g = -0.26
portable digital nature reduces depression
Hedges' g is a standardised effect size, in standard-deviation units
Portable Digital Nature Experience significantly reduces depression
Across 36 RCTs, PDNE produced a small yet statistically significant reduction in depression (g = -0.26, 95% CI [-0.51, -0.01], p = .044). While the effect was smaller than those seen for stress and anxiety, it remained meaningful. Auditory nature conditions were significantly more effective than visual-only conditions, and active control groups showed superior outcomes compared to treatment-as-usual controls.
Results from the three-level meta-analysis indicate that PDNE significantly reduced three common mental health issues, including stress (g = -0.51; 95% CI [-0.73, -0.28]; p < .001), anxiety (g = -0.67; 95% CI [-1.01, -0.33]; p < .001), and depression (g = -0.26; 95% CI [-0.51, -0.01]; p = .044).
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natural park attributes drive most of the model's explanation of wellbeing
Natural attributes of urban green spaces account for 58% of model-attributed contributions to mental well-being
E Cheng et al., 2026, Journal of Environmental Management
sensory bird interaction has the largest indirect mental health effect via restorative perception
Sensory human–bird interaction most strongly boosts mental health indirectly by enhancing restorative environmental perception
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restorative perception partly explains how bird interactions improve mental health
Restorative environmental perception mediates nearly half of the mental health benefit from human–bird interactions
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