ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2021
How Does Being Solo in Nature Affect Well-Being? Evidence from Norway, Germany and New Zealand.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Realist review of nature-based interventions for men: understanding the contexts and mechanisms necessary for successful outcomes.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Silence to grow: psychological transformation during long-time engagement in green and blue nature.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- PERMA Well-Being Model and Profiler: Arabic Translation and Validation Among the Saudi Adult Population.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The beneficial effects of social support and prosocial behavior on immunity and health: A psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2024Article
- How do women feel cold water swimming affects their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms?Post reproductive health · 2024Article
- Experience of nature and times of silence as a resource to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on psychological wellbeing-Findings from a continuous cross-sectional survey in Germany.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSolo-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.
methodsUsing 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.
resultsThe 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.
conclusionsSolo 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.
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