The Impact of Green Spaces on the General Well-being and Stress of Students
1 other identifier
interventional
50
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The number of students with psychological problems is on the rise, due to a combination of increasing performance pressure, high expectations, difficulties handling stress, social pressure, and studying. Spending time in a green space has been shown to have positive effects on the mental and general health. This project aims to alleviate the symptoms of mental fatigue and stress related disorders such as burn out in students by offering a nature-based activity. Participants are asked to take a thirty-minute walk in a nature-based area for five consecutive days, followed by a control period (regular schedule of the participant) for five days, or vice versa. The investigators test stress-related parameters including concentration tests, cognitive tests, cortisol levels, and cardiovascular measurements.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable
Started Feb 2020
Typical duration for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
February 10, 2020
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
April 2, 2020
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
February 21, 2022
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 30, 2022
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 31, 2022
CompletedFebruary 21, 2022
February 1, 2022
2.9 years
April 2, 2020
February 18, 2022
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (10)
General health
An questionnaire is used to collect sociodemographic data and life-style factors, including movement data and health of the participant
5 minutes
Stress levels
Assessed via questionnaires (the burn out assessment tool (score 1-5) and general health questionnaire (score 0-12) and Five Item Well Being Index (score 0-100). Scores are used as continuous variables. Lower scores represent a lower risk of burn out, higher scores represent a higher risk of burnout. The score is constructed from questions concerning exhaustion, mental distance, emotional disorder(s), and cognitive disorder(s).
10 minutes
cortisol level (stress levels)
Assessed by salivary cortisol levels. Scale is µg/dl and used as a continuous variable.
5 minutes
visual memory
Computerized tests (eye-tracking test). The scale is pupil size, spontaneous blinking rate and eye movements and is used as a continuous variable.
5 minutes
selective attention
Computerized tests (stroop test). The scale is mean reaction time and is used as a continuous variable.
5 minutes
short-term memory
Computerized tests (Digit Span Test). The scale is number of digits and is used as a continuous variable.
10minutes
visual information processing speed
Computerized tests (Digit Symbol Test). The scale is number of digits and is used as a continuous variable.
5 minutes
visual information processing speed
Computerized tests (Pattern Comparison test). The scale is reaction time and is used as a continuous variable.
5 minutes
Heart rate variability
The heart rate is monitored throughout the entire baseline and follow-up visit through a small patch attached to the participant's skin. The results is used as a continuous variable in milliseconds (ms).
30 minutes
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is measured through an automated system. The results is used as a continuous variable in mmHg.
5 minutes
Study Arms (2)
Group 1: intervention/control group
EXPERIMENTALPhase 1: Two weeks of green space intervention Phase 2: One week wash out period Resume daily activities Phase 3: Two weeks of 'daily activities' Regular, daily activities are resumed by the participants Phase 4: One week wash out period Resume daily activities Between each phase, detailed questionnaires, neurocognitive tests and cardiovascular measurements are taken from the participants.
Group 2: control/intervention group
EXPERIMENTALPhase 1: Two weeks of 'daily activities' Regular, daily activities are resumed by the participants Phase 2: One week wash out period Resume daily activities Phase 3: Two weeks of green space intervention Phase 4: One week wash out period Resume daily activities Between each phase, detailed questionnaires, neurocognitive tests and cardiovascular measurements are taken from the participants.
Interventions
participation in nature activities: daily 30 min walking in nature
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Student of Hasselt university or university college PXL and dutch speaking
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Hasselt University
Hasselt, Limburg, 3590, Belgium
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Michelle Plusquin
Hasselt University
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- CROSSOVER
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- assistant professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
April 2, 2020
First Posted
February 21, 2022
Study Start
February 10, 2020
Primary Completion
December 30, 2022
Study Completion
December 31, 2022
Last Updated
February 21, 2022
Record last verified: 2022-02
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share
Data is pseudonymized. Data will then only be shared with the predoctoral researchers involved in this project, within our research group.