Relationship between subjective effectiveness and program content evaluation of horticultural activity programs for office workers

Abstract

While assessment-based program design is standard practice in clinical horticultural therapy, there are almost no design examples of horticultural activity programs targeting healthy office workers. In this study, we implemented a five-month program comprising ten horticultural activities for office workers and measured content evaluations and subjective effectiveness for each activity. Results revealed a relationship between content evaluations and effectiveness; for example, activities with higher content evaluations for mood change tended to produce greater mood improvement and stress reduction effects. Furthermore, principal component analysis based on content evaluations organized the activities into 'sensory stimulation-type' and 'knowledge/output-type'. These findings suggest the feasibility of designing horticultural activity programs in accordance with the condition and goals of office workers.