Nature IDEAS Study: An RCT to Increase Time Spent in Nature Among University Students

NCT06633367 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00010829
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,545
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 9

Brief Summary

This project will first examine nature opportunities, belonging and benefits with a multi-state nature-based intervention with a focus on students of color. In light of the syndemic, 'nature deficit disorder' and poor mental health, the investigators anticipate several far-reaching impacts that will (a) test a nationally useful standardized way to quantify exposure; (b) invest in nature resources and accessibility on campuses; and (c) promote the mental health and therapeutic benefits of nature among young adults. These will lead to understanding the nature exposure and mental health interplay and techniques for quantifying and encouraging nature exposure to treat the on-going youth mental health crisis. Including HBCUs and an hispanic-serving institution is expected to result in heightened visibility of underlying disparities, including structural racism and land-based violence and discrimination, that have contributed to current-day nature gaps and dismantled nature relationships for students of color.

Conditions

Mental Health

Keywords

Mental Health; Nature; Young Adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Kessler-6

  Kessler-6 changed to be a two week recall period. Range: 0-24. Higher scores indicate higher distress.

  From enrollment to end of participation phase, 4 weeks.

• Worry

  Single question "I worry all the time" on a likert-type scale. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29214862/. Values range from 1-5, whereby a higher score indicates more frequent worry.

  from enrollment to the final survey (4 week period)

• Positive and Negative Affect Scale

  This scale is comprised of 20 items, with 10 items measuring positive affect (e.g., excited, inspired) and 10 items measuring negative affect (e.g., upset, afraid). Each item is rated on a five-point Likert Scale, ranging from 1 = Very Slightly or Not at all to 5 = Extremely, to measure the extent to which the affect has been experienced, over a two-week period. Positive affect range: 10-50, whereby higher values indicate higher positive affect. Negative affect range: 10-50, whereby higher values indicate higher negative affect.

  from emrollment to the final survey (4 week period)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• NR-6

  From enrollment to the final survey (4 week period)

• Access to Nature scale

  from enrollment to the final survey (4 week period)

Study Arms (2)

Control group receiving standard health information

NO INTERVENTION

This group will receive information about health benefits in nature.

Intervention Group receiving standard health information + incentives to increase time outdoors

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This group will receive information on the health benefits of time outdoors, a request to increase their time outdoors, eligibility to receive a prize, and information on peer performance.

Other: Increasing time in nature

Interventions

Increasing time in nature OTHER

This intervention includes requesting an increase in time spent outdoors, eligibility to receive a prize, and information on peer performance.

Intervention Group receiving standard health information + incentives to increase time outdoors

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 24 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Undergraduate student
• years of age
• Lives within 30 miles of university campus

You may not qualify if:

• Not an undergraduate student
• Under 18 or over 24 years of age
• Lives \> 30 miles from the university campus

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Michigan State University: lead
• Cleveland State University: collaborator
• Clemson University: collaborator
• University of Virginia: collaborator
• University of Maryland: collaborator
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore: collaborator
• Morgan State University: collaborator
• University of New Mexico: collaborator
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University: collaborator
• REI Cooperative Action Fund: collaborator
• Medical College of Wisconsin: collaborator

Study Sites (9)

Morgan State University

Baltimore, Maryland, 21251, United States

Location

University of Maryland

College Park, Maryland, 20742, United States

Location

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Salisbury, Maryland, 21804, United States

Location

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States

Location

University of New Mexico

Albequerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States

Location

North Carolina A&T University

Greensboro, North Carolina, 27411, United States

Location

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio, 44115, United States

Location

Clemson University

Clemson, South Carolina, 29631, United States

Location

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: The investigators will determine nature opportunities at each school using park and sports field mapping, remote sensing, and tree canopy assessment within 30 miles of campuses to identify disparities. As Fall semester starts, the investigators will recruit 160 students/school for an RCT. Students will complete baseline surveys on nature connectedness, nature belongingness, mental health, and demographics. Students will download the NatureDose™ app, which uses 30+ datasets and machine learning models to quantify nature. The app calculates how much nature is near users whenever they are outdoors, and weekly minutes in nature. App data will be collected over a 2-week baseline period, after which students will be randomized to receive 1) standard information about the health benefits of nature or 2) standard health information, a request to increase time in nature, eligibility to receive a prize, and information on peer performance. After 2 weeks, students will repeat baseline surveys.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 7, 2024
• First Posted: October 9, 2024
• Study Start: September 9, 2024
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2025
• Study Completion: March 1, 2025
• Last Updated: September 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (9)