Hybrid- Nature: Recovering From Work Through Nature Experiences (HybridNature)

July 5, 2023 updated by: JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Recovering From Work Through Nature Experiences - Heading to the Forest or a Virtual Forest?

The research examines employees' recovery from work stress during visits in nearby nature and when viewing virtual nature with Virtual Reality (VR) goggles. The research provides information on the physiological and psychological recovery of employees who do remote or hybrid work. Recovery is analysed with qualitative and quantitative methods including Firstbeat Life measurements, surveys and interviews. The results can be used in workplaces to develop operating models to promote well-being in remote and hybrid work. The research generates new understanding on how employees' recovery can be supported by means of virtual nature tourism services.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

An intervention study with a cross-over research design will be conducted among a sample of 60 employees who do remote or hybrid work. The intervention phase lasts in total of four weeks. During the first week (control phase), the participants continue their daily routine as normal. During the second week of the intervention, a half of the participants are randomised to visit a nearby natural area after finishing work (exposure to nearby nature). The other half of the participants are randomised to view virtual nature videos with VR goggles after finishing work (exposure to virtual nature). On the third week of the intervention, the participants complete nature exposure the other way around. That is, those participants who took part first in exposure to nearby nature will view virtual nature, and vice versa. On the fourth week of the intervention, the participants take part in a semi-structured focus group interview.

Recovering from work in nearby nature and virtual nature is examined through multidisciplinary perspectives of health, well-being, and tourism. The aim of the research is to find new ways of promoting work stress recovery, psychological detachment and restoration among employees when they are making the transition between work time and personal time. These research findings are particularly relevant for fields in which there has been a growing trend for remote or hybrid work. This research is funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund (Project Number: 220076).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

57

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Finland
      • Jyväskylä, Finland, 40100
        • JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Employees who do remote or hybrid work
  • Able to communicate adequately in Finnish in order to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No exclusion criteria for study participation.
  • Firstbeat Life analyses are only available for participants who identify themselves on the basis of biological sex of female or male.
  • Firstbeat Life analyses might be unreliable for participants with some health-related issues (e.g., pacemaker, heart transplantation, complex cardiac disease, persistent atrial fibrillation or flutter, or uncontrolled thyroid disease) and therefore measurements will not be performed for them as a part of this research.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Control, Then exposure to nearby nature, Then exposure to virtual nature
During the first week, the participants continue their normal routine at work and in leisure time. On the second week, the participants visit a nearby natural area after finishing their workday on three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). On the third week, the participants watch virtual nature videos with Virtual Reality (VR) goggles after finishing their workday on three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
Behavioral: Exposure to nearby nature
Participants spend a minimum of 20 minutes in their favourite place in nearby nature.
Behavioral: Exposure to virtual nature
Participants spend a minimum of 20 minutes watching virtual nature videos.
Experimental: Control, Then exposure to virtual nature, Then exposure to nearby nature
During the first week, the participants continue their normal routine at work and in leisure time. On the second week, the participants watch virtual nature videos with Virtual Reality (VR) goggles after finishing their workday on three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). On the third week, the participants visit a nearby natural area after finishing their workday on three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
Behavioral: Exposure to nearby nature
Participants spend a minimum of 20 minutes in their favourite place in nearby nature.
Behavioral: Exposure to virtual nature
Participants spend a minimum of 20 minutes watching virtual nature videos.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Psychological recovery
Time Frame: Three weeks
Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ), the scores range from 1 to 5, a higher score refers to better psychological recovery.
Three weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Restorative experiences
Time Frame: Three weeks
Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS), the scores range from 1 to 7, a higher score refers to better restoration.
Three weeks
Work engagement
Time Frame: Three weeks
Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the scores range from 1 to 7, a higher score refers to higher work engagement.
Three weeks
Burnout
Time Frame: Three weeks
Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), the scores range from 1 to 5, a higher score refers to higher burnout.
Three weeks
Stress recovery
Time Frame: Three weeks
A physiological measure of stress recovery balance, the scores range from 0 to 100, a higher score refers to better physiological stress recovery.
Three weeks
Sleep quality
Time Frame: Three weeks
A physiological measure of the restorative effect of sleep, the scores range from 0 to 100, a higher score refers to better recovery during sleep.
Three weeks
Relax-Stress Intensity
Time Frame: Three weeks
A physiological measure of the Relax-Stress Intensity (RSI), the scores range from -100 to 100, a higher score (+/- 100) refers to a stronger reaction.
Three weeks
Body resources
Time Frame: Three weeks
A physiological measure of body resources, the scores range from 0 to 100, a higher score refers to higher body resources.
Three weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Katriina Hyvönen, PhD, JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 17, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 8, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

June 16, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 13, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

April 26, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 6, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 5, 2023

Last Verified

July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • JAMKUAS_Hybridnature

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Data from surveys and physiological measurements will be anonymised after the research and will be archived to the research data storage service (IDA). Anonymised data will open for reuse after the research finishes in 2024. The reuse of interview data will be restricted to suitable parts.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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