Nature Photography for Mental Well-Being and Nature Connectedness in Young Adults

Nature Photography for Mental Well-Being and Nature Connectedness in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study tests whether a nature photography intervention can improve mental well-being and nature connectedness in young adults with mild emotional distress, and examines self-compassion as a key mechanism in this process. Participants are randomized to a nature photography group, a human-made object photography group , or a group receiving a stress management handbook. Eight photography tasks are delivered through a mobile platform. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Psychological Distress; Anxiety Symptoms
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Nature-Based Mindful Photography; Behavioral: Human-Made Object Photography; Behavioral: Self-Guided Digital Stress Management Handbook

Detailed Description

This is a three-arm randomized controlled trial examining whether nature-based photography improves mental well-being and nature connectedness among young adults with mild emotional distress. Participants are randomized to a nature photography intervention, an active control completing human-made object photography, or a control group receiving a stress management handbook. The intervention runs for 16 days and comprises eight structured photography sessions. The primary outcomes are depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms at post-intervention. Secondary outcomes include nature connectedness, self-compassion, positive and negative affect, meaning in life, and life satisfaction, assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Changes in self-compassion, mindfulness, and nature connectedness are examined as hypothesized mechanisms of the intervention effect.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 300
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Xue Weng; Phone Number: (86)0756-3683259; Email: xueweng@bnu.edu.cn

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 1.PHQ-9 score ≥ 5 or GAD-7 score ≥ 5 (presence of mild or greater emotional distress).

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1.PHQ-9 score ≥20 or GAD-7 score ≥15 (severe depressive or anxiety symptoms). 2.Currently receiving psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Nature-Based Photography Intervention; Nature-Based Photography	Behavioral: Nature-Based Mindful Photography; Photography Participants complete an 8-session, 16-day nature-based photography intervention delivered through a WeChat mini-program (one session every two days). Each session includes a guided photography theme focused on natural elements, mindfulness and self-compassion prompts, and expressive writing, followed by optional peer support (viewing, liking, and commenting on group members' photographs) and personalized AI-assisted supportive feedback at the end of the session. The intervention is designed to improve mental well-being and strengthen nature connectedness through structured engagement with natural environments.
Experimental: Human-Made Object Photography Intervention; Human-Made Object Photography	Behavioral: Human-Made Object Photography; Participants complete an 8-session, 16-day photography intervention delivered through a WeChat mini-program, matched to the intervention group on schedule and task structure, but photographing everyday human-made objects (e.g., study tools, architectural details, furniture). Each session includes expressive writing; no nature-focused prompts, peer interaction, or AI-assisted feedback are provided. This condition controls for photography behavior, app engagement, and task contact without the nature exposure or self-compassion components.
Active Comparator: Brief Psychoeducational Stress Management Intervention; Brief Psychoeducational Stress Management	Behavioral: Self-Guided Digital Stress Management Handbook; Participants receive a self-guided digital stress management handbook over the 16-day intervention period, covering five structured modules: recognition of physical and emotional stress signals; structured energy and time management (goal decomposition, pomodoro technique, priority matrix); establishing healthy lifestyle routines (sleep hygiene, regular exercise, balanced diet); building interpersonal support networks; and accessing professional help and campus mental health resources. Participants read the handbook at their own pace without photography tasks or interactive components. This condition serves as an active comparator controlling for contact time and expectancy while excluding nature exposure and mindfulness-based self-compassion components.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Depressive Symptoms	Depressive Symptoms Change in depressive symptoms measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3).
Anxiety Symptoms	Change in anxiety symptoms measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7).	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nature Connectedness	Change in connection with the natural environment measured by the Nature Connectedness Scale.	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3).
Self-Compassion	Change in self-compassion measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS).	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3).
Positive and Negative Affect	Change in emotional states measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS).	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3)
Meaning in Life	Change in perceived meaning and purpose in life measured by the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ).	Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2, Day 16), and 1-month Follow-up (T3).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Beijing Normal University
• Investigators: Study Director: xue weng, Study Principal Investigator, Beijing Normal University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 31, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 31, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): September 3, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 3, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 31, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Randomized Controlled Trial; Young Adults; Self-Compassion; Mental Well-Being; Nature-Based Photography Intervention; Nature Connectedness
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Personal Satisfaction; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Psychological Well-Being
• Other Study ID Numbers: Nature Photography

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No