PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The widely documented beneficial effects of children's experiences with nature make it plausible to assume that an environment close to nature also has apositive effect on health in childhood, that is, that it can also contribute to health maintenance and prevention. The findings on health-promoting effects of nature are remarkable and are accentuated and theoretically substantiated here with afocus on mental health.The basis is aso-called three-dimensional personality model, according to which mental development is not only afunction of the subject's relationship to other people, but also to the world of things, including nature. In addition, three explanatory approaches for the health effects of nature experiences are outlined: (1)the anthropologically based "Stress Recovery Theory," (2)the "Attention Restoration Theory," and (3)the assumption that nature as asymbolic storehouse for self- and world interpretations can accompany the meaning constitution of the subjects ("Therapeutic Landscapes").The health effects of accessible open spaces close to nature are discussed, whereby the state of research for adults is much richer than for children. With regard to mental health or its influencing variables, the following dimensions are elaborated with empirical results: stress reduction, antidepressant and mood enhancing effects, prosocial behavior, attention and ADHD, cognitive development, self-esteem and self-regulation, nature experience, and exercise. From asalutogenetic perspective, nature does not have adeterministic effect on health, but rather, in asense, an incidental effect when open spaces close to nature are accessible and used. This casualness of the effect of nature experiences has to be considered in possible therapeutic or educational interventions. © 2023. The Author(s).