The Role of the Campus Outdoor Environment on University Student Mental Health

The Role of the Campus Outdoor Environment on University Student Mental Health

Background and objective: The mental health and wellness of university students has been a pressing concern in recentyears in the US and is becoming an even larger issue due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Numerous studies have supportedthe idea that the natural environment can have a positive impact on mental health, but only a few studies focus on the roleof university outdoor campus environments on student's mental health. The main purpose of this study is to investigatethe correlations between university student mental health and their campus's outdoor environment. Methods: An online survey was designed and distributed to students at Michigan State University, USA. Students wereasked questions about their overall mental well-being, as well as questions about their environmental perceptions, outdooractivity, views to nature through windows and safety concerns regarding their outdoor campus environment. Results: The major findings indicate a significant difference in mental health scores for windows in living quarters, wherestudents with living quarter windows had better mental health scores (MHS) than students without living quarter windows. This study also found a marginally significant difference in MHS for students with classroom windows. Other results of thisstudy include a significant difference in MHS for students' perception of safety on campus, outdoor work time, andperception of greenspace on campus. Conclusion: Future campus planner, landscape architects, university planners, and student counselors will use this studyto determine what kinds of outdoor spaces should be created and used to improve the well-being of students.