Nature exposure review reports favorable psychological results amid widespread study weaknesses
This abstract-based summary covers psychological assessments and brain measurements collected during exposure to real, virtual or imagined natural settings.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Pooled psychological assessments favored nature exposure, and a separate analysis reported favorable changes in brain-related measures. These outcomes do not establish a lasting clinical benefit. Most studies targeted healthy populations, and widespread methodological weaknesses and substantial variation between studies limit how confidently the findings can be applied to clinical care.
Methodological weaknesses affected 88% of studies, and pooled results varied moderately to substantially. The abstract does not describe control conditions, exposure length or exact assessment schedules; it does identify measurements taken during exposure.
What researchers found
Psychological assessment outcomes
Nature exposure versus study controls, assessed during exposure; the pooled difference was statistically significant. Exposure length and exact schedules were unspecified.
Different settings and measurements
The review covered natural settings as well as visual, virtual and imagined experiences. Studies combined psychological assessments with brain measurements, allowing the reviewers to examine both reported emotional responses and physiological patterns.
Patterns across study populations
Studies involving clinical populations linked nature exposure with fewer negative emotions. Studies of healthy populations reported both fewer negative emotions and more positive ones. These patterns do not identify the most effective setting or exposure duration.
The original publication
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of EEG, fMRI, and fNIRS Studies on the Psychological Impact of Nature on Well-Being.
Daube A, Lima-Carmona YE, Hernández Solís DG et al.
Int J Environ Res Public Health · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41899754
- Record checked
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