The Influence of Structured Nature Experiences on Youth Mental, Emotional, and Social Health Competencies in Summer Camps: A Systematic Review.

Daniela Berry, Alexandra Skrocki, Emily Howell, Daniel Pilgreen

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in

0citing 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

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Daniela BerryDepartment of Health & Wellness Design, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2999-5713

Alexandra SkrockiDepartment of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8931-2275

Emily HowellDepartment of Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.

Daniel PilgreenDepartment of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

There is a lack of consensus on the role of structured nature experiences (SNEs) in mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) competencies across youth summer camp participants. This systematic review synthesized research on the relationship between SNEs and MESH competencies in camps since the emergence of positive youth development. Following a Google Scholar search, 21 articles were reviewed and synthesized. The findings revealed that SNEs consistently support growth in MESH competencies, particularly through experiential learning and nature immersion. The mental health domain was the most prominent MESH domain studied in the reviewed literature. Interrelated themes are discussed within each domain. While some improvements show short-term gains, lasting improvements were also observed, especially among youth with social or behavioral challenges. This review identifies SNEs as intentional and evidence-based mechanisms for advancing MESH outcomes among youth in the summer camp setting.

Indexed as

emotionalmentalsocial health competenciesstructured nature experiencessummer camp

Identifiers

PMID41750055

DOI10.3390/bs16020246

PMCPMC12937976

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LicenceCC BY

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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.