Dijkstra K, Pieterse M E, Pruyn A
Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Department of Marketing Communication and Consumer Psychology, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
Prev Med. 2008 Sep;47(3):279-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.01.013. Epub 2008 Jan 26.
Natural elements in the built healthcare environment have shown to hold potential stress-reducing properties. In order to shed light on the underlying mechanism of stress-reducing effects of nature, the present study investigates whether the stress-reducing effects of indoor plants occur because such an environment is perceived as being more attractive.
A single-factor between-subjects experimental design (nature: indoor plants vs. no plants) was used in which participants (n=77) were presented with a scenario describing hospitalization with a possible legionella diagnosis. The study was conducted from March to May 2007 in the Netherlands. Subsequently, they were exposed to a photo of a hospital room. In this room were either indoor plants, or there was a painting of an urban environment on the wall. Afterwards, perceived stress and the perceived attractiveness of the hospital room were measured.
Participants exposed to the hospital room with indoor plants reported less stress than those in the control condition. Mediation analysis confirmed that indoor plants in a hospital room reduce feelings of stress through the perceived attractiveness of the room.
This study confirms the stress-reducing properties of natural elements in the built healthcare environment. It also sheds light on the underlying mechanism causing this stress-reduction.
已表明建成的医疗环境中的自然元素具有潜在的减轻压力的特性。为了阐明自然减轻压力效果的潜在机制，本研究调查室内植物减轻压力的效果是否是因为这样的环境被认为更具吸引力。
采用单因素被试间实验设计（自然环境：室内植物与无植物），让参与者（n = 77）面对一个描述因可能感染军团菌而住院的情景。该研究于2007年3月至5月在荷兰进行。随后，他们观看一张医院病房的照片。病房里要么有室内植物，要么墙上有一幅城市环境的画。之后，测量参与者感知到的压力以及对病房的感知吸引力。
接触有室内植物的医院病房的参与者报告的压力比对照组小。中介分析证实，病房里的室内植物通过病房的感知吸引力减轻压力感。
本研究证实了建成的医疗环境中自然元素减轻压力的特性。它还阐明了导致这种压力减轻的潜在机制。
