• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.475-484
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• 2020

Background and objective: Horticultural activity is one of the most basic elements of horticultural therapy, which brings about therapeutic effects for participants through various plant-related activities. The main objective of this study was to verify the results of previous research, which suggested six types of activities from the exploratory factor analysis. Methods: To meet the purpose of this study, a questionnaire was designed to determine the preferences for 6 types of the horticultural therapy activities. The survey was conducted on 703 people from March 7 to June 20, 2019. The data of 674 cases were used into the final analysis, excluding unreliable responses. Descriptive statistics, and reliability analysis were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Amos 21. Results: First, horticultural therapy activities were classified into 6 types from the exploratory factor analysis, as conducted in previous research. The confirmatory factor analysis provided that the fit of the final model was satisfactory with χ² = 1,300.590 (p < .001), RMR = .045, GFI = .876, RMSEA = .062, NFI = .914, TLI = .905, CFI = .914. Conclusion: This result revalidated that the mode with 6 types of horticultural therapy activities from previous research is appropriate criteria for the classification of horticultural activities. The model could be used to design more systematic horticultural therapy programs that meet the needs or circumstances of the subject, or that are suitable for necessary therapeutic intervention methods.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.565-576
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• 2020

Background and objective: The elderly living in homeless living facilities for a long time suffer from various mental health problems. This study aims to determine the psychological, emotional, and social effects of a horticultural therapy program composed of gardening activities, which was designed based on the semantic structures of life for the homeless elderly living in the facilities for a long time. Methods: A total of 12 subjects (6 in the control group and 6 in the experimental group) participated in the study. The horticultural therapy program consisted mainly of gardening activities, and a total of 16 sessions were conducted once a week for 16 weeks, 60-90 minutes per session. The subjects were tested to evaluate their self-esteem, depression, and horticultural activities. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon rank test, and Friedman test, which were nonparametric tests, conducted at a 95% significance level. Results: First, in the case of self-esteem, a significant difference was found between the groups, 20.00 points (SD = 5.69) in the control group, and 25.50 points (SD = 3.73) in the experimental group (p = .034). Second, in the case of depression, no statistically significant difference was found in the posttest. Finally, in the case of the horticultural activity evaluation, the scores of most variables gradually and significantly increased during the program [Verbal interaction during activity (p = .006), Self-concept and identity (p = .006), Need-drive adaptation (p < .001), Interpersonal and social relations (p < .001)]. Conclusion: These results support that the horticultural therapy program could help the elderly improve psychological relaxation, emotional stability, and social relationships. In order to generalize the results, it is suggested to increase the number of subjects or conduct additional repetitive experiments in further research.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.513-527
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• 2016

The objective of the present study was to review the current research about the outcomes of horticultural activity interventions in order to determine research trends and analyze the characteristics of horticultural activity interventions. We reviewed the literature using search engines such as the Web of Science, Proquest Dissertation and Theses, Academic Search Premier, Research Information sharing Service, and Korean National Assembly Digital Library to locate journal articles that include relevant search terms (e.g., gardening activity, gardening program, allotment garden, urban agriculture, horticultural therapy, and horticultural activity). We initially identified 14,414 journal articles that were published before April 2014 and selected 509 of the papers for review. We found that studies investigating treating children and adults 8 to 64 years old were the most common, and horticultural activities such as gardening outdoors, planting indoors, making crafts with live plants, arranging flowers, making crafts with artificial or pressed flowers, and other activities were usually combined. Short/medium term (11 to 20 sessions) horticultural activity programs were the most frequent, and most interventions were of medium duration (> 60 min to 120 min). Most of the studies focused on the psychological or emotional effects of horticultural intervention, such as its effects on emotional intelligence, self-esteem, stress, and depression. Further studies are needed to analyze the research methodology, specific outcomes, and strengths or weaknesses of studies investigating horticultural activity interventions.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.255-268
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• 2019

Horticultural therapy, as a kind of complementary alternative therapies using nature as a medium, is an intervention method that can be applied to various subjects by utilizing horticultural activities that anyone can enjoy as a leisure activity. This research defined the resilience of individuals as a personal characteristic, and examined differences in the intervention effect of horticultural activities depending on the level of resilience. The results obtained in this study can be utilized in planning a horticultural activity program and setting the purpose and goals of horticultural activity programs. The subjects of this study were divided into the high resilience experimental group (Group A), the low resilience experimental Group (Group C), the high resilience control group (Group B), and the low resilience control group (Group D). The experiment was conducted in the campus of G University from September to November 2017, and the experimental group participated in the program once per week, a total of 10 sessions. The Korean version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, autonomic nervous assessment, and the interpersonal relationship change scale were carried out as pre- and post-assessment. Statistical analysis was performed using a non-parametric test. Group A showed statistically significant positive changes in relaxation of physical tension and stability. In conclusion, those with high resilience showed the higher intervention effects of horticultural activities on physical relaxation and stability than those with low resilience. However, there were some possible limitations in this study. Since the number of subjects was small and subjects were limited to college students, it is impossible to generalize the results of this study. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct follow-up studies to address and overcome these limitations.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.305-320
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• 2020

