on these results, the researchers recommend finding ways to support adolescent girls being in nature and interacting with animals. They also recommend arranging school days during the winter to make it possible for girls to have outdoor activities during the daytime.
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