Effectiveness of Nature Walks in Depressed Adults

NCT03996785 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IUSMD-18-33
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 47
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Over the past few years, a growing number of campaigns from around the world, including Canada, are highlighting the positive impact of spending time in nature on well-¬being. Indeed, mounting evidence suggests that spending time with nature is associated with a myriad of affective and cognitive benefits. Surprisingly few studies to date have tested the assumption that walking in nature versus in urban settings could alleviate stress and depressive symptoms in clinically depressed adults. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of walking in nature versus in urban settings to improve depression related symptoms and reduce stress. The trial initially included 2 primary outcomes: patients stress levels (salivary cortisol) and depression-related symptoms (eg, affect, rumination, executive functioning). However, due to hygienic concerns in light of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the collection of saliva samples (and in turn, the measurement of stress levels via salivary cortisol) was removed from the study's procedure. The main outcome was changed to effects on positive and negative affect.

Conditions

Experimental

Keywords

Clinical depression; Stress; Group-walking; Walking condition (nature vs urban)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in affect from baseline up to 48 hours post-walk

  Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)

  Day 1 to Day 3

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Change in Executive Functions

  The Stroop test will be administered at 2 time points: 1) before the walk (between 9:45-10:30); 2) after the walk (between 11:30-11:50)

• Change in suicidal Ideations

  Day 1

• Change in depressive symptoms

  Day 1 to Day 2

• Change in rumination

  Day 1

• Change in irritability

  Day 1 to Day 3

Study Arms (2)

Urban

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients will go for a silent 60-minute walk in an urban setting. The walk will take place in the months of June, July, August and September between 10:00 to 11:00 am. Participants will walk in groups of two to three participants accompanied by two research assistants trained in mental health (doctoral students in psychology). The urban walk will be located on Boulevard de la Vérendrye with large arteries with three to four lanes.

Behavioral: Walking in Urban setting

Nature

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients will go for a silent 60-minute walk in a nature park setting. The walk will take place in the months of June, July, August and September between 10:00 to 11:00 am. Participants will walk in groups of two to three participants accompanied by two research assistants trained in mental health (doctoral students in psychology). The nature walk will take place at Parc Angrignon, an area of 96 hectares, one of Montreal's largest green and biodiverse spaces with a forest of 20 000 trees and a pond surrounded by willow trees.

Behavioral: Walking in nature setting

Interventions

Walking in Urban setting BEHAVIORAL

Walking for 60 minutes as described above

Urban

Walking in nature setting BEHAVIORAL

Walking for 60 minutes as described above

Nature

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Men and women aged between 18 and 65 years, inclusively;
• Ability to speak French or English;
• Diagnosis major depressive disorder (DSM-IV);

You may not qualify if:

• Acute psychotic symptoms;
• Acute suicidal intent (within 48 hours);
• Unable to walk for 60 min or serious medical reasons (e.g. major surgery)
• Heart condition as per history or detected on electrocardiogram

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University: lead
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Douglas Mental Health University Institute

Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Interventions

Walking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Locomotion; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise; Motor Activity

Study Officials

• Marie-Claude Geoffroy, PhD

  McGill University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants were unaware as to whether they were assigned to an urban or nature walking condition
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2019
• First Posted: June 25, 2019
• Study Start: June 18, 2019
• Primary Completion: September 3, 2021
• Study Completion: September 3, 2021
• Last Updated: November 12, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)