Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40724680›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2025

The Psychological Benefits of Forest Bathing in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Pilot Study.

Mayte Serrat, Estíbaliz Royuela-Colomer, Sandra Alonso-Marsol, Sònia Ferrés, Ruben Nieto, Albert Feliu-Soler, Anna Muro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Forest bathing (Frontiers in public health · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mayte SerratUnitat d'Expertesa en Síndromes de Sensibilització Central, Hospital de la Vall d'Hebron, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5591-9407
Estíbaliz Royuela-ColomerDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-9912-9610
Sandra Alonso-MarsolIMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
Sònia FerrésEscoles Universitàries Gimbernat, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-5305-8386
Ruben NietoFaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-8759-319X
Albert Feliu-SolerDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-2810-7670
Anna MuroDepartment of Basic, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1331-9921

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesThe main objective of the present study is to assess the short-term effects of Forest Bathing (FB) conducted in a Mediterranean forest on individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) and/or chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgia encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) on perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative affect, mood states, and state mindfulness.

methodsA total of 44 participants with FM and/or CSF/ME agreed to participate in this study. The FB session consisted of a 3 km silent walk, lasting three hours and guided by a specialized psychologist and a mountain guide to guarantee the safety of the activity. Paired-sample

resultsAll reported variables but self-reported pain showed statistically significant pre-post variations after the FB session. Particularly, large-to-very-large improvements in positive and negative affect, state anxiety, tension, depression, anger, and vigor were found. Small-to-moderate effect sizes for fatigue, friendliness, and state mindfulness were also reported.

conclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence of the short-term benefits of FB in individuals with FM and/or CFS/ME, especially on state anxiety and negative affect.

Indexed as

chronic fatigue syndromefibromyalgiaforest bathingforest therapymindfulnessshinrin-yoku

Identifiers

PMID40724680
PMCPMC12295662

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.