Cultivating Well-being: Horticulture Programming’s Effect on Youth’s Emotional Well-being

Although horticulture programming has been utilized in the form of activities for various populations for centuries, much is not known about the benefits that come from participating in such activities. Over the past few decades, several research studies have begun to explore and explain the benefit of using horticulture programming for several populations with most of the research focusing on the older adult and persons with physical disabilities populations. The purpose of the current study was to gather information on the effects horticulture programming has on the emotional well-being of the youth population. The study included a nationwide survey of horticulture youth program leaders. Within the survey, participants were asked to reflect on the youth they had worked with, and provide responses to three quantitative measures of emotional well-being, several qualitative questions to support the quantitative answers, and demographic questions to gather a better understanding of the programs included in the sample. The findings of this study suggest that horticulture programming, on a whole, has positive impacts on the emotional well-being of youth. In particular, the findings highlight that horticulture programming enhances youths’ emotional well-being through improving pride, self-worth, coping skills, confidence, care for others and increased patience. Overall, future research to determine the extent and impact of the benefits suggested in this study would be beneficial. Future studies should aim to consider the impact of the design of the horticulture program, as well as provide a continued focus on the youth population. This study can provide a useful framework for determining populations of youth that need to be studied. Cultivating Well-being 4 Cultivating Well-being: Horticulture Programming’s Effect on Youth’s Emotional Well-being With the growing number of youths connected to electronics, youth are losing connection to the natural environment. Since 1980 it has been shown that kids ages 8 to 18 have increased their consumption of media from about 8 hours a day to nearly 11 hours per day (Gutnick, Robb, Takeuchi & Kotler, 2011). In addition to the alarming increases in time spent consuming media, there has been an overall increase in the different types of media youth are consuming (Gutnick et al., 2011). Currently, many youth go through the day with multiple media sources in their possession, such as cell phones, iPads, or smartphones with access to the Internet. Louv (2008) has described this phenomenon by coining the concept of nature-deficit disorder. Although this is not a formally designated diagnosis, it does bring to light the growing concern that as youth become more connected with various forms of media and less connected with the natural environment, there is a growing need to reconnect youth with the natural healing powers of the environment. Humans who are connected with their environments are able to flourish and experience fuller lives (Kahn, Severson & Ruckert, 2009). Because the human-environment connection can result in such positive outcomes, Louv (2008) would argue that youth should be given the opportunity to benefit from the abundant wellbeing benefits that connectedness to nature can offer. This understanding of the importance of staying connected to nature opens the door for using horticulture in treatment of youth by striving to help improve their lives in general. In recent years, as people have become more and more disconnected from nature and special populations are identified with significant needs (i.e. mental health), the definition of quality care and treatment has broadened to include more than just meeting the basic needs of Cultivating Well-being 5 the individual. In fact, the definition of quality care has started to incorporate an emphasis on individuals’ biopsychosocial-spiritual needs, which often has a key environmental component (Bruce, 2006; Jaffe, 2010; Twill, Purvis & Norris, 2010; Parker, Mills, & Abbey, 2008). The biopsychosocial-spiritual approach considers a holistic health approach that encompasses, and considers, interactions of an individual’s physical, cognitive, social and spiritual health. Another important piece of high quality care is creating a non-threatening rehabilitating environment. Rehabilitation through horticultural programming is a non-threatening approach that can address an extensive array of an individual’s biopsychosocial-spiritual needs, such as feelings of belongingness and self-concept (Hefley, 1973; Rice, Remy & Whittlesey, 1998; Sandel, 2004). This shift in the focus of quality care and treatment demonstrates the important connection between nature and humans experiencing a growing number of mental health concerns (NIMH, 2011). Recent statistics highlight that anxiety and depression among children (ages birth to 12) and adolescents (ages 13 to 18) are growing at an alarming rate. A little over 25 percent of adolescents struggle from anxiety and about 6 percent of those adolescents have a severe anxiety disorder (Merikangas et al., 2010). Although anxiety affects both genders, females are affected more often than males. Depression is affecting about 11 percent of children and adolescents by the time they turn the age of 18 (NIMH, 2011). With mental health problems affecting a large percentage of youth, treatment and programs need to offer engaging, innovative and holistic healing, and horticulture programs may be the key to such healing. Horticulture programming is an innovative treatment approach being utilized to address many mental health problems. Moreover, it is gaining empirical support with various Cultivating Well-being 6 populations. Social workers play an integral part in introducing alternative ways to treat mental health disorders, especially those that have empirical support. In addition, social workers are trained to view their work through the lens of the person and the environment, which would enable them to understand the importance of horticulture to the environment. With such an understanding, social workers may easily view horticultural programming as a viable treatment option. Unfortunately, the incorporation of horticulture into mental health treatment may seem improbable and, the benefits of this may not seem as obvious as other empirically supported forms of mental health treatment. In an effort to address these barriers, horticulture as a modality of treatment must be further researched, especially as professionals begin to recognize and highlight the important power the environment has on mental health. Therefore, this project will provide foundational knowledge of how horticulture may be used in treatment, provide current research support for its use, and explore and expand understanding of the emotional well-being benefits for youth. Literature Review As a result of this increased understanding of nature and its important impact on children and adolescents, caregivers will need to continue to find programs that address individuals’ biopsychosocial-spiritual needs through connection to nature. One necessary and nontraditional method that is beginning to gain attention is the use of horticulture in various treatment settings. Horticulture refers to plants, which is often viewed by people as gardening. In actuality, the definition of horticultures expands to any use of plants from drying for arts and crafts activities to cooking with them. Horticulture programs are a viable way to motivate and Cultivating Well-being 7 improve social, emotional, and physical needs in all populations (AHTA, 2010; D'Andrea, Batavia, & Sasson, 2007-2008; Tse, 2010). Moreover, horticultural programming enhances life satisfaction and social networking, which correlates with higher quality living (Tse, 2010). Youth are faced with or challenged by many mental health struggles that result in a lower quality of living. Horticulture Therapy vs. Horticulture Activities Horticulture programming is traditionally implemented in two ways. First, horticulture programming can be implemented by a trained therapist who can work toward achieving therapeutic or medical goals. Trained therapists are typically in the professions of speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling. However, as the demand for this type of programming grows, many professionals are receiving specific training and certification as horticulture therapists (Wells, 1997). During horticulture programming, horticulture therapists, as well as other trained therapists, utilize plants and other horticultural items as a modality of treatment (Kim, 2003). Using horticulture as a modality of treatment involves using horticulture activities as a way to address goals on an individualized treatment plan. The second alternative to using horticulture programming is by incorporating horticulture into activities or current programming without being formally trained as a therapist or without the intention of addressing therapy or medical goals. The key difference between the two implementation models of horticulture programming is that the first, horticulture therapy, is conducted by a trained and licensed therapist (LICSW, LP, SLP, etc.), and the second, horticulture activities, can be facilitated by a wide range of facilitators and does not require specific training or licensure. In general, the Cultivating Well-being 8 same benefits often are achieved, but in the second alternative, individuals seem to benefit more indirectly because of the lack of focus on medical or treatment goals. To ensure success from either implementation, programs should design their work space (e.g. garden beds, indoor and outdoor work areas, greenhouses, etc.) to meet the needs of the population being served (Relf, 2005). The adapted work space will better enhance the potential benefits of horticulture programming. The main objective of improving individuals’ biopsychosocial-spirit