期刊
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
卷 19, 期 17, 页码 -出版社
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711059
关键词
loneliness; adolescent parent; nature-based; social prescription; community based participatory research; stress; green space; mindfulness; social connection
资金
- Renee Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado, Boulder [13404887]
- University of Colorado, Boulder Environmental Studies Department
- Graduate Student Research Award from The Center to Advance Research and Teaching in the Social Sciences (CARTSS) at the University of Colorado, Boulder
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences [T32 ES007322]
In recent years, there has been a growing concern about loneliness and mental health issues among adolescents, particularly among parents of teenagers. Outdoor experiences have been found to alleviate loneliness and promote social connectedness. A school-level nature-based social intervention program called MINT was piloted in a charter school for pregnant and parenting teenagers, and it proved to be feasible and effective in reducing loneliness by fostering social connections. Participants reported high satisfaction and interest in continuing the activities promoted in MINT.
Recently, there has been an increase in feelings of loneliness and mental health conditions among adolescents. Within this population, parenting teens are at an increased risk for these conditions. Outdoor experiences are shown to be an antidote to loneliness and a way to promote social connectedness by amplifying the processes for supporting social relationships. In 2020-2021, we piloted the 8-week Meeting in Nature Together program (MINT) at a charter school for pregnant and parenting teenagers in Colorado, USA. MINT aimed to promote relatedness and nature connection for students ages 14 to 19. MINT included online and in-person group meetings with educational content, creative activities, discussion, park excursions, mindfulness activities, journaling, and nature photography. Here, we ask, can a school-level nature-based social intervention reduce loneliness among pregnant and parenting teens by promoting and sustaining social connections? How acceptable is MINT to participants? Methods included audiovisual recording transcriptions, surveys, and observation field notes. Results suggest that MINT fostered social connections through a tailored nature-based intervention delivered to a typically isolated community in culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate ways. MINT proved feasible and effective as participants reported high levels of satisfaction and interest in continuing to engage in activities promoted in MINT.
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