Effects of Forest Bathing in Vancouver, B.C. Parks

NCT05502588 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: H22-00216
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 198
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 4

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate environmental factors that influence people's responses to the Japanese practice of forest bathing in Vancouver, B.C. parks.

Conditions

Nature, Human; Mental Health Wellness 1; Stress, Psychological; Blood Pressure; Environmental Exposure; Anxiety

Keywords

Forest Bathing; Shinrin-yoku; Forest Therapy; Forest-based Intervention; Forest Immersion; Nature Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) - Change

  Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) are routinely used by forest bathing researchers because psychologists regard it as rendering an accurate measure of mood states. The goal is to determine if spending time in a forest environment affects a psychological response. Abbreviated POMS contains 40 questions. Each answer is scored on a Likert Scale with values of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Lower total scores indicated low mood problems, and conversely, a higher score may indicate a high mood problem. POMS will determine a baseline level of specific moods for a participant at the onset of the research trial and at the beginning and end of each forest bathing session.

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

• Cardiovascular reactivity - Heart Rate - Change

  Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking heart rate before and after each forest bathing session.. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

• Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Diastolic) - Change

  Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking diastolic blood pressure before and after each forest bathing session.. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

• Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Systolic) - Change

  Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking systolic blood pressure before and after each forest bathing session. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) - Change

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

• Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) - Change

  Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.

Study Arms (2)

Self-Guided Forest Bathing

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Forest Bathing intervention without a guide and basic navigational instructions, explanation of forest bathing, and time to return.

Behavioral: Self-Guided Forest Bathing

Guided Forest Bathing

EXPERIMENTAL

Forest Bathing intervention led by a certified Forest Therapy guide.

Behavioral: Guided Forest Bathing

Interventions

Self-Guided Forest Bathing BEHAVIORAL

Participants will participate in two, 60-90 minute self-guided forest bathing sessions over the course of a year in one of four Vancouver, B.C. park trails and be given prompts to consciously use their five senses in the forest.

Self-Guided Forest Bathing

Guided Forest Bathing BEHAVIORAL

Participants will participate in two, 60-90 minute guided forest bathing sessions over the course of a year in one of four Vancouver, B.C. park trails. They will be invited by a certified forest therapy guide to consciously use their five senses in the forest.

Guided Forest Bathing

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults (19+) that are residents of Vancouver, B.C.
• Spend time on a trail in a Vancouver park for at least 60 minutes per month
• Willing to refrain from tobacco products, alcohol, caffeine, marijuana, and psilocybin for at least two hours prior to arriving at the study site and during the forest bathing sessions

You may not qualify if:

• Must be able to move along a barrier-free trail independently
• Non-residents (e.g. tourists)
• Children (under 19 years of age)
• Participants with pets

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of British Columbia: lead

Study Sites (4)

Malcolm Knapp Research Forest

Maple Ridge, B.C., Canada

Location

Jericho Beach Park

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Location

Pacific Spirit Regional Park

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Location

Stanley Park

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Location

Related Links

• UBC Forest Bathing Study Information and Consent Form
• John Innes, Professor, Faculty of Forestry

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress, Psychological; Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• John L. Innes, PhD

  University of British Columbia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: At the study site participants will be randomized in 1:1 ratio to guided forest bathing walk or self-guided forest bathing walk.
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Participants are invited four times over one year to a forest bathing session that takes place on a barrier-free Vancouver, B.C. park trail. Each session is 2-hours including time for pre-test and post-test health measurements. At the study site participants will be randomized in 1:1 ratio to guided forest bathing walk or self-guided forest bathing walk. Subsequent sessions will be counterbalanced.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 3, 2022
• First Posted: August 16, 2022
• Study Start: April 22, 2022
• Primary Completion: April 20, 2023
• Study Completion: April 20, 2023
• Last Updated: April 25, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (4)