An Empirical Study on the Mechanisms of Biopsychosocial Functional Improvement in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Through Nature-Based Tourism Activities

Overview

Empirically investigating how natural tourism activities alleviate symptoms in patients with Major Depressive Disorder through multidimensional pathways of physiological, psychological, and social functioning.

This study is an interventional randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating whether natural tourism activities can improve the clinical symptoms of patients with Major Depressive Disorder and exploring the multidimensional mechanisms involving physiological, psychological, and social functioning. The target participant population is adult patients aged 18-60 who meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode. The core question to be addressed is whether the natural tourism intervention can significantly reduce the MADRS scores of patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Researchers will compare the intervention group (receiving structured tourism activities + conventional drug therapy) with the control group (receiving conventional drug therapy only) to verify the improvement effect of the tourism intervention on depressive symptoms and its potential mechanisms. Participants will complete the following tasks: * Participate in a one-day structured natural tourism activity; * Complete multiple scale assessments (including MADRS, HAMD-17, GAD-7, etc.) at baseline, on the day of intervention, and at one week and two weeks after the intervention; * Wear smart wearable devices to monitor physiological indicators such as sleep, heart rate and stress levels. From a theoretical perspective, this study promotes the transformation of tourism research from a "pleasure consumption" paradigm to a "neurobiological intervention" paradigm, aiming to propose an interdisciplinary mechanistic research pathway that reveals the positive therapeutic effects of tourism experiences on the pathology of Major Depressive Disorder. From a policy perspective, validating the clinical utility of tourism may reshape social prescription systems. While countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom have piloted "nature prescription" programs, there remains a lack of disease-specific protocols and efficacy evidence. Therefore, structured tourism interventions are expected to become a cost-effective complement to traditional treatments. As an interdisciplinary product integrating tourism and medicine, tourism therapy may emerge as a promising non-pharmacological prevention and treatment strategy. For tourism academia, it facilitates a theoretical transition from enhancing general well-being to clinical therapeutic applications; for mental health practice, it has the potential to break away from conventional treatments and establish itself as a novel therapeutic modality. Thus, in-depth exploration of the mechanisms through which tourism benefits patients with Major Depressive Disorder holds significant theoretical and practical implications. Employing a randomized controlled trial design, this study transcends the inherent limitations of cross-sectional research, aiming to provide innovative solutions to the global mental health crisis. The findings are expected to not only enrich guidelines for non-pharmacological interventions but also advance the transformation of the tourism industry toward a healing economy paradigm.

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Eligibility

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Central Contacts