The effects of mindfulness on psychological thriving among urban park visitors: evidence from three experimental studies

Three experiments compared digital versus traditional mindfulness training for enhancing psychological thriving in urban park visitors. Digital mindfulness training proved more effective than traditional training at boosting thriving. A serial mediation model showed training form influenced grit, which then influenced meaning in life, ultimately affecting thriving. Body appreciation moderated this relationship, meaning the effect of training form on thriving depended on individuals' body appreciation levels. All hypotheses were supported. The findings suggest digital mindfulness interventions may offer a promising pathway to improve positive psychological states in natural urban settings, with implications for public health and urban design.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Amidst ongoing urbanization, understanding how to effectively enhance visitor well-being (e.g., Psychological Thriving) in accessible natural settings like urban parks is crucial. Mindfulness interventions offer a promising avenue, yet the comparative efficacy of different delivery modes (digital vs. traditional) and their underlying psychological pathways remain underexplored. Targeting this, three experiments were conducted to explore the effect of the form of mindfulness training (digital vs. traditional) on individual Psychological Thriving, its underlying mechanisms, and boundary conditions. Results from Experiment 1 indicated that the form of mindfulness training significantly influenced individual Psychological Thriving (H1), with digital mindfulness training being more effective than traditional mindfulness training in enhancing Psychological Thriving. Experiment 2 further revealed that Grit and Meaning in life played a serial mediating role in the relationship between the form of mindfulness training and Psychological Thriving: the form of mindfulness training indirectly impacted Psychological Thriving (H4) by first influencing individual Grit (H2), which subsequently affected their Meaning in life (H3). Finally, Experiment 3 confirmed that Body Appreciation moderated the relationship between the form of mindfulness training and Psychological Thriving (H5, H6), indicating that the effect of the mindfulness training form on Psychological Thriving varied depending on individuals' levels of Body Appreciation. All hypotheses were empirically supported. Collectively, these findings deepen the understanding of different mindfulness intervention pathways and their psychological effects, offering new theoretical perspectives and practical implications for enhancing individual positive psychological states. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/, Identifier ChiCTR2500103568.