Dear parents, let the children have a nice time out in Nature. A new study revealed that Nature makes children happier. It is the first time that a study has revealed that Children are happier in Nature.
A team of Researchers from Sonora Institute of Technology led by Dr Laura Berrera-Hernandez conducted the study. The Frontiers in Psychology journal published the findings.
The study showed that disconnection to nature called ‘nature deficit disorder’, will contribute to destruction of the planet. People will not have a desire to protect Nature if they do not have a bondage, the study said. Hernandez said hat there is a need for better dependence and interrelation between people and nature. One should feel part of nature, Hernandez added.
About 300 children between 9 years and 12 years from a North- Western Mexican city took part in the study. All of them were given a self-administered scale to measure their connectedness to the natural world, happiness and sustainable behaviours. In the study, the researchers said that children who felt connected to nature had positive associations for behaviours and for sustainability practices. This led to perceived happiness in children, the study said. The result was an insight in understanding positive psychology of sustainability in children the researchers said. The researchers said young people will spend more time in nature once interest for environmental care is generated. Hernandez said that teachers and parents should promote children to have more contact to nature.
The researchers said that younger generations are the future custodians of planet Earth. As such they called for developing environmental care and promoting sustainable behaviours in them.
