Ecotherapy as a mental health promotion intervention in young adults

Background: Ecotherapy, a growing field within applied environmental psychology, utilizes human–nature interaction as a pathway to mental health and mental well-being. Although prior research has demonstrated the mental health benefits of physical immersion in natural environments, less is known about the effects of indirect or digital nature exposure in structured academic contexts.
Objective: This study examined the psychological impact of a classroom-based, digital ecotherapeutic intervention featuring nature imagery and soundscapes on the mental well-being and anxiety levels of university students.
Methods: A pre-post intervention design was implemented with a sample of 110 undergraduate students. During the second half of the academic semester, nature-based audiovisual material was integrated into weekly lectures. Psychological outcomes were assessed using two validated instruments: the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale.
Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in four domains of mental well-being: relaxation, cheerfulness, optimism about the future, and energy to spare (p < .05). Several additional indicators showed non-significant positive trends. While GAD-7 scores did not significantly change, some items demonstrated a positive trend suggesting a possible buffering effect against academic stress.
Conclusion: The findings support the effectiveness of digital ecotherapeutic interventions in enhancing student mental health well-being, even within indoor academic settings. The intervention’s low cost and easy integration into educational contexts position it as a promising tool for mental health promotion in higher education. This study contributes to expanding ecotherapy beyond natural immersion, offering scalable alternatives for psychological support within urbanized and institutional environments.