Background and objective: The problem that follows the increase of dementia patients is the burden of caregivers caring for dementia patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of horticultural therapy programs improving the quality of life and reducing the depression and burden of caregivers of the elderly with dementia. Methods: In this study, 19 caregivers of the elderly with dementia were selected, and the experiment was conducted by dividing the control group (n=9) and the experimental group (n=10) by random distribution. The experimental group was given eight horticultural therapy programs twice a week for a total of 4 weeks. Subjects were assessed using the depression(CES-D), quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), and care burden scales. The evaluation results were verified at a 95% significance level using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: In the case of depression, the control group's score tended to increase, and the experimental group's score appeared to decrease, but it was not a statistically significant change. In the quality of life, the control group was not statistically significant, but scores decreased overall. On the other hand, in the experimental group, the general quality of life increased significantly from 11.60 to 14.20 points (p = .02), and the total quality of life increased to a marginally significant level from 61.59 points to 68.85 points (p = .059). In the post-test of the total care burden score, a marginally significant difference was found between the control group (94.44 points) and the experimental group (82.50 points; p = .079). Conclusion: This study confirmed the applicability to reduce the burden of caregiving and improve the deterioration of quality of life of the caregivers. In particular, the results will serve as an opportunity to confirm accessibility in a new way to support the caregiver of dementia patients by demonstrating the applicability of horticultural therapy at a time when problems such as the burden of supporting the caregiver are emerging as social problems.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.599-613
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• 2011

This study aimed to provide an efficient time management scheme for farmers by analysing how they experience time constraints in spending their time and understand time management. Firstly, farmers found that they didn't have enough time for farm keeping as a result of house work obligations. It was caused by excessive time for agricultural work. Thus, 93.7% of respondents recognized that ‘they were pressed for time' because there is relatively less time to spend for socio-cultural and physiological matters. In addition, 83.0% responded that they felt the pressure of something. Respondents who were in forties reduced their sleeping hours due to lack of time. The majority of people who were in the farmhouse doing controlled horticulture cannot enjoy their own time for leisure owing to a lack of time. Secondly, respondents under thirty-nine years of age were solving the problems of time constraints as prioritizing matters, planning handling time and utilizing household instruments. On the other hand, respondents who were in forties found the solution by reflecting on their conduct toward a time consumption plan, self-evaluation and received help from their family and/or neighbors. A group of respondents who had already graduated from college or higher education often reflected on their conduct and self-evaluated. Respondants who participatied in farmhouse controlled horticulture, generally took turns in managing their house work. For reducing farmers' time constraints and managing their time efficiently, they should standardize matters done repeatedly and also manage time by dividing work among family members. Furthermore, if a long-term time scheme such as more than a month is established and practiced, time constraints may be somewhat solved.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2022

Climate change is a key factor that greatly influences changes in the biological seasons and geographical distribution of species. In the ecological field, the BioClimatic predictor (BioClim), which is most related to the physiological characteristics of organisms, is used for vulnerability assessment. However, BioClim values are not provided other than the future period climate average values for each GCM for the Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs) scenario. In this study, BioClim data suitable for domestic conditions was produced using 1 km resolution SSPs scenario detailed data produced by Rural Development Administration, and based on the data, a species distribution model was applied to mainly grow in southern, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gangwon-do and humid regions. Appropriate habitat distributions were predicted every 30 years for the base years (1981 - 2010) and future years (2011 - 2100) of the Acer pictum subsp. mono. Acer pictum subsp. mono appearance data were collected from a total of 819 points through the national natural environment survey data. In order to improve the performance of the MaxEnt model, the parameters of the model (LQH-1.5) were optimized, and 7 detailed biolicm indices and 5 topographical indices were applied to the MaxEnt model. Drainage, Annual Precipitation (Bio12), and Slope significantly contributed to the distribution of Acer pictum subsp. mono in Korea. As a result of reflecting the growth characteristics that favor moist and fertile soil, the influence of climatic factors was not significant. Accordingly, in the base year, the suitable habitat for a high level of Acer pictum subsp. mono is 3.41% of the area of Korea, and in the near future (2011 - 2040) and far future (2071 - 2100), SSP1-2.6 accounts for 0.01% and 0.02%, gradually decreasing. However, in SSP5-8.5, it was 0.01% and 0.72%, respectively, showing a tendency to decrease in the near future compared to the base year, but to gradually increase toward the far future. This study confirms the future distribution of vegetation that is more easily adapted to climate change, and has significance as a basic study that can be used for future forest restoration of climate change-adapted species.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.287-298
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• 2003

