Are Forest healing programs useful in promoting children’s emotional welfare? The Interpersonal relationships of children in foster care

Abstract

Forest healing programs are conducted for children in foster care, as their potentially turbulent environments may hinder development—particularly that of healthy interpersonal relationship skills. This study analyzed the impacts of forest healing programs on children’s psychological health. These programs include activities that utilize a variety of natural components including aroma, landscape, and others to raise the immunity of the human body and to promote health. The program was run 72 times from 2015 to 2018 at National Forest Therapy sites. Self-reported surveys were administered before and after the program, and were used to determine the participants’ interpersonal relationship skills and analyze the overall effectiveness of the program. The highest possible score on the survey was 50, indicating healthy interpersonal relationships. The results show a statistically significant overall increase of 1.77 points on average from 2015 to 2018. This study finds that forest healing programs can function as social promotion programs that utilize the forest’s beneficial environment and the city’s abundant resources, and that they represent an effective step toward improving the well-being of children in urban areas.