Exploring Nature's Role as a Psychological Resource for Adults with Adverse Childhood Experiences

<p>Humanity's relationship with the natural environment impacts various aspects of health and well-being. This study examined whether engagement with nature moderates the adverse effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on psychological health. ACEs, which include experiences such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, affect a substantial portion of the population and are linked to long-term psychological difficulties. Previous research has identified numerous benefits of nature engagement, including stress reduction, cognitive restoration, and improved emotional well-being. The present study explored time in nature and nature connection as potential protective factors against the psychological impacts of ACEs, using data from two cross-sectional samples (n=515 and 539): undergraduate students and a general adult population. Structural equation modeling was used to test relationships between ACEs, psychological distress, and flourishing, while examining moderating effects of nature engagement and considering covariates such as age, race, income, and education. As expected, higher ACEs were associated with greater psychological distress and lower flourishing, with maltreatment showing especially consistent effects across both samples. Nature engagement was linked to better psychological outcomes, though patterns varied by population: time in nature was more salient in the undergraduate sample, while nature connection was more consistently predictive in the general population. No significant moderating effects were found, which suggests that impacts regarding nature engagement do not vary by ACEs. These findings highlight the nuanced ways in which nature may support psychological resilience and inform future therapeutic approaches.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• Rice, Isabel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eric Dahlen
• Austen Anderson
• Bonnie Nicholson

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Nature Engagement
• Early Adversity
• Psychological Distress
• Flourishing
• Wellbeing
• Counseling Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1180

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2270