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Outdoor environmental assessment of attention promoting settings for preschool children

Martensson, F. ; Boldemann, C. ; Söderström, Margareta LU ; Blennow, M. ; Englund, J. -E. and Grahn, P. (2009) In Health and Place 15(4). p.1149-1157
Abstract
The restorative potential of green outdoor environments for children in preschool settings was investigated by measuring the attention of children playing in settings with different environmental features. Eleven preschools with outdoor environments typical for the Stockholm area were assessed using the outdoor play environment categories (OPEC) and the fraction of visible sky from play structures (sky view factor), and 198 children, aged 4.5-6.5 years, were rated by the staff for inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive behaviors with the ECADDES tool. Children playing in large and integrated outdoor areas containing large areas of trees, shrubbery and a hilly terrain showed less often behaviors of inattention (p<.05). The choice of tool... (More)
The restorative potential of green outdoor environments for children in preschool settings was investigated by measuring the attention of children playing in settings with different environmental features. Eleven preschools with outdoor environments typical for the Stockholm area were assessed using the outdoor play environment categories (OPEC) and the fraction of visible sky from play structures (sky view factor), and 198 children, aged 4.5-6.5 years, were rated by the staff for inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive behaviors with the ECADDES tool. Children playing in large and integrated outdoor areas containing large areas of trees, shrubbery and a hilly terrain showed less often behaviors of inattention (p<.05). The choice of tool for assessment of attention is discussed in relation to outdoor stay and play characteristics in Swedish preschool settings. The results indicate that the restorative potential of green outdoor environments applies also to preschool children and that environmental assessment tools as OPEC can be useful when to locate and develop health-promoting land adjacent to preschools. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Sky view factor, Environmental assessment, Restorative environment, Attention, Child day care centers
in
Health and Place
volume
15
issue
4
pages
1149 - 1157
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000270348400029
  • scopus:69249213427
  • pmid:19643655
ISSN
1873-2054
DOI
10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.07.002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d1897122-ebc6-44a7-af0e-526fa0b6834f (old id 1489698)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:29:22
date last changed
2024-02-24 10:21:40
@article{d1897122-ebc6-44a7-af0e-526fa0b6834f,
  abstract     = {{The restorative potential of green outdoor environments for children in preschool settings was investigated by measuring the attention of children playing in settings with different environmental features. Eleven preschools with outdoor environments typical for the Stockholm area were assessed using the outdoor play environment categories (OPEC) and the fraction of visible sky from play structures (sky view factor), and 198 children, aged 4.5-6.5 years, were rated by the staff for inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive behaviors with the ECADDES tool. Children playing in large and integrated outdoor areas containing large areas of trees, shrubbery and a hilly terrain showed less often behaviors of inattention (p&lt;.05). The choice of tool for assessment of attention is discussed in relation to outdoor stay and play characteristics in Swedish preschool settings. The results indicate that the restorative potential of green outdoor environments applies also to preschool children and that environmental assessment tools as OPEC can be useful when to locate and develop health-promoting land adjacent to preschools. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Martensson, F. and Boldemann, C. and Söderström, Margareta and Blennow, M. and Englund, J. -E. and Grahn, P.}},
  issn         = {{1873-2054}},
  keywords     = {{Sky view factor; Environmental assessment; Restorative environment; Attention; Child day care centers}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1149--1157}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Health and Place}},
  title        = {{Outdoor environmental assessment of attention promoting settings for preschool children}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.07.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.07.002}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}