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Mental Health WellnessNCT04139421

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) on Psychological Well-being

A study testing Shinrin-Yoku in people with Mental Health Wellness, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 2 sites in Hong Kong.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study will examine the effects of Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing) as an intervention for enhancing psychological well-being in Chinese population. The main component of Shinrin-Yoku is the use of 5 senses in various activities, which typically includes forest walking, meditation, yoga etc. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Mental Health Wellness
What is being tested?
Shinrin-Yoku
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
30 participants
Where
2 sitesHong Kong
Study dates
1 Nov 2019to 30 Mar 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Hong Kong residents
  • Aged from 18 to 65
  • Cantonese language fluency
  • a willingness to provide informed consent and comply with the trial protocol.

Who cannot join

  • Pregnant
  • Have suicidal ideation
  • Using medication or psychotherapy for depression
  • Experiencing Depression, Anxiety and Stress
  • Having unsafe conditions and are not recommended for physical activity by physicians
  • Have major psychiatric, medical or neurocognitive disorders that make participation infeasible based on the research team's judgment.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Hong Kong2 sites

  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong

    Hong Kong

  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong

    Shatin

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Official title: Effects of Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) on Psychological Well-being in Urban or Rural Green Space: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This study will examine the effects of Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing) as an intervention for enhancing psychological well-being in Chinese population. The main component of Shinrin-Yoku is the use of 5 senses in various activities, which typically includes forest walking, meditation, yoga etc. While Shinrin-Yoku has been widely recognized in Japan as a means of preventative health and stress management, it is still a new concept in some countries. In the existing literature, there is increasing evidence demonstrating the efficacy of Shinrin-Yoku for improving for health promotion. However, there is very limited research examining the effectiveness of Shinrin-Yoku in different types of natural environment and the sustainability of its effects.

Read the detailed description

This study will be a pilot randomized controlled trial on the effects of Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing) as an intervention for enhancing psychological well-being in Chinese population. Prior to all study procedures, an online informed consent (with phone support) will be obtained from potential participants. Around 30 eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the natural forest group or the urban green area group in a ratio of 1:1.

Being tested
Shinrin-Yoku
Keywords
Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing, Psychological Well-being, Natural Environment
Medical subject headings
Psychological Well-Being

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Shinrin-YokuBehavioural

    Also called Forest Bathing

    Shinrin-Yoku is a traditional Japanese practice of getting in touch with nature through walking in the forest in a relaxed way using all five senses.

Study groups in NCT04139421
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Urban Green Space groupActive comparatorThis group of participants would experience a 3-hour Shinrin-Yoku session in urban green space.
Receives: Behavioral: Shinrin-Yoku
Rural Green Space groupExperimentalThis group of participants would experience a 3-hour Shinrin-Yoku session in rural green space.
Receives: Behavioral: Shinrin-Yoku

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in the Profile of Mood States-Short Form

    The POMS-SF is a 30-item scale that measures six different dimensions of mood swings over a period of time. These include: Tension or Anxiety, Anger or Hostility, Vigor or Activity, Fatigue or Inertia, Depression or Dejection, Confusion or Bewilderment. A five-point scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" is administered by experimenters to patients to assess their mood states.

    Measured: Pre-, post-intervention and 1-month post-intervention

Secondary outcomes (6)

  1. Change in Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21

    DASS-21 is a 21-item scale, comprises of three sub-scales which measures the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress, over the past week. The DASS is based on a dimensional rather than a categorical conception of psychological disorder, thus it has no direct implications for the allocation of patients to discrete diagnostic categories. However, recommended cutoff scores for conventional severity labels (normal, moderate, severe) are given in the DASS Manual.

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

  2. Change in Nature-relatedness Scale-6

    NR-6 is a 6-item scale assesses the self and experience dimensions of individuals' connection to nature. The NR uses 5-point scale ranging from disagree strongly (1) to agree strongly (5). It is important to respond with the actual feelings rather than how "most people" feel.

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

  3. Change in Brief Resilience Scale

    BRS consists of six items, three positively worded items, and three negatively worded items. All six relate to the individual's ability to bounce back from adversity. It was predictably related to personal characteristics, social relations, coping, and health in all samples. The BRS uses 5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

  4. Change in Insomnia Severity Index

    ISI is a 7-item scale designed to evaluate perceived insomnia severity. Ratings on the 5-point Likert scale are obtained on the perceived severity of sleep-onset, sleep-maintenance, early morning awakening problems, satisfaction with current sleep pattern, interference with daily functioning, noticeably of impairment attributed to the sleep problem, and level of distress caused by the sleep problem.

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

  5. Change in Subjective Vitality Scales - State Version

    SVS is a 7-item scale, comprises of two versions which measures subjective vitality in two level, including individual differences level and state level. The SVS uses 7-point scale ranging from not at all true (1) to very true (7). The state level version assesses the state of subjective vitality rather than its enduring aspect.

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

  6. Change in Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form

    SCS-SF is a 12-item scale to evaluates the degree of self-compassion. Ratings on the 5-point Likert scale are obtained on 6 factors, including self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness, self-judgment, isolation and over-identification. The self-report 13-item SCS-SF explicitly represents the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors associated with self-compassion and includes items that measure how often people respond to feelings of inadequacy or suffering with each of six components.

    Measured: Up to 1 month after the intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted25 Oct 2019
  2. Study start1 Nov 2019
  3. Primary completion30 Jan 2020
  4. Study completion30 Mar 2020 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
The randomization will be performed by an independent assessor using a computer-generated list of numbers. Participants in both groups will receive a 3-hour Shinrin-Yoku session in either natural forest or urban green area in Hong Kong.
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04139421
Sponsor's protocol ID
PSY008
Status last verified
Mar 2020
First submitted
20 Oct 2019
Last updated
11 Mar 2020
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Shinrin-Yoku in people with Mental Health Wellness, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 2 sites in Hong Kong.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Mar 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (time frame: Pre-, post-intervention and 1-month post-intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04139421.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Mar 2020.

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