A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal’s Observatoire pour l’éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children’s health and education) found that spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.
The study published this week in JAMA Network Open, looked at the effects of spending time in nature on the behaviour and mental health symptoms of over 500 schoolchildren across Quebec in the spring of 2023.
The researchers found that at the end of a three-month period, teachers noted that the biggest changes in behaviour occurred in children with the most significant problems at the outset, including anxiety, depression, aggression, impulsivity, or social problems relating to interaction with their peers.
Last Updated on December 9, 2024