RESEARCH

Providing Virtual Nature Experiences to Incarcerated Men Reduces Stress and Increases Interest in the Environment

The study found that participants reported feeling calmer, less anxious, and less depressed after the nature interventions. While there wasn’t a significant overall change in cortisol levels (p = 0.571), the study did find a statistically significant correlation between mean GSR peak amplitude and changes in cortisol (r = -0.625, p = 0.001).

Program Types: Therapeutic

Population Groups: Corrections/Justice-Involved

Setting or Context: Jails/Prisons

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Improved Stress Management

Allied Profession Intersections: Forest/Ecotherapy

Type of Activity: AI/Digital Tools in Therapeutic Horticulture

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Observational Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Program Effectiveness, Efficacy of AI/Digital Interventions

Access: Free

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Summary

This research explored whether showing nature videos and playing nature sounds could help reduce stress and make incarcerated men more interested in the environment. The study was conducted at the Salt Lake County Jail with 71 male participants between 18 and 50 years old. The men were shown 12-minute videos and/or played audio recordings featuring forests, mountains, oceans, and streams from the National Geographic Society archives. To see if the order mattered, the habitats were shown in a random sequence. Before and after watching and listening, the participants completed short surveys about their feelings and interest in nature. The researchers also collected saliva samples to measure cortisol (a stress hormone) and used sensors to measure galvanic skin response (GSR), which can also indicate stress. They even used facial recognition software to see if the participants showed positive or negative emotions.

The study was designed to answer questions about how these virtual nature experiences (VNEs) affected the men’s stress levels (both what they reported and what their bodies showed), whether watching versus listening made a difference, if it made them want to learn more about nature, and if different types of natural environments had different effects. The researchers compared the participants’ survey answers, cortisol levels, and GSR readings before and after they experienced the nature videos and sounds. They used statistical tests to see if the changes they observed were significant and likely due to the nature interventions rather than just chance.

Link

Nadkami, N.M, Thys, T.M., Ruff, J.S. et al. (2021). Providing virtual nature experiences to incarcerated men reduces stress and increases interest in the environment. Ecopsychology, 13(2), 71-83

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