Coping with ADD. The Surprising Connection to Green Play Settings

Abstract

Attention Restoration Theory suggests that contact with nature sup- ports attentional functioning, and a number of studies have found contact with every- day nature to be related to attention in adults. Is contact with everyday nature also related to the attentional functioning of children? This question was addressed through a study focusing on children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This study examined the relationship between children’s nature exposure through leisure activities and their attentional functioning using both within- and between-subjects comparisons. Parents were surveyed regarding their child’s attentional functioning after activities in several settings. Results indicate that children function better than usual after activities in green settings and that the “greener” a child’s play area, the less severe his or her attention deficit symptoms. Thus, contact with nature may sup- port attentional functioning in a population of children who desperately need attentional support.