{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T05:01:17Z","timestamp":1790226077189,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790208000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Contact with nature supports psychological health, yet whether the quality of mindful engagement matters more than the quantity of exposure remains unclear. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined a brief, structured nature-based mindfulness program\u2019s effects on mental well-being, perceived stress, and nature connectedness relative to an unstructured outdoor walking control. Participants (\n                    <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                    = 35) were randomly assigned to daily 15-min guided nature-based mindfulness sessions or daily unstructured outdoor walks over 2 weeks. Point estimates favored the intervention group for mental well-being and perceived stress, but neither group difference reached statistical significance, and the sample was well below what would be needed to detect effects of this magnitude with adequate power. Participants with lower baseline mental well-being achieved greater gains in the intervention group than participants with higher baseline well-being, an advantage not observed in the control group. Both groups increased in nature connectedness with no significant between-group difference; mediation analyses found no evidence that connectedness mediated intervention effects. The intervention group achieved these outcomes despite significantly less total nature exposure than controls, though duration was not independently manipulated. These preliminary findings may serve as hypothesis-generating for future, adequately powered trials.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905841","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T04:33:39Z","timestamp":1790224419000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Does attention matter more than exposure? A pilot RCT of nature-based mindfulness for mental well-being and stress"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Sabine V.","family":"Huemer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"NEST Lab, School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University","place":["Corvallis, OR, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhirui","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zhirui\u2019s Lab, Department of Statistics, Oregon State University","place":["Corvallis, OR, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Makena","family":"Aiona-Agra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"NEST Lab, School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University","place":["Corvallis, OR, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19042098","article-title":"The mediating effect of nature restorativeness, stress level, and nature connectedness in the association between nature exposure and quality of life","volume":"19","author":"Baceviciene","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1177\/1073191105283504","article-title":"Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness","volume":"13","author":"Baer","year":"2006","journal-title":"Assessment"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101642","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvp.2021.101642","article-title":"Nature connectedness boosts the bright side of emotion regulation, which in turn reduces stress","volume":"76","author":"Bakir-Demir","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Environ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12852","DOI":"10.1111\/conl.12852","article-title":"Human\u2013nature connectedness as a pathway to sustainability: a global meta-analysis","volume":"15","author":"Barragan-Jason","year":"2022","journal-title":"Conserv. Lett."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v067.i01","article-title":"Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4","volume":"67","author":"Bates","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Stat. Softw."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.20741","article-title":"Psychometric properties of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire\u2013short form (FFMQ-SF)","volume":"67","author":"Bohlmeijer","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.landurbplan.2018.03.016","article-title":"Who doesn't visit natural environments for recreation and why: a population representative analysis of spatial, individual and temporal factors among adults in England","volume":"175","author":"Boyd","year":"2018","journal-title":"Landsc. Urban Plan."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"590","DOI":"10.70252\/XXRM5481","article-title":"The effects of a guided mindful walk on mental health in university students","volume":"17","author":"Burdick","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Exerc. Sci."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103886","DOI":"10.1016\/j.landurbplan.2020.103886","article-title":"Does a natural environment enhance the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)? Examining the mental health and well-being, and nature connectedness benefits","volume":"202","author":"Choe","year":"2020","journal-title":"Landsc. Urban Plan."},{"key":"ref10","first-page":"31","volume-title":"The social Psychology of Health: Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology","author":"Cohen","year":"1988"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-042716-051139","article-title":"Mindfulness interventions","volume":"68","author":"Creswell","year":"2017","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Psychol."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3202","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16173202","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of nature-based mindfulness: effects of moving mindfulness training into an outdoor natural setting","volume":"16","author":"Djernis","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"910","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare9070910","article-title":"A short mindfulness retreat for students to reduce stress and promote self-compassion: pilot randomised controlled trial exploring both an indoor and a natural outdoor retreat setting","volume":"9","author":"Djernis","year":"2021","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.5751\/ES-16001-300219","article-title":"Novel pathways to value nature: how guided forest bathing promotes new relationships with nature","volume":"30","author":"Giusti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ecol. Soc."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1111\/2041-210X.12504","article-title":"SIMR: an R package for power analysis of generalized linear mixed models by simulation","volume":"7","author":"Green","year":"2016","journal-title":"Methods Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref16","author":"Haahr","year":"1998"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.3102\/10769986006002107","article-title":"Distribution theory for glass's estimator of effect size and related estimators","volume":"6","author":"Hedges","year":"1981","journal-title":"J. Educ. Stat."