@article{ref1,
title="Effect of nature on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents: meta-review",
journal="British journal of psychiatry",
year="2024",
author="Lomax, Tessa and Butler, Joseph and Cipriani, Andrea and Singh, Ilina",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Urbanisation is taking place worldwide and rates of mental illness are rising. There has been increasing interest in 'nature' and how it may benefit mental health and well-being. AIMS: To understand how the literature defines nature; what the characteristics of the nature intervention are; what mental health and well-being outcomes are being measured; and what the evidence shows, in regard to how nature affects the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. <br><br>METHOD: A meta-review was conducted, searching three databases for relevant primary and secondary studies, using key search terms including 'nature' and 'mental health' and 'mental well-being'. Inclusion criteria included published English-language studies on the child and adolescent population. Authors identified the highest quality evidence from studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analysed using descriptive content analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Sixteen systematic reviews, two scoping reviews and five good quality cohort studies were included. 'Nature' was conceptualised along a continuum (the 'nature research framework') into three categories: a human-designed environment with natural elements; a human-designed natural environment; and a natural environment. The nature 'intervention' falls into three areas (the 'nature intervention framework'): access, exposure and engagement with nature, with quantity and quality of nature relevant to all areas. Mental health and well-being outcomes fit along a continuum, with 'disorder' at one end and 'well-being' at the other. Nature appears to have a beneficial effect, but we cannot be certain of this. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Nature appears to have a beneficial effect on mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Evidence is lacking on clinical populations, ethnically diverse populations and populations in low- and middle-income countries. Our results should be interpreted considering the limitations of the included studies and confidence in findings.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0007-1250",
doi="10.1192/bjp.2024.109",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.109"
}