Study identifies a chain of relationships between parents' and children's nature experiences and nature connectednessNature connectedness—an individual’s sense of connection with the natural world—has been linked with numerous benefits for both humans and the environment. Despite the well-understood importance of nature connectedness, relatively few studies have explored the pathways that support its development within the family context. To clarify how families influence children’s connection with nature, this study proposed and tested an integrative model of the intergenerational processes underlying the development of nature connectedness. The Intergenerational Pathway to Nature Connectedness model is based on existing evidence of a chain of relationships between four key variables: (1) parent nature experience during childhood, (2) parent nature connectedness, (3) child nature experience, and (4) child nature connectedness. The model proposes that when parents have nature experiences as children, they develop a sense of connection with nature. This connection encourages them to provide similar experiences for their child, which then fosters the child's own bond with nature.
The study was conducted with 2,357 parent-child dyads who were recruited from 25 primary schools in Hong Kong. The children were in the fourth through sixth grades (age 8- 13). Each child and parent completed a survey that assessed nature connectedness using the Nature Connection Index. Parents completed an additional questionnaire to measure (1) their own recalled nature experience as a child when they were the current age of their child and (2) their child’s nature experience. Such nature experience was assessed through two measures: nature activities and nature time. Parents selected the nature activities they participated in as a child and the nature activities they arranged for their child over the past year from a list of 12 activities that included hiking, sports or exercise in nature, camping, playing in nature, fishing, visiting parks, watching nature documentaries, and reading books or websites about nature. Parents also reported the amount of time they spent in natural environments as children and the amount of time their children spent in natural environments on a typical non-school day. The surveys collected children’s and parents' demographic and socioeconomic information, including gender, age, and grade, parents' education level, home environment (rural or urban), and walking distance to natural environments. Survey responses were statistically analyzed.
A significant relationship was detected between parent nature connectedness and child nature connectedness, indicating that children tended to have a similar level of connection with nature as their parents. A significant relationship was detected between child nature experience and child nature connectedness, and between the amount of time spent outdoors in nature and nature connectedness among child participants. This finding suggests that nature experience is a pathway to nature connectedness. Parent nature connectedness was significantly related to child nature experience and the amount of time spent in nature, indicating that the nature experiences parents arrange for their children are associated with parents’ relationship with nature. Both parents’ nature experience and amount of nature time during childhood were significantly linked to their current level of nature connectedness. Therefore, it seems likely that “nature experience during childhood can prospectively shape nature connectedness in adulthood.” Analysis also revealed that children’s nature experiences influenced the relationship between parent and child nature connectedness, suggesting that nature experiences serve as a pathway between parent nature connectedness and child nature connectedness. Notably, a statistical test of the entire Intergenerational Pathway to Nature Connectedness model revealed that “the full pathway from parents’ childhood nature experience, to their current levels of nature connectedness, to their children’s nature experience, and finally to children’s nature connectedness, was significant.”
The study provides a framework for understanding how family processes encourage nature connectedness among children. The researchers conclude that “nature connectedness is not merely an individual trait but also a phenomenon deeply embedded in intergenerational interactions and experiences.” Findings underscore the importance of nature experiences, which explained the relationship between parent nature connectedness and child nature connectedness in the model. Based on these findings, the researchers recommend implementing nature-based interventions that involve parents. They also encourage the development of strategies to enhance parental willingness to facilitate children's experiences in nature, particularly for those who feel less connected to nature.
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