Recent studies support a positive connection between neighborhood green space and child mental wellbeing. This study adds to the research by addressing the question of whether different informants might lead to different results. Previous studies have relied primarily on parent reports. Informants for this study included parents, teachers, and children. The study was based on a nationally-representative sample of 3083 Australian children (age 12-13).
Goodman's 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (an internationally recognized behavioral screening tool) was used to measure child mental health wellbeing. All three groups of informants (parent, teachers, and children) completed the SDQ. A total difficulties score (TDS) was obtained for each child by adding the results of four of the five SDQ scales: emotional symptoms; conduct problems; hyperactivity; and peer problems. The TDS was then used as the primary outcome variable in this study.
Measures of green space exposure addressed both quantity and quality of neighborhood green space. For quantity, participants' home addresses were geocoded and linked to the Australian area identifier system which provides a geographical approximation of a local community. Green space quality was based on parent response to a statement about their neighborhood having “good parks, playgrounds and play spaces.”
Results indicated that TDS scores were generally lower for children exposed to higher green space quantity regardless of the informant. This finding is consistent with other research suggesting that neighborhood green space can have a protective effect on children's mental wellbeing. Findings also indicated that children living in remote and socially disadvantaged areas were more likely to be in neighborhoods with less green space quantity and that those green spaces were of less quality.
Statistically significant associations between green space quantity and child mental wellbeing were observed only for the parent-report results, while significant associations with green space quality were consistently observed for both parent- and child-reported outcomes. Teacher-reported outcomes were not significantly associated with green space exposure.
Overall, the findings from this study are consistent with previous research suggesting more favorable levels of mental wellbeing among children living in greener neighborhoods and/or green spaces judged by parents to be of good quality. However, in this study, the strength and statistical significance of those associations depended upon who was reporting the data. The most consistent findings were observed for the parent questionnaire. These findings highlight the importance of considering the views of different informants in research and decision-making focusing on green space and child health.
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