Effects of Urban Nature on Stress and Quality of Life

Charite University, Berlin, Germany93 enrolled

Overview

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of regular nature therapy in urban nature with guidance of a licensed nature therapist on stress, quality of life and physical symptoms of subjects with elevated stress levels.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Stress, Psychological

Interventions

Nature therapy in urban natureBEHAVIORAL

Nature therapy means visits in nature, actively perceiving the flora and fauna

City WalkBEHAVIORAL

City Walk means walking through urban surroundings (houses, streets, concrete..) with as little as possible contact to nature

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 70 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * stress with at least 4 of 10 points on the Numeric Analogue Scale (NAS) at least 1 month * at least 3 of the following 8 stress-associated symptoms: sleep disturbances, inappetence or increased appetite, shoulder neck tension/back pain, tension headache, concentration disturbances, exhaustion, nervousness/irritability, stress-associated digestive complaints. Exclusion Criteria: * serious acute or chronic diseases * pregnancy or lactation * known serious mental illness * immobility or restriction for gymnastics exercises due to orthopaedic, neurological or other medical cause * participation in another study

Locations (1)

Charite University

Berlin, Germany

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Stress questionnaire (Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, CPSS)

Change from Baseline in the CPSS, range from 0 to 4 in each item. Scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1 \& 4 = 0) to the positively stated items and then summing across all scale items while higher values meaning a higher grade of perceived stress.

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Zerssen symptom list (B-LR and B-LR')

Assessing full scale, range 20-80, higher score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)

MET minutes represent the amount of energy expended carrying out physical activity. To get a continuous variable score from the IPAQ (MET minutes a week) we will consider walking to be 3.3 METS, moderate physical activity to be 4 METS and vigorous physical activity to be 8 METS; higher score meaning better outcome; range 0 to around 3000 MET minutes a week

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

Assessing full scale, range 0-96, higher score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Mindfulness (Freiburger Fragebogen zur Achtsamkeit, FFA)

Assessing full scale, range 0-56, higher score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

General Self-Efficacy Short Scale-3 (GSE-3)

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Central Contacts

Miriam Rösner

CONTACT

00493080505682 m.roesner@immanuel.de

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Perceived Benefits of Nature Questionnaire (PBNQ)

mean score of the 11 items, range 1-7, lower score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS-G state)

Assessing full scale, range from 0-28, lower score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Flourishing Scale (FS)

Assessing full scale, range 8-56, higher score meaning a better outcome

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Profile of Mood States (POMS)

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Sociodemographic Measurements

Age, gender, marital status, number of people in household, education level, employment status, job, personal net income, household income

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline)

Behavioural questions: doctor visits and health

amount of doctor visits, amount of sick leave days in the last 2 months

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Expectation questions

for intervention 1 and 2 on a 6-point likert scale from 1 (very strong) to 6 (nothing at all)

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline)

Behavioural questions: cigarette consumption

Number of cigarettes on average per day in the last month

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Behavioural questions: alcohol consumption

Number of alcoholic beverages on average per week in the last month

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Behavioural questions: time in nature

amount of hours spent in nature per week in the last month

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Behavioural questions: nature as priority

if spending time in nature is seen as a priority on a 6-point likert scale 1 (very strong) to 6 (nothing at all)

Time frame: Date of Inclusion (Baseline), after 8 weeks and after 16 weeks

Heart Rate (HR)

24h measuring by faros 180

Time frame: Date of inclusion (baseline), after 8 weeks, after 16 weeks

Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

24h measuring by faros 180

Time frame: Date of inclusion (baseline), after 8 weeks, after 16 weeks