Living in “high-nature conditions” buffers children against the effect of stressful life events

Nancy Wells and Gary Evans at the New York State College of Human Ecology at Cornell University studied the effect of nature on the psychological well-being of children in third through fifth grade. As described in Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv (2005, p. 49), they found that those with “more nature near their homes” had:

• Lower levels of behavioral conduct disorders
• Less anxiety
• Less depression
• A higher sense of self-worth
  

They also found that children with more exposure to nature recovered more quickly from stressful life events.

Sources:
Wells, N. & Evans, G. (2003). Nearby nature: A buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior 35: 311-330.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books.