Effects of Forest Therapy on Physical and Psychological Parameters in the General Population - a Randomized Controlled Trial

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: General Population (no Specific Condition or Disease)
• Interventions: Behavioral: Active forest therapy; Behavioral: Passive forest therapy

• Registration Number: NCT05562128
• Lead Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Brief Summary

In recent years, nature and forest therapy has increasingly become the focus of medical research. Recent scientific findings indicate overall positive effects of nature and forest therapy on physical and mental health. In Asia and Australia, it has already been implemented as a public health concept of prevention and health promotion. The aim of the project is to replicate the experience gained in Asia over the last three decades on the physical and psychological effects of nature/forest therapy in the context of the German forest and to investigate it further scientifically.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-09-28
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-09-28
• Study First Posted: 2022-09-30
• Study Start: 2022-10-10
• Status Verified: 2023-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-10-24
• Last Update Posted: 2023-10-25
• Primary Completion: 2024-10
• Study Completion: 2024-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• Ability to Consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Serious acute or chronic illness
• Immobility or limitation of mobility due to orthopedic, neurologic, or other medical causes
• Participation in another study
• Serious mental illness
• Pregnancy and lactation.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Active forest therapy	Active forest therapy	-
Passive forest therapy	Passive forest therapy	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Profile of Mood States (POMS)	Change from baseline POMS score at 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Profile of Mood States (POMS)	Baseline, day 1, day 3, 1 week, 3 months
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months	The scale ranges from 0 to 4. Higher scores correspond to higher levels of perceived stress.
Subjective Vitality Scale state (SVS-G state)	Baseline, day 1, day 3, 1 week, 3 months
Allgemeine Selbstwirksamkeit Kurzskala (ASKU)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months	The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores correspond to better outcomes.
PROMIS Scale v1.2 - Global Health	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months	The scale ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 is the lowest level and 5 is the highest level. Higher scores reflect better functioning.
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)	Baseline, day 1, day 3, 1 week, 3 months	The scale ranges from 1 to 8. Higher scores correspond to higher levels of anxiety (after recoding three inverted items).
Freiburger Fragebogen zur Achtsamkeit (FFA)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months
Perceive Stress Questionaire (PSQ)	Baseline, day 1, day 3, 1 week, 3 months
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months	The scale ranges from 0 to 3. Higher scores correspond to higher levels of anxiety and/or depression.
Perceived Benefits of Nature Questionnaire (PBNQ)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months
Complaint List (B-LR)	Baseline, 1 week, 3 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Charité Hochschulambulanz für Naturheilkunde am Immanuel Krankenhaus; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany