Research: Positive Impact of Outdoor Activity

1. Vanaken & Danckaerts (2018)

Impact of Green Space Exposure on Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review

Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122668

Full text (free):
PMC Full Text – Impact of Green Space Exposure on Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health

PubMed record:
PubMed – Impact of Green Space Exposure on Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health

Key relevance:
Reviewed 21 studies involving children and adolescents. The review found consistent associations between green space exposure and improved emotional/behavioral outcomes, including fewer difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and overall mental health indicators.

2. Zhang et al. (2020)

The Association Between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186640

Full text (free):
MDPI Full Text – The Association Between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being

PubMed record:
PubMed – The Association Between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being

Key relevance:
Reviewed 14 studies focused specifically on adolescents. Findings linked green space exposure with reduced stress, improved mood, fewer depressive symptoms, better emotional well-being, and reduced psychological distress.

3. Roberts et al. (2019)

The Effect of Short-Term Exposure to the Natural Environment on Depressive Mood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal: Environmental Research
**Volume 177 (2019), Article 108606

Publisher page:
ScienceDirect – The Effect of Short-Term Exposure to the Natural Environment on Depressive Mood

Free manuscript/preprint:
arXiv – The Effect of Short-Term Exposure to the Natural Environment on Depressive Mood

Key relevance:
A meta-analysis of 33 studies examining whether short-term exposure to nature changes depressive mood. It found a small but measurable reduction in depressive mood after natural environment exposure, while noting that more rigorous studies are still needed.