Bueddefeld Jill, Reining Catherine E, Lavallee Loraine, Brady Ryan, Groulx Mark W, Lemieux Christopher James
Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, ON, Canada.
JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Mar 24;14:e63338. doi: 10.2196/63338.
Growing evidence shows various health and well-being benefits from nature contact in parks and other forms of protected areas. However, the methods to measure these outcomes lack systematic identification, critical appraisal, and synthesis. Researchers working in this area would benefit from a clear framework highlighting key considerations when selecting measurement tools, along with a summary of the measures used, and insights into the limitations of generalizing existing research findings.
The objectives of this scoping review are 2-fold. First, we aim to identify the instruments used to measure mental health and well-being outcomes of adults associated with direct nature contact in parks and other forms of protected areas. Second, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties associated with the validity of these instruments to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of current measurement approaches.
Following PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, 8 scholarly databases were searched (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO [via ProQuest], ERIC [via EBSCOhost], CINAHL [via EBSCOhost], GreenFILE [via EBSCOhost], OVID, and GEOBASE) on January 4, 2023, for literature measuring the mental health and well-being outcomes associated with nature contact in protected areas. Sources were screened by reviewers based on clear inclusion or exclusion criteria relevant to the research questions: peer-reviewed English language studies measuring mental health and well-being focused on adults (aged 18+ years) with direct, in-person nature contact in parks and protected areas. Data will be extracted, analyzed, and represented according to 3 domains. This includes study details, characteristics of the measurement instruments, and their validity.
The results of the study and submission of a manuscript for peer review are expected in April 2025. The results of the scoping review are expected to contribute to an understanding of the diverse methods used to measure mental health and well-being related to nature contact in protected areas. Expected findings will include an organized summary of existing quantitative and qualitative instruments for measuring mental health and well-being outcomes, including appraisal of the instrument's psychometric properties.
To the authors' knowledge, this will be the first scoping review undertaken on measures used to assess mental health and well-being outcomes related to nature contact in parks and protected areas context, offering a starting point from which to critically examine the validity and consistency of such methods. Findings will aid in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of current measurement approaches to mental health and well-being outcomes of nature contact and may be used to guide future research on this topic, helping researchers choose the best tool to assess outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/63338.
越来越多的证据表明，在公园及其他形式的保护区与自然接触对健康和幸福有诸多益处。然而，衡量这些结果的方法缺乏系统的识别、批判性评估和综合分析。在这一领域工作的研究人员将受益于一个清晰的框架，该框架突出了选择测量工具时的关键考虑因素，以及所用测量方法的总结，同时深入了解现有研究结果的普遍性局限性。
本范围综述的目的有两个。首先，我们旨在识别用于测量成年人在公园及其他形式的保护区直接与自然接触所产生的心理健康和幸福结果的工具。其次，我们旨在评估与这些工具有效性相关的心理测量特性，以更好地理解当前测量方法的优缺点。
遵循PRISMA-ScR（系统评价和Meta分析扩展的范围综述的首选报告项目）指南，于2023年1月4日在8个学术数据库（PubMed、科学网、PsycINFO[通过ProQuest]、ERIC[通过EBSCOhost]、CINAHL[通过EBSCOhost]、GreenFILE[通过EBSCOhost]、OVID和GEOBASE）中搜索有关测量保护区自然接触相关心理健康和幸福结果的文献。评审人员根据与研究问题相关的明确纳入或排除标准对文献来源进行筛选：以英语发表的、经同行评审的研究，测量重点为18岁及以上成年人在公园和保护区直接亲身与自然接触后的心理健康和幸福状况。数据将根据三个领域进行提取、分析和呈现。这包括研究细节、测量工具的特征及其有效性。
预计该研究结果及提交同行评审的手稿将于2025年4月完成。范围综述的结果预计将有助于理解用于测量保护区自然接触相关心理健康和幸福的多种方法。预期的研究结果将包括对现有用于测量心理健康和幸福结果的定量和定性工具的有条理的总结，包括对工具心理测量特性的评估。
据作者所知，这将是首次对用于评估公园和保护区环境中自然接触相关心理健康和幸福结果的测量方法进行的范围综述，为批判性审视此类方法的有效性和一致性提供了一个起点。研究结果将有助于识别当前自然接触心理健康和幸福结果测量方法的优缺点，并可用于指导该主题的未来研究，帮助研究人员选择最佳工具来评估结果。
国际注册报告识别号（IRRID）：DERR1-10.2196/63338。
