ISRCTN ISRCTN17762011
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17762011
Secondary identifying numbers 2012-2698
Submission date
05/07/2017
Registration date
18/07/2017
Last edited
24/12/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Children spend less time in nature than ever before and there is concern that this negatively impacts children’s cognitive (mental) abilities, particularly their ability to direct their attention. Theories such as the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggest that contact with nature may replenish endogenous attention (directed, voluntary attention). There is a lack of research on how contact with nature is associated with attention in children. The aim of this study is to evaluate if children who are exposed to natural environments during a 30 minute reflective walk would be better at endogenous attention.

Who can participate?
Children aged eight to 15 years old who are able to complete a 30 minute walk.

What does the study involve?
Prior to treatment, participants in both groups complete the Combined Attention Systems Task (CAST), a series of game-based tasks on a computer to measure attention. Participants are allocated to one of two groups. Those in the first week complete a 30 minute walk through a busy downtown neighbourhood. Those in the second group complete a 30-40 minute walk through a relatively pristine urban forest. After the walk, participants complete the CAST again.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no direct benefits with participating however participants may benefit from 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity which is known to promote healthy development in children and adolescents. Participants are at risk of boredom, fatigue, and frustration. These risks are reduced by providing breaks to participants during testing or at any time at the request of the participant. Participants are allowed to remove themselves from the study at any time.

Where is the study run from?
This study is run by Dalhousie University (Canada) and takes place in an urban or forested environment.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
July 2012 to June 2014

Who is funding the study?
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Canada)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Shannon Johnson

Contact information

Dr Shannon Johnson
Scientific

LSC3263
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
1355 Oxford Street
PO Box 15000
1355 Oxford Street
Halifax
B3H4R2
Canada

Study information

Study designInterventional single-centre study
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designNon randomised study
Study setting(s)Community
Study typeOther
Participant information sheet Not available in web format. Please use contact details to request a participant information sheet.
Scientific titleDose-dependent effects of virtual environments on attention
Study objectivesChildren who were exposed to natural environments during a 30-minute reflective walk would demonstrate specific improvements in endogenous attention.
Ethics approval(s)Dalhousie University Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Board, 21/08/2012
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedExogenous and endogenous attention
InterventionParticipants are assigned to one of two study conditions, either the urban walk or the nature walk. Participants blindly assigned themselves to study condition as they are informed that there were two possible locations to which they could be assigned and then where asked to select a participation date, following which the testing location prescheduled for that date was revealed.

Condition 1 (Urban Walk): Participants engage in a guided walk of a typical urban environment for 30 minutes (around 1.25 miles).

Condition 2 (Natural Walk): Participants engage in a guided walk of a typical urban forested-park environment for 40 minutes (around 1.25 miles)

Participants fill out a demographic and history questionnaire as well as the connectedness to nature scale questionnaire in advance of exposure to either condition. The CAST (Combined Attention Systems Task) is administered to all participants before and after exposure to either condition.

There is no further follow-up to this study.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureEndogenous and Exogenous attention are measured using the Combined Attention Systems Task (CAST) at baseline and immediately post-treatment.
Secondary outcome measures1. Intelligence quotient (IQ) is measured using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) at baseline
2. Association with nature is measured using Connectedness to nature scale (CNS) at baseline
Overall study start date01/07/2012
Completion date30/06/2014

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Healthy volunteer
Age groupChild
Lower age limit8 Years
Upper age limit15 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants70
Total final enrolment60
Key inclusion criteria1. Aged between 8-15 years
2. IQ: >=80
3. Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
4. No history of psychiatric/psychological diagnoses
5. No history of severe head injury
6. No significant neurological disorders affecting the central nervous system
Key exclusion criteria1. Inability to walk for 30 minutes
Date of first enrolment01/10/2012
Date of final enrolment01/10/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Canada

Study participating centre

Dalhousie University
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
1355 Oxford Road
Halifax
B3H4R2
Canada

Sponsor information

Dalhousie University
University/education

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
1355 Oxford Street
PO Box 15000
Halifax
B3H4R2
Canada

Phone +01 902 494 3417
Email psychology@dal.ca
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01e6qks80

Funders

Funder type

Research council

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, sshrc_crsh, Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada, SSHRC, SSHRC-CRSH
Location
Canada

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/05/2017
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planA manuscript has already been submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed high-impact scientific journal as of May 2017.
IPD sharing planThe (de-identified) datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Dr. Shannon Johnson (shannon.johnson@dal.ca)

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 05/12/2019 24/12/2019 Yes No

Editorial Notes

24/12/2019: The following changes have been made:
1. Publication reference added.
2. The total final enrolment number has been added from the reference.
22/09/2017: Internal review.