Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Forest Therapy: Nature & Health A qualitative study in Japan of nature-based interventions

Stenmo, Catharina Esther Regina LU (2026) PSYK12 20261
Department of Psychology
Abstract (Swedish)
Skogsbad (Shinrin-Yoku) är ett exempel på en naturbaserad intervention för hälsa och välbefinnande och är en väl utforskad metod. Den terapeutiska versionen av skogsbad, Shinrin-Ryoho, är inte lika studerad. Detta projekt syftade till att undersöka fenomenet skogsbad i Japan, som uppstått ur det samhälleliga behovet av
stresshantering, stödjandet av psykisk hälsa och behoven hos en
åldrande befolkning.
Målet var att fördjupa kunskapen om principerna och metoderna för naturbaserade interventioner såsom skogsbad, terapeutiskt skogsbad, trädgårdsterapi och skogsmedicin genom att besöka födelseplatsen för dessa metoder. Forskningsdesignen var en
kvalitativ intervjustudie med nio deltagare som arbetar inom området och data analyserades... (More)
Skogsbad (Shinrin-Yoku) är ett exempel på en naturbaserad intervention för hälsa och välbefinnande och är en väl utforskad metod. Den terapeutiska versionen av skogsbad, Shinrin-Ryoho, är inte lika studerad. Detta projekt syftade till att undersöka fenomenet skogsbad i Japan, som uppstått ur det samhälleliga behovet av
stresshantering, stödjandet av psykisk hälsa och behoven hos en
åldrande befolkning.
Målet var att fördjupa kunskapen om principerna och metoderna för naturbaserade interventioner såsom skogsbad, terapeutiskt skogsbad, trädgårdsterapi och skogsmedicin genom att besöka födelseplatsen för dessa metoder. Forskningsdesignen var en
kvalitativ intervjustudie med nio deltagare som arbetar inom området och data analyserades tematiskt. Forskningsfrågan var följande: Hur uppfattas naturbaserade interventioner som stödjande för samhällsutmaningar som psykisk hälsa, stresshantering och rehabilitering för den åldrande befolkningen i Japan?
Den biopsykosocial-andliga modellen för hälsa och välbefinnande är det holistiska perspektivet för denna studie. De huvudteman som framkom i datainsamlingen var: Växande oro i samhället, Det japanska sättet, och Naturens hälsopåverkan. Även om skogsbad som fenomen härstammar från Japan, var studiens slutsats att naturen generellt sett är svåråtkomlig och att det inte är en etablerad hälsointervention i det japanska samhället. (Less)
Abstract
Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) is an example of a nature-based intervention for health and wellbeing and is a well-researched practice. The therapeutic version of forest bathing, Shinrin-Ryoho, is not as studied. This project aimed to explore the phenomenon of forest bathing in Japan, arisen from the societal need of stress coping, supporting mental health and the needs of an aging population.
The goal was to deepen the knowledge of the principles and methods of nature-based interventions of forest bathing, therapeutic forest bathing, horticultural therapy and forest medicine by visiting the birthplace of these practices. The research design was a qualitative interview study with nine participants who work in the field and the data was... (More)
Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) is an example of a nature-based intervention for health and wellbeing and is a well-researched practice. The therapeutic version of forest bathing, Shinrin-Ryoho, is not as studied. This project aimed to explore the phenomenon of forest bathing in Japan, arisen from the societal need of stress coping, supporting mental health and the needs of an aging population.
The goal was to deepen the knowledge of the principles and methods of nature-based interventions of forest bathing, therapeutic forest bathing, horticultural therapy and forest medicine by visiting the birthplace of these practices. The research design was a qualitative interview study with nine participants who work in the field and the data was analysed thematically. The research question was as follows:
How are nature-based interventions perceived as supportive for societal challenges such as mental health, coping with stress, and rehabilitation for the aging population in Japan?
The biopsychosocial-spiritual model of health and well-being is the holistic perspective of this study. The head themes that emerged in the data collection were: Growing societal concerns, The Japanese way, The health impact of nature. Even though forest bathing as a phenomenon originates from Japan, the conclusion of the study was that nature is generally hard to access, and that it is not an established health intervention in the Japanese society. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Stenmo, Catharina Esther Regina LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYK12 20261
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
forest bathing, forest therapy, stress, aging society, skogsbad, skogsterapi, åldrande befolkning
language
English
id
9250705
date added to LUP
2026-09-11 09:03:31
date last changed
2026-09-11 09:03:31
@misc{9250705,
  abstract     = {{Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) is an example of a nature-based intervention for health and wellbeing and is a well-researched practice. The therapeutic version of forest bathing, Shinrin-Ryoho, is not as studied. This project aimed to explore the phenomenon of forest bathing in Japan, arisen from the societal need of stress coping, supporting mental health and the needs of an aging population. 
The goal was to deepen the knowledge of the principles and methods of nature-based interventions of forest bathing, therapeutic forest bathing, horticultural therapy and forest medicine by visiting the birthplace of these practices. The research design was a qualitative interview study with nine participants who work in the field and the data was analysed thematically. The research question was as follows: 
How are nature-based interventions perceived as supportive for societal challenges such as mental health, coping with stress, and rehabilitation for the aging population in Japan?
The biopsychosocial-spiritual model of health and well-being is the holistic perspective of this study. The head themes that emerged in the data collection were: Growing societal concerns, The Japanese way, The health impact of nature. Even though forest bathing as a phenomenon originates from Japan, the conclusion of the study was that nature is generally hard to access, and that it is not an established health intervention in the Japanese society.}},
  author       = {{Stenmo, Catharina Esther Regina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Forest Therapy: Nature & Health A qualitative study in Japan of nature-based interventions}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}