RESEARCH

Community Gardening: Stress, Well-Being, and Resilience Potentials

This study found that community gardening in Singapore was linked to higher levels of well-being, resilience, and optimism compared to home gardening and other outdoor activities, suggesting that it can be a superior approach to mental health promotion in urban environments. The combination of physical activity, nature connection, gardening, and social interaction found in community gardens likely contributes to these positive mental health outcomes.
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Summary

This study explores how community gardening affects people’s mental health, focusing on well-being, stress, and resilience. Researchers surveyed 111 residents in Singapore, dividing them into community gardeners, home gardeners, and a control group who engaged in other outdoor activities. The survey measured things like their sense of well-being, stress levels, resilience (ability to bounce back from stress), and factors contributing to resilience like self-esteem, optimism, and openness. They found that community gardeners reported higher levels of well-being than both home gardeners and the control group. Community gardeners also showed higher levels of resilience and optimism compared to the control group.

The study suggests that community gardening can be better for mental health than gardening at home or just doing other outdoor activities. The researchers think this might be because community gardens offer a combination of physical activity, connection to nature, gardening experience, and social interaction. The study highlights the potential for community gardens to improve mental well-being and build resilience in urban environments. It emphasizes the need for more research in this area, particularly in non-Western contexts.

Link

Koay, W.I., & Dillon, D. (2020). Community gardening: Stress, well-being, and resilience potentials. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6740.

 

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