Family nature experiences at a homeless shelter enhanced parents’ sense of relatedness, competence and autonomyFamilies who are experiencing homelessness can benefit from exposure to nature, according to prior research. This study used a quasi-experimental research design to examine the impact of nature exposure on the well-being of Dutch parents living in a homeless shelter. The study examined whether exposure to nature enhanced parents’ (1) basic psychological need fulfillment, (2) satisfaction with life, and (3) affective state compared to indoor shelter settings.
The study was conducted at a shelter for families experiencing homelessness in the Netherlands. Three parents who were living in the shelter with at least one child were recruited to participate. Data was collected from one parent in each family for eight days during two research phases. In phase A, a minimum of three repeated assessments were taken while the family was exposed to the indoor shelter setting to determine baseline trends in well-being prior to nature exposure. During phase B, families participated in two to five nature interventions that each lasted for an hour. The researcher tailored nature interventions to each family’s interests. The nature intervention utilized the shelter’s garden and a nearby natural playground. Activities included gardening, free play, interacting with a pet rabbit, and watching farm animals. Assessments were completed after each nature exposure intervention. The assessments examined basic psychological need fulfillment in parenting, parental affective state, and parental satisfaction with life. Basic psychological need fulfillment in parenting was assessed with the Dutch parenting version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Need Frustration scale. This questionnaire assessed parental satisfaction and frustration for constructs of relatedness (feeling close and connected to one’s children), competence (feeling competent and skilled in parenting), and autonomy (feeling a sense of choice and freedom in making parenting decisions). Parental well-being was evaluated using parent self-reports and researcher assessments. Parents also completed one item from the Satisfaction with Life Scale as a self-reported measure of daily satisfaction with life. Finally, parents’ affective state was assessed with the Dutch version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, which was completed by a researcher based on their perception of parents’ affective state after each one-hour visit. Data analysis used statistical methods.
Results indicate that parents’ overall basic psychological need fulfillment in parenting (combined scores for need satisfaction and need frustration) was significantly enhanced after exposure to nature. When need satisfaction and need frustration were analyzed independently, significant gains in parents’ need satisfaction were detected as a result of nature exposure; however, no significant changes were found in parents’ need frustration. No significant changes were found in parents’ positive affect, negative affect, or satisfaction with life after exposure to nature.
Findings from the study suggest that basic psychological need fulfillment of parents in homeless shelters can be improved through the provision of nature experiences. On the other hand, the study did not report significantly improved overall parental well-being, as indicated by affective state and satisfaction with life. The researchers note that ongoing major life events, such as losing employment or housing, likely exerted more influence on parents’ well-being than the nature intervention. Additionally, the interventions were conducted during poor weather conditions, which may have influenced the study’s results. Despite these concerns, overall findings indicate that incorporating family nature experiences at homeless shelters can enhance parents’ perception of connection with their children and sense of competence and autonomy in parenting.
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