• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.699-709
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• 2019

Various health and social issues related to the elderly are emerging in line with the rapid aging of the population. In particular, dementia currently has a prevalence of about 10 percent of the elderly population in South Korea, which increases financial and social burdens to not only individual patients but also their caring family. To assess the effects of participating in the forest therapy programs for dementia prevention, this study recruited participants aged 50 and above and tested their depression (Korean form of Geriatric Depression Scale; KGDS) and stress response (Modified form of Stress Response Inventory; SRI-MF), which are emotional aspects of dementia. As a result, KGDS showed a significant decrease of 3.2 points from 8.4 to 5.2 points, and SRI-MF showed a significant decrease of 7.2 points from 40 to 32.8 points, indicating a statistically significant improvement in both. In addition, participants with minor depression and high level of stress in the pretest showed statistically significant improvements in the SRI-MF for men, and the KGDS and SRI-MF for women. Furthermore, there were statistically significant improvements in KGDS for participants in their 60s and in SRI-MF for those in their 70s in terms of age, and in both KGDS and SRI-MF for participants with chronic diseases and in KGDS for participants without chronic diseases. This study confirmed the effects of forest therapy on the prevention of the emotional aspects of dementia and laid the groundwork for increasing the applicability of forest therapy by obtaining a place for dementia prevention as a field of forest therapy.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2022

Purpose: Smoking is a way of coping with anxiety and stress. This study aimed to identify the effects of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression in smokers who desire to quit smoking. Methods: Thirty participants were included in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Those in the experimental group participated in a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program. The program includes forest walks, meditation and thermal therapy in the charcoal kiln. Results: Before and after the program, physiological indicators such as cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin anxiety level using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and stress level using the psychosocial well-being index (PWI) were measured in both groups. The differences in STAI (p=.012) and PWI (p=.006) scores between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. However, cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin were not significantly different between the two groups after the program. Conclusion: These results show that forest-thermal combination therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress in smokers. It suggests that forest-thermal therapy can potentially increase smoking cessation rates.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.492-497
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• 2022

Objectives: Women experience more stress in middle age than in other periods of their lives. Therefore, health management programs that enable middle-aged women to cope with and manage stress are needed. This study investigated the psychological effects of a meditation-focused forest therapy program among 53 middle-aged women living in urban areas in Korea. Methods: Participants were divided into 2 groups: one group underwent the program for 3 days in a forest, followed by 3 days in an urban environment, and the other group underwent the program for 3 days in the urban environment, followed by 3 days in the forest. The psychological effects of the forest therapy program were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States-Brief (POMS-B). Differences in mood state before and after the program conducted in the forest (experimental group) and in the urban environment (control group) were evaluated using the paired-samples t-test. Results: The program in the forest significantly reduced tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion among the domains of the POMS-B. The program in the urban area significantly reduced tension, but not depression, anger, fatigue, or confusion. Conclusions: Meditation-focused forest therapy programs are expected to contribute to promoting psychological health and enhancing the quality of life of middle-aged women.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2018

Previous studies have shown that forest therapy program can help prevent dementia. However, few studies have focused on low-income elderly people living alone. The current study examined the meanings that the elderly living alone receiving medical care assigned to the urban forest therapy program, as a way to understand the pathways that nature-based intervention affect preventing dementia. Twenty-one participants were recruited and they participated in a five-week urban forest therapy program. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 21 participants who experienced the urban forest therapy program, and analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results showed that all themes identified were related to connectedness with oneself, neighbors and nature. Awarenesses of change were consisted of positive and negative themes. The themes of positive awareness were improvements of mental and emotional condition, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health-related lifestyle. The negative themes were terminations of short-term programs and inconvenient access to the urban forest. Based on these data, we suggest an urban green welfare framework for future research and interventions for preventing dementia of underprivileged elderly group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.13-23
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects experienced by cancer survivors through the forest therapy, and to provide evidence for applying the forest therapy program. Nineteen cancer survivors who participated in the forest therapy program hosted by K University were targeted, and qualitative data were collected through three focus group interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed and analyzed by subject-specific content analysis method. According to the research results, the attributes of forest therapy experienced by cancer survivors were 'Escape from bondage', 'Time to empty and fill the mind', 'Healing from positive forest stimulation', 'Self met in a space of rest', 'Initiative for life'. Five themes and fifteen sub-themes of 'recovery' were derived. These research results revealed a healing experience of feeling comfortable and physically relaxed through communication with the forest, discovering the self, and regaining initiative in life. It can be seen that the forest therapy is helpful in overcoming the physical, emotional, and psycho-social discomforts of cancer survivors.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2012

