HSH 715 Report: Nature's Support for Mental Health Promotion

This report, prepared as part of a student assignment for HSH 715 at Deakin University, investigates the relationship between nature and mental health promotion in Australia. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing interviews to gather data on participants' experiences and perceptions of nature's impact on their mental well-being. The study's objectives include describing the ways in which nature supports mental health and assessing the percentage of effect nature has on mental health promotion. The report includes a literature review, outlines the research methodology, presents findings from the interviews, and analyzes the data through a coding framework. Key themes identified include the calming effects of natural environments, the connection between nature and emotional states, and the perceived value of nature in promoting mental health. The assignment provides insights into the role of nature in promoting mental well-being and provides a coding framework for analyzing qualitative data.

Coding framework
Raw data Characteristics Objectives Preliminary codes Final code
To describe
the support
nature
provides in
mental health
promotion in
Australia.
1.1 Mental health
state
1. Nature and
mental health
promotion
‘yeah sure my mental state currently I can say is a bit disturbed ,
the exams are around the corner, I haven’t read much ,mmm but
generally I can say am okay……… mmm it is a quite an
interesting question yeah as a student at times I encounter
stressful events such as hustles of everyday as a student here on
issues such as upkeep, morning classes and friendship issues…
yes I can say I tend to experience stress full episodes at times.’
‘ not really that much lets say once in while, like once or twice
in month, mmm however it at depends on the circumstances at
times.’
‘ yeah sure like last week, I had issues with my boyfriend, cats
were around the corner I had difficulty in concentrating , it was
quite hectic I can say, but thank God I mangers to overcome that,
……….on exhaustion I can say they usually drains e a lot, and
just feel like relaxing.’
- Depressed
- Stressful states
- Occurrence of
mental
disturbance
- Challenges in
task activities
Social aspects
‘the school arboretum often makes me connect with the
environment and gives me relaxative mood. I at times go with
my friends when we don’t have any classes…. The breeze, green
trees … It is often awesome I can say…’
- Effect of the
environment
- Feelings of
environment
1.2 Experience
with nature

The arboretum I can says it s a good place where you feel
relaxed, it is good….. however on weekends there are a lot of
people there I guess people love the tress…uh or what I don’t
know…’
‘ in the fields of the arboretum I usually have feeling of calmness
and relaxing mood and feel like to stay there for good .. but
when it comes to winter it is usually not pleasant it is damn
cold…’
and nature
- Avenues of
nature
-
‘ mmmm how can I describe them,,,,, lets say it’s cool I feel
relaxed and connected… hearing the sound of birds, wind tress,
it is often awesome and good u can say…’
‘ yeah at times when I visit the play ground fields at the
university, it makes me connect with nature …touching the
grass, lying down, waaoh it usually makes me feel good I can
say…..’
‘ yeah sure I can say it feel connected in this places’
- Description
part of the
environment
- Feeling and
exposure effect
- Connection and
the matrix
entailed
1.2 Environmental
exposures
‘mmmmm I cant be sure of that, even though I am a Christian
….. but I think we just have to care for the environment I think
so……..yeah…’
- Religion
characteristic
and nature
- Connections
- Value
1.3 Religious
association with
nature
‘ To investigate
the percentage
2.0 Nature effect
level
2.0 Effect of
nature and

of effect
nature has on
mental health
promotion in
Australia.
mental health
promotion
mmmmm sure on a scale of 10 I can give lets 7 score … yeah
7…in all aspects’
- Rating scale
- Scale of 10
rating
- 10 being
highly
effective
while 0
being no
effect level
2.1 Effect with
nature
‘ yeah sure is offers calmness for real….’ -characteristics of
the effect
- cool
- Negative
- Stresses a lot
2.2 Nature outcome
on mental health

Coding development of framework
In qualitative research studies coding refers to the process which data being analysed is about according to Gibbs (2007). Coding offers an
avenue which texts and passages are identified, relationships established between them, thus coding offers an venue in which data is linked to the
research ideas. The approach applied in this context entails concept driven coding. This was engaged in a manner that identifies ides in the text
having a preceding conceptualization. This employs a predetermined coding scheme which is essential in line with the themes established in the
tasks, as the findings are grouped and categorized into a thematic approach process. This process was facilitated with through reading and
writing of themes which are essential in answew3ing the aim of the study. According to Saldana (2015), code in qualitative studies is often a
phrase or a word which entails a broader coverage on an issue.
Thus in this approach, the fundamental avenue was employing content analysis of the data, developing and applying relevant codes. Codes used
are essential wordings and phrases which allowed thematic representation of ideas which were assigned meaningful titles. The type of coding
employed in this process is open condign where the initial organization of raw data are organized in manner that makes sense. The thematic
search was essential in establishing theme relationship and pattern in line with the objectives of the study and literature review studies
undertaken. Final process will entail summary of the data linking th research objectives with the research findings which is essential for analysis
and discussion thereafter.
References
Gibbs, G.R., 2007. Thematic coding and categorizing. Analyzing qualitative data. London: Sage, pp.38-56.
Saldaña, J., 2015. The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage.