Connection to Nature and Psychological Wellbeing: The Role of Mindfulness and Spirituality
Simin Kazemi, Julia Torquati, Tuyen Huynh
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health May 29, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph23060725 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 399 |
| Population | Young adults |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Spirituality Clarity Mechanism biology Structural equation modeling Connection principal bundle Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Conceptual model Life satisfaction Developmental psychology |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and spirituality mediate the link between connection to nature and psychological wellbeing, but their roles depend on how the constructs are measured. |
Abstract
This study examined mindfulness and spirituality as potential explanatory mechanisms underlying the associations between connection to nature and young adults’ psychological wellbeing (depression, anxiety, perceived stress, life satisfaction, and positive states of mind). Two studies employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test these pathways using different conceptualizations and measures of mindfulness and spirituality. Participants (Study 1: N = 219, 69.4% female; Study 2: N = 180, 75% female) completed self-report measures of connection to nature, mindfulness, spirituality, and psychological wellbeing. In Study 1, mindful attention functioned as a significant mediating mechanism reducing anxiety and perceived stress, while mindful awareness mediated reductions in depression and increases in positive states of mind. Conversely, spirituality (life scheme and self-efficacy) was not a significant mediator. In Study 2, using alternative measures, spirituality (self-transcendence) significantly operated as a mediating mechanism across all wellbeing outcomes except anxiety, whereas none of the five facets of mindfulness acted as significant mediating mechanisms. Overall, these findings suggest that the roles of mindfulness and spirituality in linking connection to nature and psychological wellbeing may vary depending on how these constructs are conceptualized and measured, highlighting the need for greater conceptual clarity in future research.