A nature-based mindfulness intervention supported adolescents’ well-being and emotional connection with nature This study evaluated the effectiveness of MINDhEARTH, a nature-based mindfulness intervention designed to enhance adolescents’ self-awareness, ecological awareness, and well-being. Grounded in an ecopsychological approach, the program integrated ecopsychological principles and practices with mindfulness-based activities. The study was based on the understanding that combining mindfulness with nature-based experiences can foster ecological self-awareness, connectedness to nature, and personal well-being. Specifically, the study examined the program’s effects on hedonic (subjective) well-being, eudaimonic (psychological) well-being, mindfulness, and connectedness to nature. Hedonic well-being refers to subjective experiences of happiness, pleasure, and positive emotions, whereas psychological well-being reflects broader aspects of positive psychological functioning, including personal growth, purpose in life, and positive relationships.
The study was conducted at two high schools in Tuscany, Italy. Six classes of students (age 13–18) were selected to serve as the control group (108 students) and the intervention group (102 students). Students in the intervention group participated in the MINDhEARTH program, a mindfulness-based program focused on body–mind interaction and on improving social and ecological self-awareness during classroom lessons. Students in the control group attended only regular classes during the study. The MINDhEARTH program was developed and delivered by the study’s lead researcher, an instructor of psychosomatic mindfulness and a psychotherapist for adolescents. The program involved nine two-hour weekly sessions, delivered mostly in school classrooms, with a few held in outdoor settings. To evaluate the effects of the program, data were collected one week before and again one week after the MINDhEARTH program for both groups. The data focused on students’ subjective and psychological well-being, mindfulness abilities, and connectedness to nature. Eudaimonic well-being was measured with the Psychological Wellbeing Scales (PWB), which included subdimensions for self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, and life purpose. Hedonic well-being was assessed using the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS). The Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) assessed students’ subjective relationship with the natural world. A shortened version of the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) assessed mindfulness skills, including observing, non-reacting, acting with awareness, non-judging, and describing. Students also reported their perceptions of the program and perceived benefits of it. Survey responses were statistically analyzed to examine differences between the intervention and control groups. Preliminary analysis identified 58 students as multivariate outliers, meaning their data differed significantly from expected patterns. These students were excluded from analysis, resulting in 73 students in the control group and 80 in the intervention group. Open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Students in the intervention group showed significant improvements in subjective well-being and autonomy, a sub-dimension of psychological well-being, after participating in the program compared to the control group. No significant differences were detected between the groups in the other five dimensions of psychological well-being; however, a marginally significant difference was found between groups on the purpose in life dimension. Among the five subdimensions of the Mindfulness Questionnaire, the intervention group showed significant gains for “acting with awareness” and marginally significant differences for “non-reacting." Unexpectedly, the intervention did not significantly affect nature connectedness. Findings for all outcomes showed significant differences between students and classes, suggesting that results varied based on which class students belonged to and by individual level differences. Students’ age was significantly linked to several outcomes. Older students showed higher levels of “observing” and “describing” mindfulness skills, personal growth (a component of psychological well-being), and connectedness to nature. The study also examined the relationships between outcomes. Both subjective happiness and the mindfulness skill “acting with awareness” were linked with autonomy.
Qualitative data revealed that, among students who reported benefits from the program, the most frequently mentioned benefit was a stronger connection with oneself. This included enhanced well-being, self-awareness and personal growth, improved emotion regulation, and greater body awareness and perception. The second most frequently reported benefit was a stronger connection with nature. Although students primarily described positive aspects of their relationship with nature, they also reported increased awareness of the harmful impacts of human activities on the environment and the climate crisis. Finally, students highlighted a stronger connection with others as a key benefit of the program, including greater emotional closeness with classmates, a better understanding of others, and strengthened interpersonal relationships.
Results indicate that the mindfulness intervention positively affected students’ subjective well-being and autonomy, dimensions of psychological well-being. Higher levels of autonomy were associated with greater happiness and more positive emotions, as well as greater mindful awareness. The findings also suggest a potential small positive effect of the program on adolescents’ sense of purpose in life. Although the quantitative analyses did not reveal a significant increase in connectedness to nature, qualitative findings highlighted this as the second most frequently reported benefit, with students describing a stronger emotional connection with nature. Overall, these findings may inform the development of school-based mental health programs that integrate mindfulness and nature-based activities to enhance adolescent well-being and foster ecological citizenship.
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