Group Nature-Based Mindfulness Interventions: Nature-Based Mindfulness Training for College Students with Anxiety
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health January 1, 2023 L. Vitagliano, Kelly L. Wester, Connie T. Jones et al.
College students' anxiety has been rising for years and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness-based interventions and exposure to natural environments each reduce anxiety, but brief nature-based mindfulness programs often lack social interaction and do not deliberately combine mindfulness theory with Attention Restoration Theory. This paper describes a framework for a new psychoeducational group intervention called Nature-Based Mindfulness Training (NBMT) that intentionally integrates both approaches. The authors argue that such integration offers an effective and sustainable way to reduce anxiety among college students. Limitations and future research directions are noted.