A Conversation on Trauma Responsive Design Thinking

November 22, 2022November 22, 2022ASLA staff

The Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN campfire session took place on November 12, 2022, in San Francisco at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture. / image: Alexandra Hay

ASLA 2022 Conference on Landscape Architecture Recap: The Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN Campfire Session on Trauma Responsive Design

Kat Lewis, ASLA – Moderator
Amy Wagenfeld, Affil. ASLA – Campfire Lead
Lisa Casey, ASLA – Campfire Facilitator
Chad Kennedy, ASLA – Campfire Facilitator

The Children’s Outdoor Environments Professional Practice Network (PPN) hosted their campfire session on Saturday afternoon of the conference. PPN leaders were joined by an enthusiastic group of around twenty individuals who participated in the discussion. Our session was opened by Kat, who gave a brief overview of the purpose, with the focus not being on a single solution but to explore the complexity and considerations of trauma responsive design. But first, we needed to establish that there is no clear definition of trauma responsive design and little to no evidence-based research to support it, but there needs to be!

Amy and Lisa went through a series of questions about what trauma is, and whether there is a difference between childhood and adult trauma to engage the group and get the conversation going. They went on to talk about stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how toxic stress feeds ACEs and collectively changes the child’s brain structure and negatively alters their development.

This became a call to action that launched into some brainstorming about landscape architects partnering with healthcare professionals to study the impact of landscape projects on reducing the impacts of child trauma.

We had a strong turnout for this discussion and there were many interested in joining or learning more about the Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN. Even if you were not able to join us in San Francisco, we encourage you to join the Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN and considering becoming a PPN leader.

Children, Nature, and Health Reference List

At our campfire session, it came up in conversation that having a list of child and nature-focused articles would be helpful. What follows is a reference list organized by topic (some articles appear in multiple sections). It is intended to be representative of recent and seminal publications and by no means covers all the amazing literature that has been published, so let’s think of this list as an evolving resource. Please share your favorite articles in the comments section and we will keep the list growing. We plan to add an expanded version to the PPN’s Resources webpage in the future.

If you cannot read an article online, or do not have easy access to the articles you are interested in reading via a university library, your local community library and helpful librarians should be able to get them for you.

Another phenomenal resource is the Children & Nature Network’s Research Library. You cannot download articles, but there are terrific summaries for you to use as a means to sort out which articles you ultimately want full copies of.

Happy reading and learning from the COE PPN leadership team!

General Health and Wellness

Kuo, M. (2015). How might contact with nature promote human health? Promising mechanisms and a possible central pathway. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01093

Mitchell, R., & Popham, F. (2008). Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: An observational population study. The Lancet, 372, 1655–1660. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61689-X

Soga, M., Evans, M.J., Tsuchiya, K., Fukano, Y. (2020). A room with a green view: The importance of nearby nature during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ecological Applications, 31(2). E2248. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2248

Wilson, E.O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press.

Physical and Physiological Health

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2007). Active healthy living: Prevention of childhood obesity through increased physical activity.

American Public Health Association (2014). Improving health and wellness through access to nature.

Bates, C. R., Bohnert, A. M., & Gerstein, D. E. (2018). Green schoolyards in low-income urban neighborhoods: Natural spaces for positive youth development outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 805. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00805

Gray, C., Gibbons, R., Larouche, R., Sandseter, E., Bienenstock, A., Brussoni, M., Chabot, G., Herrington, S., Janssen, I., Pickett, W., Power, M., Stanger, N., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M. (2015). What is the relationship between outdoor time and physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness in children? A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6455–6474. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606455

Hall, C. R., & Knuth, M. J. (2019). An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: Part 2 Physiological health benefits. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 37(2), 63-73. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-37.2.63

He, M., Xiang, F., Zeng, Y., Mai, J., Chen, Q., Zhang, J., & Morgan, I.G. (2015). Effect of time spent outdoors at school on the development of myopia among children in China: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 314(11), 1142–1148. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.10803

Kuo, F. E., & Faber Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 1580-1586. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.94.9.1580

Lovasi, G.S., Schwartz-Soicher, O., Quinn, J.W., Berger, D.K., Neckerman, K.M., Jaslow, R., & Rundle, A. (2013). Neighborhood safety and green space as predictors of obesity among preschool children from low income families in New York City. Preventive Medicine, 57(3),189–193. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.05.012

Lovasi, G.S., Quinn, J.W., Neckerman, K.M., Perzanowski, M.S., & Rundle, A. (2008). Children living in areas with more street trees have lower prevalence of asthma. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 62, 647–649. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.071894

Mitchell, R. (2013). Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Social Science and Medicine, 91, 130–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.012

Skala, K.A.; Springer, A.E.; Sharma, S.V; Hoelscher, D.M., & Kelder, S.H. (2012). Environmental characteristics and student physical activity in PE class: Findings from two large urban areas of Texas. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 9, 481–491. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.9.4.481

Ulrich, R. (1984). View through a window may inﬂuence recovery from surgery.
Science, 224, 420–421. https://doi.org/0.1126/science.6143402

Utter, J., Denny, S., & Dyson, B. (2016). School gardens and adolescent nutrition and BMI: Results from a national, multilevel study. Preventive Medicine, 83, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.11.022

Mental Health

Akpinar, A. (2016). How is high school greenness related to students’ restoration and
health? Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 16, 1–8. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.01.007

Amoly, E., Dadvand, P., López-Vicente, M., Basagana, V., Julvez, J., Alvarez-Pedrerol, M., … Sunyer, J. (2014). Green and blue spaces and behavioral development in Barcelona schoolchildren: the BREATHE Project. Environmental Health Perspectives, 122(12),1351–1358. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408215

Appleton, J. (1975/1996) The Experience of Landscape, rev edn. Wiley.

