Abstract
Problem Significance
Adolescents are currently experiencing greater incidents of mental health issues and illness globally (Oswald, et al, 2020), with the World Health Organization reporting mental health problems as the primary cause of disadvantage and disability among adolescents (Finan & Yap, 2021). The myriad changes experienced during this critical period for social development can lead to increased social sensitivities and vulnerability to stress.
Analysis and Objectives
Spending time outside and exposure to green space helps facilitate mental well-being by reducing depression and stress in children (Zhang et al., 2020; Crnic & Kondo, 2017; Wood et al., 2017). Environment-based intervention strategies have been shown to confer longer lasting and broader effects, in part because outdoor activities create opportunities for social-, nature-, and physical activity-based connections. (Wales et al., 2022).
This project proposes a school-based pilot program to examine the impacts of dedicated time focused on exploring green spaces during the school day on adolescents’ wellbeing. The goal of the proposed intervention is to increase stress-reduction skills among 6th-8th grade middle school students to improve mental health indicators.
Intervention (Solution) Proposal
The target population for this intervention is middle school students in grades 6th – 8th. The proposed intervention will take place at a middle school in the San Juan Unified School District located in suburban Sacramento, California. The proposed intervention is a 4-week nature exploration workshop conducted for 30 minutes per week for 10-12 students per session. The pilot project will include 8 four-week sessions reaching a total of 80-96 students.
Recommendations and Conclusions
Addressing stress and anxiety in early adolescence creates an opportunity to slow or even decrease the number of related mental health issues in the short-term as well as to provide some protection against other psychological issues later in the life span of the participants. A school-based intervention takes advantage of the physical location of the school, but also the location of the school within the social ecological framework. The school and its staff provide connection between the families and the greater community and can utilize those connections to generate support for nature-based interventions and impact policies related to curriculum as well as the built-environment of school campuses.