目标:寻求一种解决美国大学生压力和建立社会纽带的方法,东海岸私立机构和西海岸州立机构各自提供本科自然Rx课程。参加者:17名本科生参加了西海岸州立机构研讨会,16名本科生参加了东海岸私人机构研讨会。方法:使用混合方法方法来评估试点的有效性,以便向学生提供课程前和课程后问卷,并要求他们撰写反思性文章来描述他们在课堂上的经历。结果:虽然问卷项目中没有报告自我感知压力的显著变化,定性数据表明,学生将参与该课程归因于有助于减轻压力和重要社会关系的因素。其中包括对在自然界中花费时间减轻压力的价值的坚定信念,社会纽带的建立和巩固,并期望班级会产生持久的影响。结论:总体而言,参与者表示,他们经历了与其他学生和教师的频繁和有意义的互动,同时更熟悉各自校园的自然元素。
Objective: To seek to find a way to address stress and build social bonds among U.S. college students, an East Coast private institution and a West Coast state institution each offered an undergraduate Nature Rx course. Participants: Seventeen undergraduate students were enrolled in the West Coast state institution seminar, and sixteen undergraduate students were enrolled in the East Coast private institution seminar. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot such that students were given pre- and post-course questionnaires and asked to write reflective essays to describe their experiences in the class. Results: While no significant changes in self-perceived stress were reported in questionnaire items, the qualitative data indicated students attributed their participation in the course with factors that contributed to reduced stress and important social connections. These included a strengthened belief in the value of spending time in nature to reduce stress, the creation and solidification of social bonds, and an expectation that the class would have a lasting impact. Conclusion: Overall, participants indicated they experienced frequent and meaningful interactions with other students and the instructors while gaining greater familiarity with the natural elements of their respective campuses.