Chiumento, A., Mukherjee, I., Chandna, J., Dutton, C., Rahman, A., & Bristow, K. (2018). A haven of green space: Learning from a pilot pre-post evaluation of a school-based social and therapeutic horticulture intervention with children. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 836. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5661-9

Dopko, R. L., Capaldi, C. A., & Zelenski, J. M. (2019). The psychological and social benefits of a nature experience for children: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 63, 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.05.002

Engermann, K., Bøcker Pedersen, C., Arge, L., Tsirogiannis, C., Mortensen, P. B., & Svenning, J.-C. (2019). Residential green space in childhood is associated with lower risk of psychiatric disorders from adolescence into adulthood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America, 1–6.

Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge University Press.

Markevych, I., Teisler, C., Fuertes, E., Romanos, M., Dadvand, P., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., … Heinrich, J. (2014). Access to urban green spaces and behavioural problems in children. Environment International, 71, 29–35. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.06.002

McCormick, R. (2017). Does access to green space impact the mental well-being of children: A systematic review. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 37, 3–7. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2017.08.027

Meidenbauer, K. L., Stenfors, C. U. D., Bratman, G. N., Gross, J. J., Schertz, K. E., Choe, K. W., & Berman, M. G. (2020). The affective benefits of nature exposure: What’s nature got to do with it? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 72, 101498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101498

Nedovic, S., Morrissey, A.M. (2013). Calm active and focused: Children’s responses to an organic outdoor learning environment. Learning and Environments Research, 16, 281–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-013-9127-9

Preuß, M., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., Marquez, S., Cirach, M., Dadvand, P., Triguero-Mas, M., Gidlow, C., Grazuleviciene, R., Kruize, H., & Zijlema, W. (2019). Low childhood nature exposure is associated with worse mental health in adulthood. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(10), 1809. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101809

Scott, J. T., Kilmer, R. P., Wang, C., Cook, J. R., & Haber, M. G. (2018). Natural environments near schools: Potential benefits for socio‐emotional and behavioral development in early childhood. American Journal of Community Psychology, 62(3-4), 419-432. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12272

Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991).
Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of
Environmental Psychology, 11, 201–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)801847

Vanaken, G.J. & Danckaerts, M. (2018). Impact of green space exposure on children’s and adolescents’ mental health: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2668), 1–17. https://doi.org/doi:10.3390/ijerph15122668

van den Berg, A. E., Wesselius, J. E., Maas, J., & Tanja-Dijkstra, K. (2017). Green walls for a restorative classroom environment: A controlled evaluation study. Environment and Behavior, 49(7), 791–813. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916516667976

Wells, N. M., & Evans, G.W. (2003). Nearby nature, a buffer of life stress among rural
children. Environment and Behavior, 35(3), 311–330. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160021972793

Yerba Buena Children’s Garden, as seen from the Moscone Convention Center during the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in San Francisco earlier this month. / image: Alexandra Hay

Learning

Dadvand, P., Nieuwenhuijsena, M., Esnaolaa, M., Fornsa, J., Basagañaa, X., Alvarez-
Pedrerola, M., … Sunyera, J. (2015). Green spaces and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America.

Faber Taylor, A., & Kuo, F. E. (2009). Children with attention deficits concentrate better after a walk in the park. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(5), 402–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054708323000

Kuo, M., Barnes, M., & Jordan, C. (2019). Do experiences with nature promote learning? Converging evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 305. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00305

Schutte, A., Turquati, J., & Beattie, H. (2017). Impact of urban nature on executive
functioning in early and middle childhood. Environment and Behavior, 49(1), 3–30.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916515603095

Wells, N. M. (2000). At home with nature: The effects of nearby nature on children’s cognitive functioning. Environment & Behavior, 32, 775-795. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160021972793

Wells, N. M., Myers, B. M., Todd, L. E., Barale, K., Gaolach, B., Ferenz, G., Aitkin, M., Henderson, C.R., Tse, C., Ostile Pattison, K., Taylor, C., Connerly, L., Carson, J.B., Gensemer, A.Z., Franza, N.K., & Falk, E. (2015). The effects of school gardens on children’s science knowledge: A randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools. International Journal of Science Education, 37, 2858–2878. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2015.1112048

Yerba Buena Children’s Garden in San Francisco / image: Alexandra Hay

Families and Nature Across Generations

Izenstark, D., & Middaugh, E. (2022). Patterns of family-based nature activities across the early life course and their association with adulthood outdoor participation and preference. Journal of Leisure Research, 53(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2021.1875274

Izenstark, D., & Ebata, A. T. (2019). Why families go outside: An exploration of mothers’ and daughters’ family-based nature activities. Leisure Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2019.1625293