From connection to conservation: Nature‐based mindfulness as a pathway to pro‐environmental behaviors
Patricia Zieris, Markus P Müller, Meike Krebs-Fehrmann, Katharina Thümer, Peter Loreth, Doris Pokorny, Elisabeth Kals
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being September 9, 2026 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.70220 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Nonrandomized controlled trial with wait-list control Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 105 |
| Population | Adults (mean age approximately 46 years, predominantly female) from a German biosphere region |
| Duration | 3-week intervention, 15-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The nature-based mindfulness intervention increased nature connection and responsibility attributions relative to a wait-list control group. Immediate pro-environmental behavior effects were mixed, but at follow-up the intervention group showed greater pro-environmental behavior (d = 0.53) and more time in nature (d = 0.34) than at baseline, which the authors suggest may be a time-lagged effect potentially mediated by enhanced nature connection. |
Abstract
Abstract Nature‐based mindfulness interventions (NBMIs) are increasingly recognized for fostering nature connection and promoting pro‐environmental behavior (PEB). However, robust longitudinal evidence of their sustained impact within the general population remains limited. This study investigated how such an intervention impacts pro‐environmental attitudes and behaviors. Adults (M age ≈ 46 years, predominantly female) from a German biosphere region were nonrandomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 56) undergoing a 3‐week NBMI or to a wait‐list control group ( n = 49). Participants completed measures of nature connection (nature‐based mindfulness and emotional affinity toward nature), environmental cognition (threat awareness and responsibility), and behavior (intentions, PEB, and time in nature) at three time points over 15 weeks. Mixed models for repeated measures (MMRM) analyses revealed that the NBMI group showed significantly greater increases in nature connection and responsibility attributions post‐intervention than the control group. Although immediate PEB effects were mixed, a key finding was a delayed impact: The NBMI group exhibited significantly greater PEB ( d = 0.53) and spent more time in nature ( d = 0.34) at follow‐up compared to T1, consistent with a time‐lagged effect potentially mediated by enhanced connection. These findings suggest that NBMIs effectively cultivate a deeper relationship with nature, providing a psychological foundation for sustained environmental stewardship. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature-Based Mindfulness: Effects of Moving Mindfulness Training into an Outdoor Natural Setting International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 2, 2019
- Nature-Based Mindfulness: A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Support for Self-Regulation. Healthcare March 21, 2023
- Group Nature-Based Mindfulness Interventions: Nature-Based Mindfulness Training for College Students with Anxiety International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2023
and 3 more in the library