Research is needed to examine the potential of green social prescribing to address mental health issues among children and adolescentsWorldwide, 10% of children and adolescents are estimated to have a mental health concern. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this rate, and the climate crisis poses an ongoing risk to the mental well-being of children and adolescents, according to research. These global challenges reveal the need for preventative and community-based approaches that support youth’s mental health. This article considers the potential of green social prescribing to meet this need. The authors define green social prescribing as “the prescription of nature-based interventions and activities to improve overall health and well-being.” The article describes green social prescribing, highlights the benefits of nature-based activities for children and adolescents and offers recommendations to guide future research.
Social prescribing is a non-medical prescription to support health and well-being. Social prescribing can reduce the burden on mental health services, strengthen community connections and encourage patient autonomy and empowerment over their own health. Nature-based or green social prescriptions aim to improve mental health through engagement in nature, and may involve activities such as outdoor exercise, gardening, or environmental stewardship.
Existing research examining the impact of green social prescribing is mainly focused on adults. In light of the paucity of child-focused research, the authors state that the substantial evidence provided by systematic reviews for the mental well-being benefits of other types of nature-based interventions for children and adolescents argues for the potential of green social prescribing to provide similar outcomes. However, the authors also call attention to the methodological limitations of the existing research on nature-based interventions and call for more robust study designs. “Nevertheless, it can be hypothesized that green social prescribing may act as a preventative avenue of mental health care for children and adolescents, not only as a mechanism to decrease existing symptoms of psychological disorders, but also to prevent the emergence of more severe disorders.”
Although green social prescribing is “still in its infancy” the authors contend that this approach offers potential for improving mental health care for children and adolescents. Robust and rigorous research designs, such as experimental or longitudinal studies, are needed to provide a greater understanding of the impact of green social prescribing on pediatric mental health outcomes. The article also calls attention to the importance of accessible green spaces which are needed to enable green social prescriptions within marginalized communities, and which may help address socio-economic health disparities.
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