HSH 715 Assignment: Exploring Nature's Role in Mental Health Promotion

This assignment presents a student's qualitative research project exploring the relationship between nature and mental health promotion. The project includes a verbatim transcript of an interview with a participant, focusing on their experiences and perceptions of nature's impact on their mental state. The assignment also contains a plain language statement and consent form template, as well as a proposal outline and ethical review. Furthermore, the document includes an introduction, literature review, and identification of research objectives and questions. The research aims to understand the impact of nature in promoting mental health, specifically examining the support nature provides and its percentage of effect in Australia. Data collection methods involve personal interviews to gather qualitative insights into participants' experiences with nature and its effects on their wellbeing. The assignment highlights the calming effects of green spaces, trees, water, and grass on individuals' mental states.

Transcript verbatim-word by word
Demographic characteristics of the participant
- ‘ Sure ….thanks, I am XX .. aged 23 years of Australia native currently at fourth form
Bsc…..yeah and Christian…’
Support nature exposure to mental health promotion
Describe your mental health state currently for example how do you feel ? do you experience
any stress or stressful situations at times?
- ‘ 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.’
In case you experience negative mental health how often do they occur?
- ‘ 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.’
Do you feel at times you are mentally exhausted?
- ‘ 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.’
At the school, describe the feelings you have when you visit the University arboretum?
- ‘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…’
What is the state of your mind when you stay in this place 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…’
What is the experience of this place like for you?
- 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…’
What thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations do you recall having during this experience?
- ‘ 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…’
Are there other places where you experience the same thoughts, feelings, or sensations?
- ‘ 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…..’
Do you feel closer to nature or yourself as a result of your experience?

- ‘ yeah sure I can say it feel connected in this places’
Do you have any spiritual associations with this experience?
- ‘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…’
Level of effect of nature of mental health promotion
On a scale of 1-10, kindly gauge the level of impact nature has on your mental state in term
of being relaxed, calm composure and so on?
- ‘mmmmm sure on a scale of 10 I can give lets 7 score … yeah 7…in all aspects’
Describe the effect you encounter with nature such as green space , trees, water and even
grass?
- ‘the effect I get is that it makes me fell relaxed and forget my worries and be stress
free, it feels like a cooling effect on my body…. Its cool I can say….’
Would you rate nature as a calming environment?
- ‘ yeah sure is offers calmness for real….’