Urban nature as a response to stress of urban population

Abstract

In everyday life, urban residents, especially the younger population, have given up some healthy habits of spending their free time outdoors in urban forests or parks. This study was conducted in order to understand how urban nature might help in reducing psychological stress and improving mental wellbeing. The participants were volunteer students of the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade (n=47). These students were randomly recruited in the study and control group and self-tested using DASS 21 scale. The Arboretum of the Faculty of Forestry represented a research location and a special healing environment with a high variety of species. The study group stayed at the Arboretum during the study break period, while a control group was inside the Faculty. After the intervention, a slightly greater reduction in stress scale on the total score was recorded in the study group (F1.45 = 3.781; r < .058). This study has shown that urban green areas can have a positive impact on the mental well-being and reveal their role as a great response to the stress from urban population.

Keywords

• urban green areas
• stress and mental well-being
• DASS 21
• the Arboretum of the Faculty of Forestry
• the city of Belgrade