Recently the Korean government provided forest recreation areas through developing evaluation index of rural areas amenity resources, forest therapy and recreational forest for revitalization of rural areas and national health promotion. However, what the public wants is just one place which includes all recreational facilities. GRAT tourism means Green, Rest and Therapy-Tourism. It is a new concept of recreational forests. This study defines GRAT-Tourism, the new concept of recreational activity and discusses the development of the GRAT-Tourism Evaluation Index.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.1
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• pp.150-161
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data for the effective development and operation of forest healing by analysing the preference of adults on the forest therapy program. The survey of 516 normal adults on the forest therapy program was conducted. Using SPSS 21.0 Program, data analysis of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of each program confirmed number of covariate, and so we conducted a factor analysis to short meaningful data. And then we looked at the forest healing program preference difference according to demographic characteristics(sex, age, residence, occupation) through reliability analysis, frequency analysis, T-test, analysis of variance(ANOVA). Facter analysis was performed by use of the VariMax orthogonal rotation factor analysis to abbreviate 37 forest therapy program. Through this, the program has been reduced such as 7 program group(1: psychology-based treatment, 2: teaching and counselling-based treatment, 3: camping and forest bath-based treatment, 4: diet-based treatment, 5: nature and plant-based treatment, 6: meditation-based treatment, 7: respiration and yoga-based treatment) and 7 independent programs(1: sleeping in the forest, 2: vision quest, 3: soaking in water, 4: walking wearing shoes, 5: viewing the forest, 6: mountaineering, 7: athletics in the forest). With this criterion, the forest therapy program difference in accordance with sex, age, residence, occupation has been investigated. First, it was verified that there was a significant difference between male and female in the group of such as psychology-based treatment, diet-based treatment, mountaineering. Second, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as teaching and counselling-based treatment, camping and forest bath-based treatment, nature and plant-based treatment, respiration and yoga-based treatment, athletics in the forest. Third, according to the residence, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as psychology-based treatment, teaching and counselling-based treatment, diet-based treatment, nature and plant-based treatment, meditation-based treatment, vision quest, mountaineering, athletics in the forest. Fourth, according to the occupation, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as nature and plant-based treatment, medication-based treatment, vision quest, walking wearing shoes, viewing the forest, mountaineering. As shown before, it seems to be necessary that we should be mindful of this investigation which shows variety of preference of adults on the forest therapy program according to demographic characteristics. We expect the results of this study to be utilized as basic data for the development of forest therapy program targeting on adults.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.485-494
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• 2020

Background and objective: Juvenile crimes tend to intensify and become habitual in South Korea and juvenile delinquencies must be corrected during adolescence. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a forest therapy program on the self-esteem and resilience of juveniles under protective detention. Methods: We designed the forest therapy program titled "A Dreamy Child, One More Forest!" for one night and two days and a total of 122 juveniles under protective detention participated in the program. Self-esteem scale (SES) and resilience scale for adolescents (RSA) were used and the collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis and T-test. Results: Most of the participants were male (96.7%), and the number of those aged 17 years was highest (35, 28.7%). The number of those enrolled in middle and high school was 69 (56.0%) and that of those who dropped out was 39 (31.9%). Their self-esteem significantly increased from 3.102 before participation to 3.636 (p < .001) after participation in the forest therapy program. Resilience also increased remarkably from 2.950 before participation to 3.829 (p < .001) after participation, showing positive changes after participation in both cases. Conclusion: The results indicated the forest therapy program could enhance the self-esteem of juveniles under protective detention, provide them with an opportunity for developing their inner positive power and reinforcomg resilience, helping them return to society in a healthy state. Further research needs to be conducted on how the effects over the program period will differ from one another and how long the positive effects will last.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.485-498
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• 2015

The need for forest therapy programs has been increasing. For more effective forest healing, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of participants and develop and operate more targeted and differentiated forest therapy programs accordingly. In this study, the relationships between MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality types and the relationship between the temperaments of MBTI and the preference for the forest therapy programs were analyzed respectively in pursuit of the basic data required for the effective development and operation of forest healing on the basis of individual characteristics. The survey on the forest therapy program and MBTI personality tests were conducted for 245 normal adults. Using the SPSS 21.0 program analysis, data were analyzed by Analysis of variance (ANOVA) to obtain the difference of preference on the forest therapy program according to the personality type. The Extraversion(E)-Introversion(I) types showed differences in technique-based breathing exercises, walking in the forest(wearing shoes), laughter therapy in the forest, viewing the forest, forest bathing, wind bathing and sun bathing. And the Sensing(S)-iNtuition (N) types had marked differences in listening to the sound of water flowing, drinking herbal tea and sleeping in the forest. The Thinking (T) -Feeling (F) types marked differences in soaking hands and feet in water and sleeping in the forest. The Judging (J)-Perceiving (P) types had differences in vision quest and viewing the forest, respectively, in statistics. Depending on the temperament of the character, there were statistically significant differences in preferences such as drinking herbal tea, eating natural food, sleeping in the forest, viewing the forest and listening to the forest commentary. The results of this study are expected to be used as a basis for forest healing program development and operation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.43-51
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• 2015

Stresses from desolate urban environments cause illnesses and worsen health conditions of urban residents, while natural environments have a positive influence on human. Natural healing programs such as forest therapy and horticultural therapy can be differentiated by the characteristic of activity space. However, previous studies of healing programs have focused on either forest therapy or horticulture therapy and there is a limit to comprehending the effects of adopting and connecting various healing programs. This study compares and analyzes the physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy and horticultural therapy to identify the effects and differences by types of healing programs. The before and after effects of horticultural therapy and forest therapy are measured by experiment and survey for 5 days with 5 subjects in each program. For physiological reaction, blood pressure, pulse, and cortisol levels are measured and the profile of moods states(POMS) is used to measure psychological reaction. Collected data are analyzed with the analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Paired-Sample T-test in SPSS 18.0. The results of this study are as follows: 1) forest therapy and horticultural therapy show positive effects in physiological and physiological aspects, 2) forest therapy is more effective than horticultural therapy in physiological relaxation and stress mitigation, 3) horticultural therapy has a tendency to alleviate depression more effectively than forest therapy. In conclusion, this study contributes to providing fundamental information for the development of healing programs and design guidelines for healing spaces through identifying the characteristics of each healing program.