The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years

doi:10.3390/ijerph14030235

. 2017 Feb 27;14(3):235.

doi: 10.3390/ijerph14030235.

The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years

Xiaoqi Feng^{1

2

3}, Thomas Astell-Burt^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
² Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
³ Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
⁴ Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.
⁵ Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.
⁶ Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.

PMID: 28264461
PMCID: PMC5369071
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030235

The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years

Xiaoqi Feng et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017.

. 2017 Feb 27;14(3):235.

doi: 10.3390/ijerph14030235.

Authors

Xiaoqi Feng^{1

2

3}, Thomas Astell-Burt^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
² Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
³ Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xfeng@uow.edu.au.
⁴ Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.
⁵ Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.
⁶ Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. thomasab@uow.edu.au.

PMID: 28264461
PMCID: PMC5369071
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030235

Abstract

Recent reviews of the rapidly growing scientific literature on neighbourhood green space and health show strong evidence for protective and restorative effects on mental wellbeing. However, multiple informants are common when reporting mental wellbeing in studies of children. Do different informants lead to different results? This study utilised nationally representative data on Goodman's 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported by 3083 children (aged 12-13 years old), and their parents and teachers. Multilevel models were used to investigate whether similar associations between child mental wellbeing (as measured using the total difficulties score and the internalising and externalising subscales) and neighbourhood green space quantity and quality are obtained regardless of the informant. After adjustment for confounders, higher green space quantity and quality were associated with consistently more favourable child mental wellbeing on all three measures, regardless of the informant. However, associations with green space quantity were statistically significant (p < 0.05) only for the parent-reported total difficulties score and the internalising subscale. Significant associations with green space quality were consistently observed for both parent- and child-reported outcomes. Teacher-reported outcomes were not significantly associated with green space exposure. Future studies of green space and child health should acknowledge when different informants of outcomes could lead to different conclusions.

Keywords: Australia; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; child health; green space quality; green space quantity; mental wellbeing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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References

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[1] Hartig T., Mitchell R., de Vries S., Frumkin H. Nature and health. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 2014;35:207–228. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Hartig T., Mitchell R., de Vries S., Frumkin H. Nature and health. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 2014;35:207–228. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Gascon M., Triguero-Mas M., Martínez D., Dadvand P., Forns J., Plasència A., Nieuwenhuijsen M.J. Mental health benefits of long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces: A systematic review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2015;12:4354–4379. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120404354. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Gascon M., Triguero-Mas M., Martínez D., Dadvand P., Forns J., Plasència A., Nieuwenhuijsen M.J. Mental health benefits of long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces: A systematic review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2015;12:4354–4379. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120404354. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] James P., Banay R.F., Hart J.E., Laden F. A review of the health benefits of greenness. Curr. Epidemiol. Rep. 2015;2:131–142. doi: 10.1007/s40471-015-0043-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] James P., Banay R.F., Hart J.E., Laden F. A review of the health benefits of greenness. Curr. Epidemiol. Rep. 2015;2:131–142. doi: 10.1007/s40471-015-0043-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Mitchell R. Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Soc. Sci. Med. 2012;91:130–134. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.012. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Mitchell R. Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Soc. Sci. Med. 2012;91:130–134. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.012. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Goldberg D.P., Hillier V.F. A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychol. Med. 1979;9:139–145. doi: 10.1017/S0033291700021644. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Goldberg D.P., Hillier V.F. A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychol. Med. 1979;9:139–145. doi: 10.1017/S0033291700021644. - DOI - PubMed

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The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years

Affiliations

The Relationship between Neighbourhood Green Space and Child Mental Wellbeing Depends upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence from 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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