Act with Nature: Promoting Planetary Well-being

The research investigates the effects of nature-based programme (Act with Nature; AWN) in promoting psychological well-being and pro-environmental behaviour among working age participants in Finland. Our research deepens understanding of how coping with environment-related emotions and nature connectedness are connected to human wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviour. The psychological wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviour are investigated with self-report measures and analysed with quantitative and qualitative methods. The project will provide a new programme (AWN) for combining individual well-being and behaviour change. The results can provide a theoretical framework and working model for health professionals to intervene and support people in adapting to environmental crises and coping with stress.

An intervention study with a randomised control trial design will be conducted among a sample of 158 working age participants in various locations in Finland. After receiving information about the research and signing the study consent, participants are randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. The participants in the intervention group will be offered a 12-week, nature-based, Act with Nature (AWN) programme. The programme will be carried out online with individual coaching and independent tasks for each week. Participants share experiences during workshops that are facilitated in nature environment, either in-person or online.

Throughout the AWN programme, nature-based exercises are facilitated in which participants are encouraged to recognise the significance of physical environment and social support in coping with environment-related emotions, nature connectedness and wellbeing. AWN programme is facilitated by a trained health care professional.

The AWN has three separate stages (4 weeks each): Stage 1: nature connectedness, environmental self-regulation and confidence in the group; Stage 2: environmental-related emotions, psychological flexibility and coping strategies; Stage 3: experimenting with change alternatives and affirming positive change in environmental behaviour.

Participants respond to online surveys at five measurement points: a pre-measurement at the start of the programme, two measurements during the programme (at 4 and 8 weeks of the programme), a post-measurement at the end of the programme, and a follow-up measurement three months after the end of the programme. The participants in the intervention group (nature-based AWN programme) are compared to the participants in the control group who continue life as usual and only respond to online surveys at three measurement points (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). Coping with environment-related emotions, comprehensive nature experience, nature connectedness, environmental emotions and personal environmental goals are investigated as mediators to explain changes in well-being and pro-environmental behaviour.

This research is funded by the Research Council of Finland (Project Numbers: 350971 and 350964).

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Working age adults
* Able to communicate adequately in Finnish in order to participate
* Willingness to commit to a 12-week intervention programme