Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Kenneth Logan, PsyD

Second Advisor

Dr. Amber Nelson PsyD

Third Advisor

Dr. Elliot Lawless, PsyD

Abstract

Acceptance and commitment therapy has defined and successfully discovered methods of increasing psychological flexibility. Various methods of increasing psychological flexibility could be used as interventions. Contact with nature, in various forms, has been shown to increase and be related to many physical and mental health benefits. These benefits include things like mindfulness and other aspects of psychological flexibility. The question arises whether or not contact with nature is related to increases in overall psychological flexibility. The current study involved administering a questionnaire comprised of multiple existing measures, to primarily a college sample of 349 students. The answers were statistically analyzed to look for relationships and predictive power of connectedness to nature and time spent in nature on psychological flexibility and experiential avoidance. Statistically significant relationships were observed between connectedness to nature and psychological flexibility. Additionally, time spent in nature was positively associated with psychological flexibility and negatively associated with experiential avoidance.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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