The Applicability of Forest Therapy for Socially Isolated Young Adults: Parallel Changes in Psychological Distress and Mindfulness
Yeji Yang, Ji-Eun Pyo, Yongjun Lee, Beom Lee, Chang-Hyou Kim, Jeong-Ho Choi, Jina Yu, Jisoo Lee, Kee-Hong Choi
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health August 19, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph23081078 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study (no control group) Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 159 |
| Population | Socially isolated young adults recruited from the community |
| Intervention | Forest therapy |
| Duration | Two-day, one-night program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness decreased and overall mindfulness increased after a two-day, one-night forest therapy program. Reductions in psychological distress occurred most closely in parallel with changes in nonreactivity, non-judging, and acting with awareness, and less so with describing and observing. The authors suggest forest therapy may be a promising intervention for this population, but note that without a control group, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the effects. |
Abstract
This study examined the applicability of forest therapy in alleviating psychological distress among socially isolated young adults, with a particular focus on their associations with the mindfulness. A total of 159 socially isolated young adults were recruited from the community and participated in a two-day, one-night forest therapy program. Psychological distress (depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress) and mindfulness were assessed before and after the program. Multilevel analyses were conducted to examine changes in psychological distress and mindfulness following participation, as well as whether the five mindfulness subcomponents (nonreactivity, observing, acting with awareness, describing, and non-judging) were associated with individual differences in changes in these outcomes. The results indicated reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness, along with an increase in overall mindfulness after the program. Among the mindfulness subcomponents, reductions in psychological distress over time occurred most closely in parallel with changes in nonreactivity, non-judging, and acting with awareness, whereas the parallel was weaker for describing and observing. These findings suggest that forest therapy may be a promising intervention for reducing psychological distress among socially isolated young adults, and that incorporating activities designed to cultivate mindfulness skills-particularly nonreactivity, non-judging, and awareness-could further enhance its mental health benefits. As this study did not include a control group, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these effects.
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 9
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- 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
- The feasibility of a two-day intensive forest therapy incorporating mindfulness practices for natural disaster-affected individuals: a brief report Frontiers in Psychology June 20, 2025
- The mechanisms of nature-based therapy on depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction: examining mindfulness in a two-wave mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Affective Symptoms: A Meta-analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) Clinical Psychology Review November 11, 2019
and 4 more in the library