Child Health Nursing Research

Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing (한국아동간호학회)
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A Systematic Review of Forest Therapy Programs for Elementary School Students

초등학생 대상의 산림치유 프로그램에 대한 체계적 문헌고찰

  • Song, Min Kyung (College of Nursing, Seoul National University) ;
  • Bang, Kyung-Sook (College of Nursing.The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University)
  • 송민경 (서울대학교 간호대학) ;
  • 방경숙 (서울대학교 간호대학.간호과학연구소)
  • Received : 2017.04.17
  • Accepted : 2017.06.09
  • Published : 2017.07.31
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Abstract

Purpose: There are many forest and outdoor programs being offered but systematic reviews of effects are lacking. This study was done to identify content, format, and strategies of forest therapy programs for elementary school students. Methods: Literature search using keywords in English and Korean was performed using 6 electronic databases in December 2016. Search participants were elementary school students and interventions conducted in the forest. Seventeen forest therapy studies were selected for evaluation. Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non-randomized study was used for quality assessment. Results: All studies were quasi-experimental designs. Forest therapy programs included various activities in forests such as experience of five senses, meditation in the forest, walking in the forest, ecological play, observation of animals and insects. All studies used psychosocial health variables and forest healing programs had positive effects on sociality, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, stress, aggression, anger, and school adjustment. Limitations of these studies were vague reporting of the study, lack of ethical review and rigorous research designs. Conclusion: Forest therapy for elementary school child can be an effective way to improve psychosocial health. Future studies with rigorous study designs are needed to assess long-term effects of forest therapy on physical and psychosocial health.

Keywords

References

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