Contemplation of Nature to Promote Mental Health and Prevent Depression in Youth

Abstract

Increasing urbanization, current crises, and uncertain times pose an exponential threat to mental health, particularly for children and adolescents who are in their development. There is an urgent need to promote avenues of well-being at the individual and collective levels. Contemplative practices aim to cultivate awareness and connection as a means to alleviate human suffering and the chronic consequences of stress. More specifically, nature-based interventions are gaining interest and showing promising benefits in clinical and nonclinical populations. Their underlying mechanisms are multifactorial and include physical, psychological, and environmental aspects. We highlight two key contemplative factors and their contribution to mental health promotion: (1) sensory awareness of present moment experience in nature and (2) feeling of gratitude and perception of beauty. We discuss the applicability and relevance of nature contemplation in young people and its role in preventing depression. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)