公園的な環境は、生理的・感情的ストレスの軽減に最も効果的であった Parklike setting was most effective in reducing physiological and affective stress
2022-11-17 カリフォルニア大学校アーバイン校(UCI)
仮想緑地環境への短時間の曝露でも、妊婦の生理的および感情的なストレス軽減が見られた。
研究者らは、北京の健康な妊婦63名を二重盲検無作為化試験に参加させた。まず、研究室で開発されたストレステストによって、妊婦に不安を与えることから始めた。1つ目は公園のような風景、2つ目は緑地のある街並み、3つ目は緑地のない街並みである。
映像の視聴前後に、参加者の血圧、心拍数、皮膚コンダクタンスレベルの測定、唾液の採取、ポジティブな感情(注意深い、活発、警戒心、興奮、熱心、決意、インスピレーション、誇り、興味、強いなど)とネガティブな感情(敵意、イライラ、恥ずかしい、罪悪感、悩み、動揺、恐怖、ジリジリ、緊張など)に関するアンケートを実施したところ、参加者は、「ポジティブな感情」と「ネガティブな感情」の両方があることが分かった。
研究チームは、VR緑地環境の視覚的暴露は、非緑地環境と比較して、収縮期血圧の低下、唾液中のα-アミラーゼ(ストレスの指標)の低下、ポジティブ感情の改善、ネガティブ感情の低下と関連することを発見た。公園のような環境は、3つのビデオの中で最も高いポジティブな反応を示した。
<関連情報>
- https://news.uci.edu/2022/11/17/uci-led-study-finds-virtual-green-space-exposure-beneficial-to-pregnant-women/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935122018266?via%3Dihub
妊婦の緑地バーチャルリアリティに対する生理的・感情的反応 Physiological and affective responses to green space virtual reality among pregnant women
Yi Sun,FuLi,Tao He,Yaohan Meng,Jie Yin,Ilona S.Yim,Liya nXu,Jun Wu
Environmental Research Available online 5 October 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114499
Highlights
- •Even a short immersion in VR green space can ease stress among pregnant women.
- •VR green space reduced both physiological and affective stress.
- •Exposure to park-like green space had the strongest impacts on stress recovery.
Abstract
Background
Benefits of green spaces on stress reduction have been shown in previous studies. Most existing studies to date have focused on the general population. However, there is a lack of understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of green space among special populations, such as pregnant women.
Objectives
To examine physiological and affective responses to green space on stress recovery among pregnant women, using simulated green space exposure through virtual reality (VR).
Methods
We recruited 63 pregnant women between 8 and 14 weeks’ gestational age for a laboratory experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to view one of three, 5-min, VR videos of an urban scene with different green space levels (i.e., non-green, moderate, and high) after a laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. Physiological stress responses were measured via changes in blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance level, salivary alpha-amylase, and salivary cortisol. Affective response was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale.
Results
We found that visual exposure to a green space environment in VR was associated with both physiological and affective stress reduction among pregnant women, including lower systolic blood pressure [-4.6 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): -8.8, -0.4], reduced salivary alpha-amylase concentration (-1.2 ng/ml, 95% CI: -2.2, -0.2), improved overall positive affect (score: 6.6, 95% CI: 0.3, 13.0) and decreased negative affect of anxiety (score: -2.6, 95% CI: -5.19, -0.04) compared to non-green space environment. Exposure to high green space environment in park-like setting had the strongest impacts on stress recovery.
Conclusion
This study demonstrated that virtual green space exposure could effectively ease stress and improve mental health and well-being during pregnancy. Even a short immersion in VR-based green space environment may bring health benefits, which has significant implications for pregnant women when access to an actual nature may not be possible.
