title: A prospective study of existential issues in therapeutic horticulture for clinical depression.
abstract: Two studies with single-group design (Study 1 N = 18, Study 2 N = 28) addressed whether horticultural activities ameliorate depression severity and existential issues. Measures were obtained before and after a 12-week therapeutic horticulture program and at 3-month follow-up. In both studies, depression severity declined significantly during the intervention and remained low at the follow-up. In both studies the existential outcomes did not change significantly; however, the change that did occur during the intervention correlated (rho > .43) with change in depression severity. Participants' open-ended accounts described the therapeutic horticulture experience as meaningful and influential for their view of life.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway. marianne.gonzalez@umb.no
authors.forename: Marianne Thorsen
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hartig
authors.forename: Grete Grindal
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Egil Wilhelm
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Martinsen
authors.forename: Marit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirkevold
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D058611:Horticultural Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome