Forest schools and mental wellbeing

There has been growing interest in forest school’s utility as an intervention for building social skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. Given the diverse array of research regarding the benefits of nature contact and that the effects of forest school are under-researched, the present research investigated the relationship between forest school participation, wellbeing, resilience and nature connectedness.

A mixed methods crossover design, involving 130 participants, was employed with measures of wellbeing, resilience and connectedness to nature administered pre- and post-forest school. Qualitative data was also collected.

Results indicated significant improvements over time for resilience scores following forest school. Gender effects were found, with male participants showing significant improvements in their levels of wellbeing, resilience and connectedness to nature. Early environmental experiences, resilience and connectedness to nature were found to predict mental wellbeing.
The findings provide initial evidence for the potential of forest school in providing beneficial outcomes for resiliency in young people.