Effects of Forest Therapy on Physical and Psychological Parameters in the General Population

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In recent years, nature and forest therapy has increasingly become the focus of medical research. Recent scientific findings indicate overall positive effects of nature and forest therapy on physical and mental health. In Asia and Australia, it has already been implemented as a public health concept of prevention and health promotion. The aim of the project is to replicate the experience gained in Asia over the last three decades on the physical and psychological effects of nature/forest therapy in the context of the German forest and to investigate it further scientifically.

Official Title
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Forest Therapy on Physical and Psychological Parameters in the General Population

Conditions
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General Population

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Two days forest therapy
* Behavioral: Three days forest therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion criteria: Women and men aged 18 to 90 years. Capacity to consent Exclusion criteria: Serious acute or chronic medical conditions Immobility or limitation of mobility due to orthopedic, neurological or other medical causes Participation in another study Serious mental illness Pregnancy and lactation

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 90 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Two days forest therapy<br> | Behavioral: Two days forest therapy<br>* Participants attend two days (with a break day in between) of two-hour forest therapy at the Friedrichsruh, Barntrup or Wernigerode sites, led by an INFTA-certified forest therapy guide.<br>|
| Experimental: Three days forest therapy<br> | Behavioral: Three days forest therapy<br>* Participants attend three days of two-hour forest therapy at the Friedrichsruh, Barntrup or Wernigerode sites, led by an INFTA-certified forest therapy guide.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Profile of Mood States (POMS) | Assessing full scale, range 1-7, lower score meaning a better outcome | Change from baseline POMS score at 3 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perceived Benefits of Nature Questionnaire (PBNQ) | Assessing full scale, range 1-7, lower score meaning a better outcome | Change from baseline PBNQ score at 3 days | 
| Subjective Vitality Scale state (SVS-G state) | Assessing full scale, range 1-80, higher score meaning a better outcome | Change from baseline SVS-G score at 3 days | 
| Complaint List (B-LR) | Assessing full scale, range 1-50, lower score meaning a better outcome | Change from baseline B-LR score at 3 days | 
| Perceive Stress Questionaire (PSQ) | Assessing full scale, range 1-40, lower score meaning a better outcome | Change from baseline PSQ score at 3 days | 
| State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) | Assessing state anxiety. The scale ranges from 1 to 8. Higher scores correspond to higher levels of anxiety (after recoding three inverted items). | Change from baseline STAI score at 3 days | 
| PROMIS Scale v1.2 - Global Health | The scale ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 is the lowest level and 5 is the highest level. Higher scores reflect better functioning. | Change from baseline PROMIS score at 3 days | 
| Allgemeine Selbstwirksamkeit Kurzskala (ASKU) | Assessing full scale, the scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores correspond to better outcomes. | Change from baseline ASKU score at 3 days |