title: Mindfulness-based Connection to Nature as a tool to Improve Perceived Stress and Connection to Nature
Creators: name: Trapasso, Emilia
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2025

description: Background: Those living in areas of deprivation often experience health inequalities, have poorer health outcomes and less access to greenspace within their local environments. Having access to and engaging with nature and greenspace have been found to provide beneficial impacts to stress, mental health, and wellbeing. Likewise, mindfulness-based interventions have also shown stress reductions and improvements in wellbeing. However, the true impact that the combination of these can have has not been well explored. Aims: This research aimed to explore the relationships between greenspace, health inequalities and stress, alongside mindfulness meditation, assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a using a mindfulness-based connection to nature (MCN) intervention, to improve wellbeing, reduce perceived stress and strengthen a connection to nature. Also investigating the best recruitment methods for community-based interventions for those living in area of deprivation. Methods: This thesis consisted of three studies. Study one was a systematic review of the relationship between health inequalities, greenspace, and stress. Study two was a cross-sectional survey exploring the relationships between stress, socio-economic deprivation, greenspace, and mindfulness practice. Study three saw the development of an MCN intervention with a mixed-method approach; questionnaires conducted at pre-, post- and follow-up time points. Study three also included qualitative semi-structured interviews to gain insight into the recruitment methods of MCN and how these may be improved in future. Results: Study one revealed relationships between proximity to greenspace and stress levels: the more greenspace, the less perceived stress reported by participants. Study two found that for the overall sample, higher reported depression was related to lower mindfulness and higher perceived stress and being more mindful was associated with increased environmental identity (EID) and emotional affinity to nature (EANS). Practicing mindfulness related with less perceived stress, and stronger EID may be found for those with a private garden and higher percentage of greenspace at 100m, if you a regular mediator. Those in the most deprived areas may report reduced perceived stress if they have a private garden or had a higher percentage of greenspace at 100m. Having a private garden appears to be linked with being more mindful if you live in areas of deprivation. In study three, MCN was found to reduce perceived stress and other mental health and wellbeing measures, during the time of the intervention and over an 8-week follow-up. Taster sessions, education and knowledge surrounding the intervention and recruiting through community key figures is essential for novel community-based interventions. Conclusion: There is a link between both greenspace and stress levels, however the associations linking health inequalities is limited. Those living in areas of deprivation may find reduced perceived stress and experience the restorative and therapeutic benefits to having a private garden or greenspace in the local vicinity. Nature is an effective location to conduct community based MCN interventions to reduce stress levels and improve wellbeing for those living in areas of deprivation. MCN shows sustained reductions in perceived stress and connection to nature, when compared with a Walk Group.