small pilot sample of children and adolescents with IDD
Exact: 43 participants
Nature exposure improved attention and working memory (reverse order) in children with IDD
This is the first study to test nature exposure benefits specifically in children and adolescents with intellectual development disorder (IDD). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three video conditions (nature, urban, or geometric shapes) and completed two WISC-V subtests — the Barrage Test (attention) and the Number Memory Test (working memory) — before and after exposure. Only the nature group showed improvement, and the working memory gain was specific to the reverse-order condition. Children also expressed a clear preference for natural content.
The 43 participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups based on the content of the exposure: nature, urban, or geometric shapes.
Related findings
+40%
stronger brain synchrony in parks vs. busy roads
Brain-to-brain synchrony (ISC) was 40% higher for parks than highways
Nadezhda Kerimova et al., 2025, Scientific Reports
+26%
stronger brain synchrony in parks vs. boulevards
Brain-to-brain synchrony (ISC) was 26% higher for parks than boulevards
Nadezhda Kerimova et al., 2025, Scientific Reports
green space exposure linked to substantially enhanced cognitive function
Urban green spaces are associated with substantially enhanced cognitive function in older adults and those with dementia (effect size 0.52)
Yixin Zhang et al., 2025, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
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