Outdoor activity participation improves adolescents’ mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping human interactions with the natural
environment, generating profound consequences for health and well-being.
To assess the effects of COVID-19 on the outdoor recreation participation
and well-being of adolescents we conducted a nationally representative
survey of youth ages 10-18 across the United States (n = 624) using a
Qualtrics XM panel between April 30 and June 15, 2020. Survey questions
focused on frequency of participation in several types of outdoor
activities before and during the pandemic. Activity categories included
outdoor play activities (e.g., running, biking), nature-based activities
(e.g., camping, fishing), and spending outdoor time with family. We
assessed changes in the psychological health of youth using a four-item
subjective well-being scale validated by the World Health Organization.
Paired t-tests revealed significant decreases in both outdoor recreation
participation (64% of youth reported declines) and subjective well-being
(52% reported declines) during the pandemic. A regression model examining
correlates of changes in subjective well-being (R2=0.42) revealed strong
associations between subjective well-being and changes in outdoor play
activities (B=0.44, p<0.001) and changes in nature-based activities
(B=0.21, p=0.016). Youth who continued to participate in these activities
during COVID-19 reported significantly smaller drops in subjective
well-being, whereas youth whose outdoor participation waned were more
negatively impacted by the pandemic. Furthermore, youth who reported high
levels of outdoor play activity participation before the pandemic were
also less likely to experience post-COVID-19 declines in subjective
well-being. These results contribute to our understanding of adolescent
psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as highlighting
the critical role that time outdoors and time in nature can play in
bolstering youth resilience to environmental stressors.