Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing

Ryan Hammoud; Stefania Tognin; Michael Smythe; Johanna Gibbons; Neil Davidson; Ioannis Bakolis; Andrea Mechelli

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-55940-7

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing

Ryan Hammoud^*
, Stefania Tognin
, Michael Smythe
, Johanna Gibbons
, Neil Davidson
, Ioannis Bakolis
, Andrea Mechelli

^*Corresponding author for this work

King's College London
Nomad Projects
J & amp; L Gibbons
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity). There was evidence of a mediating effect of natural diversity on the association between natural environments and mental wellbeing. These results highlight the importance of policies and practices that support richness of biodiversity for public mental health.

Original language	English
Article number	7051
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55940-7
Publication status	Published - Dec 2024

Keywords

Biodiversity
Ecological momentary assessment
Mental wellbeing
Nature
Smartphones
Urban environment

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10.1038/s41598-024-55940-7

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abstract = "Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity). There was evidence of a mediating effect of natural diversity on the association between natural environments and mental wellbeing. These results highlight the importance of policies and practices that support richness of biodiversity for public mental health.",

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AU - Smythe, Michael

AU - Gibbons, Johanna

AU - Davidson, Neil

AU - Bakolis, Ioannis

AU - Mechelli, Andrea

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N2 - Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity). There was evidence of a mediating effect of natural diversity on the association between natural environments and mental wellbeing. These results highlight the importance of policies and practices that support richness of biodiversity for public mental health.

AB - Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity). There was evidence of a mediating effect of natural diversity on the association between natural environments and mental wellbeing. These results highlight the importance of policies and practices that support richness of biodiversity for public mental health.

KW - Biodiversity

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KW - Nature

KW - Smartphones

KW - Urban environment

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Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing

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Keywords

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