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1080\/07448481.2020.1726926","article-title":"The role of campus greenspace and meditation on college students\u2019 mood disturbance","volume":"701","author":"Ibes","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Am. Coll. Heal."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cosust.2017.05.005","article-title":"Human\u2013nature connection: a multidisciplinary review","author":"Ives","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Environ. Sustain."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2167","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20032167","article-title":"Nature-based therapy in individuals with mental health disorders, with a focus on mental well-being and connectedness to nature\u2014a pilot study","volume":"20","author":"Joschko","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1002\/pst.185","article-title":"Sample size of 12 per group rule of thumb for a pilot study","volume":"4","author":"Julious","year":"2005","journal-title":"Pharm. Stat."},{"key":"ref22","volume-title":"The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective","author":"Kaplan","year":"1989"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33267","DOI":"10.1525\/collabra.33267","article-title":"Sample size justification","volume":"8","author":"Lakens","year":"2022","journal-title":"Collabra Psychol."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104421","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brat.2023.104421","article-title":"Rates of attrition and engagement in randomized controlled trials of mindfulness apps: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"170","author":"Linardon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Behav. Res. Ther."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9521","DOI":"10.1007\/s12144-023-05112-z","article-title":"Effectiveness of nature-based walking interventions in improving mental health in adults: a systematic review","volume":"43","author":"Ma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr. Psychol."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101389","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvp.2020.101389","article-title":"Nature contact, nature connectedness and associations with health, wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviors","volume":"68","author":"Martin","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Environ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"503","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvp.2004.10.001","article-title":"The connectedness to nature scale: a measure of individuals' feeling in community with nature","volume":"24","author":"Mayer","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Environ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16183373","article-title":"A smartphone app for improving mental health through connecting with urban nature","volume":"16","author":"McEwan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1089\/eco.2018.0061","article-title":"Mindfulness in nature enhances connectedness and mood","volume":"11","author":"Nisbet","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ecopsychology"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"715","DOI":"10.1177\/0013916508318748","article-title":"The nature relatedness scale: linking individuals\u2019 connection with nature to environmental concern and behavior","volume":"41","author":"Nisbet","year":"2009","journal-title":"Environ. Behav."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-24637-0","article-title":"Features of urban green spaces associated with positive emotions, mindfulness and relaxation","volume":"12","author":"Olszewska-Guizzo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1080\/17439760.2016.1221126","article-title":"Noticing nature: individual and social benefits of a two-week intervention","volume":"12","author":"Passmore","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Posit. Psychol."},{"key":"ref33","volume-title":"R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.21857\/yk3jwh7jn9","article-title":"The potential to integrate forest therapy and forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) with nature-based mindfulness into public health programs","volume":"563","author":"Racz","year":"2024","journal-title":"Rad Hrv. Akad. Znan. Umjet. Med. Znan."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.5502\/ijw.v11i1.1267","article-title":"Moments, not minutes: the nature-wellbeing relationship","volume":"11","author":"Richardson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Wellbeing"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1080\/01490400.2020.1800538","article-title":"Gender differences in connection to nature, outdoor preferences, and nature-based recreation among college students in Brazil and the United States","volume":"45","author":"Rosa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Leis. Sci."},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-0995-0_4","volume-title":"Psychology of Sustainable Development","author":"Schultz","year":"2002"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn3916","article-title":"The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation","volume":"16","author":"Tang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1186\/1745-6215-15-264","article-title":"Sample size requirements to estimate key design parameters from external pilot randomised controlled trials: a simulation study","volume":"15","author":"Teare","year":"2014","journal-title":"Trials"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7525-5-63","article-title":"The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation","volume":"5","author":"Tennant","year":"2007","journal-title":"Health Qual. Life Outcomes"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v059.i05","article-title":"Mediation: R package for causal mediation analysis","volume":"59","author":"Tingley","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Stat. Softw."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4613-3539-9_4","volume-title":"Behavior and the Natural Environment","author":"Ulrich","year":"1983"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23050551","article-title":"Effectiveness of nature-based mindfulness interventions to improve mental health: a narrative review","volume":"23","author":"Vecchio","year":"2026","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1057","DOI":"10.1177\/0962280215588241","article-title":"Estimating the sample size for a pilot randomised trial to minimise the overall trial sample size for the external pilot and main trial for a continuous outcome variable","volume":"25","author":"Whitehead","year":"2016","journal-title":"Stat. Methods Med. Res."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905841\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T04:33:47Z","timestamp":1790224427000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905841\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]]},"references-count":44,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905841"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1905841","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]]},"article-number":"1905841"}}