How Does Being Solo in Nature Affect Well-Being? Evidence from Norway, Germany and New Zealand

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dc.citation.issue15
dc.citation.volume18
dc.contributor.authorPetersen E
dc.contributor.authorBischoff A
dc.contributor.authorLiedtke G
dc.contributor.authorMartin AJ
dc.coverage.spatialSwitzerland
dc.date.accessioned2023-08-21T02:03:37Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-04T01:41:39Z
dc.date.available2021-07-26
dc.date.available2023-08-21T02:03:37Z
dc.date.available2023-09-04T01:41:39Z
dc.date.issued2021-08
dc.date.updated2023-08-21T01:59:32Z
dc.descriptionCopyright: © 2021 by the authorsen_US
dc.description.abstractBackground: Solo—being intentionally solitary in nature—is receiving growing attention as a valuable outdoor education program component. Its practice and history have been researched in the context of experiential learning, but few studies have explicitly examined how solo experiences can affect dimensions of well-being. This study investigated a broad range of well-being pathways provided by being solo, based on data from Norway, Germany, and New Zealand. Methods: Using qualitative content analysis (QCA), the solo debrief responses of 40 participants (26 females, age: 19–64 years) were analysed, applying the PERMA-V framework (emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, achievement, and vitality). Variations in the reports were explored as a function of the national sample, gender, age, prior solo experiences and expectations. Results: The study suggests that hedonic and eudemonic well-being pathways, represented by the six PERMA-V pillars, interrelate strongly. The experience of a range of positive emotions and connecting process during solo highlights two of the most frequent findings related to well-being pathways. The secondary findings suggest minor variations in the well-being pathways for the different national samples, gender and age. Expectations and prior experiences with solo were identified as context factors with minor impact. Further, the data-driven analysis identified specific physical activities, landscape features, sense-activation, perception of time and ‘good’ weather as relevant to the specific experience. Conclusions: Solo experiences provide for well-being-related pathways in a multitude of ways, which highlights the well-being potential of solo implementation across practical fields beyond outdoor education, such as wilderness therapy, and environmental and planetary health initiatives. Future studies should continue to explore solo’s well-being potential in different settings, especially in the context of non-Western samples.
dc.format.extent7897-
dc.identifierARTN 7897
dc.identifierijerph18157897
dc.identifierhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34360189
dc.identifier.citationPetersen E, Bischoff A, Liedtke G, Martin AJ. (2021). How Does Being Solo in Nature Affect Well-Being? Evidence from Norway, Germany and New Zealand.. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 18. 15. (pp. 7897-).
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/ijerph18157897
dc.identifier.eissn1660-4601
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.identifier.issn1661-7827
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/19997
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherMDPI (Basel, Switzerland)
dc.relation.isPartOfInt J Environ Res Public Health
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0en_US
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_US
dc.subjectPERMA-V
dc.subjectbeing in nature
dc.subjectculture
dc.subjectemotions
dc.subjectflourishing
dc.subjectgreen exercise
dc.subjectnature connectedness
dc.subjectsolitude
dc.subjectwell-being
dc.subjectwilderness solo
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectEducational Status
dc.subjectEmotions
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectGermany
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectNew Zealand
dc.subjectNorway
dc.subjectYoung Adult
dc.titleHow Does Being Solo in Nature Affect Well-Being? Evidence from Norway, Germany and New Zealand
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id447980
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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