The purpose of the study was to develop an integrated prevention program to strengthen elders self-care capability and to examine its effectiveness on their psychological condition. This study used one group pre- and post-test design. Subjects were 85 elderly residents (over 65 years of age) who lived alone, and received free basic medical care and social welfare services in a rural community in Korea. Subject eligibility criteria for this study were to an elders who 1) is not currently taking any anti-depressant medication 2) is able to communicate, and 3) agrees to participate in this study. The integrated program was composed of horticulture, reminiscence, and friendship activities. Twelve sessions were provided for 12 weeks in community-based partnerships to achieve better outcomes. The intervention was case-managed by a public health nurse and aided by six volunteers. The main outcome variable was depression, which was assessed by using 15 items selected from the Geriatric Depression Scale-short form Korean version. Socio-demographic characteristics, functional status, and satisfaction with social support were used as covariates. Results showed that there was a significant intervention effect at post-intervention time point compared to pre-intervention time point(E.S. 0.94). Multiple linear regression analysis showed significant interaction effects between intervention and satisfaction with social support. These findings must be interpreted within the context that an effects of an integrated program could be more synergistically increased when social support factor is considered in the program. A community-based integrated prevention program of depression is effective for vulnerable rural elderly. It is suggested that randomized controlled trials within community setting for better methodological strength as well as multi-level outcomes on community need to be conducted in future.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.11.1-11.8
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• 2010

Indonesia is a mega-biodiversity country having at least one trillion US Dollars value of biological resources per year over the next 20 years. Indonesia is home to 11 percent of the world's flowering plant species and 12 percent of all mammals. Many of Indonesia's species and more than half of the archipelago's endemic plant species are found nowhere else on the Earth. This information is just a small portion of all higher plants and animals being found in Indonesia. Former studies described that total number of species in Indonesia is estimated more than 1,000,000 and most of them remain unknown scientifically. Most of lower plants and animals have not been studied yet, so that greatest portion of Indonesia's biological resources has never been assessed with respect to its economic value or conservation status. Many developed countries are building cooperation with Indonesia on resources, mainly in the fields of grant aid, socio-economic services, R & D, researcher exchange, technology transfer, infrastructure, education/training, finance, etc. Indonesia will obtain greater benefits and management of its biological richness via increasing its international capacity to add value and information to its biological diversity. These goals can be achieved by close international collaboration on search of important biological resources and other bioactive products that have potential economic values. Development of biological resource-based technology stands as the industry of the $21^{st}$ century and, therefore, Indonesia has a unique opportunity to lead the process in the world.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.133-142
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• 2015

This study aimed to identify the exercise intensity associated with four common physical activities for adults (running, skipping rope, walking, and muscle strength exercises) and two horticultural activities (creating a vegetable bed and garden maintenance). For this experiment, 19 males (mean age: $25.8{\pm}2.3$ years) randomly participated in the activities at a glasshouse at Konkuk University. Each of the six activities lasted for 5 minutes; the subjects rested for 5 minutes during intervals between the activities. A portable metabolic analyzer was used to store the oxygen and energy consumption values obtained upon measurement of each activity. In addition, a wireless heart rate monitor was used to measure the subjects' heart rate. According to the results, the four types of physical activities and two horticultural activities carried out by the subjects are moderate- to high-intensity activities [i.e., $3.8{\pm}0.9$ to $9.9{\pm}2.1$ metabolic equivalents (METs)]. Running ($9.9{\pm}2.1$ METs) and skipping rope ($8.8{\pm}2.2$ METs) were categorized as high-intensity physical activities, whereas creating a vegetable bed ($5.0{\pm}1.2$ METs), walking ($4.9{\pm}0.8$ METs), muscle strength exercises ($4.5{\pm}1.3$ METs), and garden maintenance ($3.8{\pm}0.9$ METs) were classified as moderate-intensity physical activities. The exercise intensities of horticultural activities in this study were similar to those of walking and muscle strength exercises. Therefore, participating in these horticultural activities is expected to garner health benefits similar to those reaped from the physical activities described in the current study.