Connection to Nature and Psychological Wellbeing: The Role of Mindfulness and Spirituality
Simin Kazemi, Julia Torquati, Tuyen Huynh
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health May 29, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph23060725 via OpenAlex
Summary
Connection to nature is linked to psychological wellbeing, and two studies tested whether mindfulness or spirituality explain this link. In Study 1 (219 young adults), mindful attention reduced anxiety and perceived stress, and mindful awareness reduced depression and increased positive states of mind; spirituality did not mediate these effects. In Study 2 (180 young adults), spirituality (self-transcendence) mediated wellbeing outcomes except anxiety, while none of the five facets of mindfulness were significant mediators. The roles of mindfulness and spirituality depend on how they are conceptualized and measured, indicating a need for conceptual clarity in future research.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 399 |
| Population | Young adults |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Spirituality Clarity Mechanism biology |
| Key finding | Mindfulness and spirituality mediate the link between connection to nature and psychological wellbeing, but their roles depend on how the constructs are measured. |
Abstract
This study examined mindfulness and spirituality as potential explanatory mechanisms underlying the associations between connection to nature and young adults’ psychological wellbeing (depression, anxiety, perceived stress, life satisfaction, and positive states of mind). Two studies employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test these pathways using different conceptualizations and measures of mindfulness and spirituality. Participants (Study 1: N = 219, 69.4% female; Study 2: N = 180, 75% female) completed self-report measures of connection to nature, mindfulness, spirituality, and psychological wellbeing. In Study 1, mindful attention functioned as a significant mediating mechanism reducing anxiety and perceived stress, while mindful awareness mediated reductions in depression and increases in positive states of mind. Conversely, spirituality (life scheme and self-efficacy) was not a significant mediator. In Study 2, using alternative measures, spirituality (self-transcendence) significantly operated as a mediating mechanism across all wellbeing outcomes except anxiety, whereas none of the five facets of mindfulness acted as significant mediating mechanisms. Overall, these findings suggest that the roles of mindfulness and spirituality in linking connection to nature and psychological wellbeing may vary depending on how these constructs are conceptualized and measured, highlighting the need for greater conceptual clarity in future research.