Effects of Forest Bathing in Vancouver, B.C. Parks

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Nature, Human; Stress, Psychological; Blood Pressure; Mental Health Wellness 1; Anxiety; Environmental Exposure
• Interventions: Behavioral: Self-Guided Forest Bathing; Behavioral: Guided Forest Bathing

• Registration Number: NCT05502588
• Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate environmental factors that influence people's responses to the Japanese practice of forest bathing in Vancouver, B.C. parks.

Detailed Description

The primary research aim is to investigate the relationship between biotic and abiotic factors in a sample of Vancouver, B.C. forested parks and specific health-related outcomes after forest bathing interventions. Forest bathing programs are a promising therapeutic method for enhancing heart rate and blood pressure functions and an effective psychological relaxation strategy. This study will investigate changes in autonomic nervous system activity and mood states after a 60-90 minute forest bathing program in four Vancouver, B.C. parks. Approximately 100 adult participants will be recruited for the study and participate in four sessions over one year. Physiological responses, pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and psychological indices will be measured before and after each session.

The health effects of forest-based interventions will vary due to environmental factors such as weather, temperature, humidity, light, and participants' psychological and physiological states. We are taking measurements pre- and post-treatment to detect any change in response during each session and seasonally.

Primary endpoint is to determine if the guided walk provides greater enhanced heart rate and blood pressure functions and an effective psychological relaxation strategy over the self-guided walk.

Secondary endpoints: 1) to determine if participants living in neighborhoods with below average street trees receive greater benefits than participants that live in neighborhoods with average or above average street trees, 2) assess changes within the same individuals over time 3) if there are different outcomes seasonally 4) if there are different outcomes between study sites.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-04-22
• Study First Submitted: 2022-08-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-08-12
• Study First Posted: 2022-08-16
• Status Verified: 2023-04
• Primary Completion: 2023-04-20
• Study Completion: 2023-04-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-04-24
• Last Update Posted: 2023-04-25

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 198

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults (19+) that are residents of Vancouver, B.C.
• Spend time on a trail in a Vancouver park for at least 60 minutes per month
• Willing to refrain from tobacco products, alcohol, caffeine, marijuana, and psilocybin for at least two hours prior to arriving at the study site and during the forest bathing sessions

Exclusion Criteria

• Must be able to move along a barrier-free trail independently
• Non-residents (e.g. tourists)
• Children (under 19 years of age)
• Participants with pets

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Self-Guided Forest Bathing	Self-Guided Forest Bathing	Forest Bathing intervention without a guide and basic navigational instructions, explanation of forest bathing, and time to return.
Guided Forest Bathing	Guided Forest Bathing	Forest Bathing intervention led by a certified Forest Therapy guide.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) are routinely used by forest bathing researchers because psychologists regard it as rendering an accurate measure of mood states. The goal is to determine if spending time in a forest environment affects a psychological response. Abbreviated POMS contains 40 questions. Each answer is scored on a Likert Scale with values of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Lower total scores indicated low mood problems, and conversely, a higher score may indicate a high mood problem. POMS will determine a baseline level of specific moods for a participant at the onset of the research trial and at the beginning and end of each forest bathing session.
Cardiovascular reactivity - Heart Rate - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking heart rate before and after each forest bathing session.. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.
Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Diastolic) - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking diastolic blood pressure before and after each forest bathing session.. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.
Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Systolic) - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	Cardiovascular reactivity will be measured by participants taking systolic blood pressure before and after each forest bathing session. Three measurements will be taken at 30-second intervals. The mean of the final two measurements taken for each interval will be used for statistical analysis.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a short 5-item instrument designed to measure global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one's life.
Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) - Change	Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.	Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) is a scale designed to measure an individual's affective, experiential connection to nature. It was created based on the argument that for people to participate in environmental issues they need to feel part of the natural world. Another argument is that aspects of our urban or modern lifestyle relate to our nature connectedness and overall life satisfaction. The scale contains 13 items. It is a simple scale question with some reverse coded items Participants responded on a 5-point scale, where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree. CNS will determine a baseline level of nature relatedness and subjective well-being at the onset of the research trial and at the beginning and end of each forest bathing session.

Trial Locations

Locations (4)

Stanley Park; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Jericho Beach Park; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Pacific Spirit Regional Park; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Malcolm Knapp Research Forest; 🇨🇦 Maple Ridge, B.C., Canada