Can Urban Forests Help to Manage Academic Stress Among Undergraduate University Students?

Abstract

Academic stress is a major concern affecting students worldwide. This phenomenon is especially serious in a conservative society like Malaysia, where mental health issues are a taboo topic due to superstitious beliefs and cultural insensitivities. Although the Ministry of Health Malaysia reported an exponential increase in mental health problems among Malaysian students, there is still a lack of effort in addressing this issue. Urban forests can serve as a solution to this growing problem since forest therapy has been found to be able to reduce stress-related diseases such as anxiety and elevated blood pressure. Despite its growing popularity across the globe, forest therapy remains a relatively novel concept in Malaysia. A survey found that up to 95% of Malaysian university students in public and private universities across Malaysia were unaware of forest therapy. However, after learning of the benefits, the majority of these students were eager to participate in a forest therapy program organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia. To determine whether forest therapy had the potential to alleviate academic stress among students, a forest therapy program was developed based on the expectations of the students. A total of 29 students participated in a half-day forest therapy program at Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Selangor; It was discovered that there was a sustained reduction in the blood pressure of students after having undergone forest therapy, and the effects were maintained for up to 5 days. The students also confirmed this result, as they revealed that they did feel less stressed after the forest therapy program. In conclusion, forest therapy has the capability to be a form of preventive medicine in reducing chronic stress, especially among students.