Influence of Five-day Suburban Forest Stay on Stress Coping, Resilience, and Mood States

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the absence or existence of changes and traits of stress coping, resilience, and mood states of respondents, who usually live in urban areas, during their stay in a suburban forest in a popular resort area. The study site and accommodation facility belonged to Fuji Iyashinomori Woodland Study Center, the University of Tokyo Forest. The respondents comprised 10 students who participated in the exercise lecture of graduate school (five days and four nights). Respondents were required to answer Lazarus-type stress coping inventory (stress coping), Sukemune–Hiew Resilience Test (resilience), and Profile of Mood States (mood states). Both stress coping and resilience tests were conducted twice: on the first morning and the last evening of lecture series. Mood state test was conducted five times, that is, every morning of the lecture series. We can find the marginally significant difference in one indicator of stress coping and confirm statistical differences in two indicators of resilience. A statistical difference was also observed in two mood state indicators, such as tension–anxiety and depression–dejection. Results indicated that staying in a suburban forest for five days may promote stress coping, resilience, and positive mood states.