The quality of Swedish adolescents' outdoor life and its relationship with self-esteem and well-being

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between outdoor life and the well-being and self-esteem of Swedish adolescents aged 12-15 years old (n = 320), residing in three different living environments in the south of Sweden. The study employed a questionnaire that was administered twice during a school year that included questions on time spent outdoors, environmental quality and the perceived benefit of the outdoor environment. Additionally, the study used standardized scales to measure life satisfaction, self-esteem and mental health. The results of the study revealed that adolescents who had more positive perceptions of their outdoor environment and being outdoors reported higher life satisfaction and self-esteem, as well as better mental health. Notably, girls' generally perceived their outdoor environments as lower quality compared to boys across different seasons. Furthermore, variations between living environments and seasons were also observed. Overall, the study underscores the importance of promoting outdoor life and highlights specific areas planners should address to create outdoor environments with possible benefits for the well-being of adolescents of different ages, sexes and living in different communities.

Keywords

Youth; Mental health; Outdoor environment; Public space; Neighbourhood; Planning

Published in

Landscape and Urban Planning
2024, volume: 246, article number: 105023
Publisher: ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

• Wales, Mark

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Mårtensson, Fredrika

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Englund, Jan-Eric

  • Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG3 Good health and well-being

UKÄ Subject classification

Landscape Architecture
Physical Geography
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105023

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/129266