Nature and well-being: The association of nature engagement and well-being during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

1. Numerous studies have shown the positive association between nature
engagement and well-being. During the early phases of the SARS-CoV-2
pandemic, nature engagement changed dramatically as mental health and
well-being declined across the globe. 2. This study examines how
psychological connection to nature and engagement with nature in various
forms is associated with well-being during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Specifically, we examine which types of nature engagement (i.e., with
nearby nature, through nature excursions, and media-based) are more
strongly associated with well-being based on measures of loneliness,
rumination, pandemic emotional impact, and mental health. 3. We employed a
cross-sectional online survey of adults (N=3,282) residing in the United
States, 25% of whom report seldom spending time in nature. 4. Our findings
revealed that the psychological construct of connection to nature was
associated with less loneliness and greater mental health. Overall, nature
engagement was a consistent predictor of well-being, but different types
of activities predicted varying outcomes on our four dependent variables.
Greater engagement with nearby nature during the pandemic was associated
with less rumination, less pandemic emotional impact, and better mental
health while nature excursions (e.g., camping, backpacking) and
media-based nature engagement were associated with greater loneliness,
more emotional impact from the pandemic, and worse mental health.
Additionally, nature engagement via media was associated with greater
rumination. 5. Our findings suggest that promoting opportunities to
increase engagement with and access to nearby nature is associated with
better human well-being, especially during challenging events, and should
be part of a multi-pronged approach for coping with the next public health
crisis.

1. 已有大量研究证实，自然接触（nature engagement）与个体福祉（well-being）之间存在正向关联。在新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）大流行早期，全球范围内民众的心理健康与福祉均出现下滑，自然接触行为也随之发生显著变化。
2. 本研究旨在探讨在新型冠状病毒大流行期间，自然心理联结（psychological connection to nature）以及各类形式的自然接触行为与个体福祉之间的关联。具体而言，本研究基于孤独感、反刍思维（rumination）、大流行情绪冲击及心理健康水平这几项评估指标，分析不同类型的自然接触行为（即近距离自然接触、自然远足活动以及基于媒介的自然接触）与福祉的关联强度。
3. 本研究针对居住在美国的成年人群体开展了一项横断面（cross-sectional）线上调查，有效样本量为3282人，其中25%的受访者表示自身极少进行自然接触。
4. 本研究结果显示，自然心理联结这一心理学构念与更低的孤独感水平及更好的心理健康状态呈正相关。总体而言，自然接触行为可稳定预测个体福祉，但不同类型的自然活动对本研究的四项因变量（dependent variables）的预测效果存在差异。大流行期间，更多的近距离自然接触与更低的反刍思维水平、更弱的大流行情绪冲击及更好的心理健康状态相关；而自然远足活动（如露营、背包徒步旅行）及基于媒介的自然接触则与更高的孤独感、更强的大流行情绪冲击及更差的心理健康状态相关。此外，通过媒介进行的自然接触与更高水平的反刍思维存在关联。
5. 本研究结果表明，为民众提供更多近距离自然接触的机会与途径，有助于提升个体福祉，在危机事件中这一效应尤为显著，因此该策略应纳入应对下一次公共卫生危机的多维度应对框架之中。