Wellbeing in Winter: Testing the Noticing Nature Intervention During Winter Months

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Wellbeing Science

Background:

• Winter months are often associated with decreased wellbeing and mood.
• Nature-based interventions show promise for mental health, but efficacy during winter is understudied.
• The Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI) was developed to leverage everyday nature exposure for emotional benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI) in enhancing wellbeing among community adults during winter.
• To assess the impact of NNI on positive affect, nature connectedness, and hope.
• To explore qualitative differences in emotional responses to nature versus built environments.

Main Methods:

• A 2-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 65 community adults.
• Participants were assigned to either the NNI group or one of two control conditions.
• Paired t-tests and qualitative analysis were used to assess pre- to post-intervention changes and emotional associations.

Main Results:

• The NNI group showed significant increases in positive affect, nature connectedness, hope agency, and elevation.
• Marginally significant increases were observed in transcendent connectedness for the NNI group.
• Control groups did not exhibit significant wellbeing improvements; nature photos were linked to more positive emotions than built photos.

Conclusions:

• The Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI) is an effective method for boosting wellbeing, even during winter.
• Engaging with everyday nature can positively influence emotions and foster a sense of hope.
• This study provides novel evidence for winter-specific nature-based wellbeing interventions.