title: The effects of a restorative intervention on undergraduate nursing students' capacity to direct attention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a restorative intervention on undergraduate nursing students' capacity to direct attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kaplan and Kaplan's attention restoration theory, which describes and links concepts of directed attention, attention fatigue, and restorative environments, formed the theoretical basis for this research. A convenience sample consisted of 33 students randomly assigned to nonintervention and intervention groups. The intervention was a 1-hr walk in natural surroundings. Both groups completed study instruments prior to and following the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intervention group students scored higher on a measure of quality of life at posttest (p < .05). Differences in a measure of perceived attention were not observed between groups over time. Both groups improved on other measures of attention; however, the results did not provide support for the hypotheses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students were a highly functioning group participating in many activities they considered restorative, prior to the study.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Ontario.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lethbridge
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yankou
authors.forename: Mary-Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Andrusyszyn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009864:Ontario; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires