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Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature
Published on: June 19, 2019
Virtual exposure to natural versus urban environments: a pilot study on impacts on self-compassion, self-protection,
Dagmar Szitás1, Júlia Halamová2, Viliam Pichler3
1Institute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynské luhy 4, Bratislava, 821 05, Slovakia.
Abstract:
This study explored the effects of a virtual forest environment compared to a virtual urban setting on key psychological factors, including self-compassion, self-protection, self-criticism, and stress. Designed as a pilot randomized controlled trial, the study included 28 adult participants who were randomly assigned to either the virtual forest or virtual city condition. Results from the Self-Compassion and Self-Criticism Scale indicated a significant increase in state self-compassion and a decrease in state self-criticism within the Forest Group. Notably, state self-criticism also decreased in the City Group. However, participants in the City Group experienced a significant increase in perceived stress and a decline in trait compassion, as measured by the Sussex-Oxford Compassion Scale. These findings suggest that virtual forest bathing may serve as a valuable therapeutic intervention, promoting self-compassion - recognized as a transdiagnostic factor for mental well-being - while reducing self-criticism, a known transdiagnostic factor of psychopathology.
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