The Effectiveness of a Forest-experience-integration Intervention for Community Dwelling Cancer Patients' Depression and Resilience

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study examined the effectiveness of a forest-experience-integration intervention in community dwelling cancer patients. METHODS: The study was done with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of the present study were 53 community dwelling cancer patients who were registered in a community health center in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The subjects were divided into an experimental group (n=26) who participated in the forest-experience-integration intervention and a control group (n=27) who did not participate. Data were collected from May to June in 2011. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 19.0 through chi2 test, and independent t-test. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the groups in depression (t=-4.51, p<.001), self-regulation resilience (t=6.95, p<.001), interpersonal resilience (t=10.10, p<.001), positivity resilience (t=9.67, p<.001), and total resilience (t=13.93, p<.001) measurements. CONCLUSION: The forest-experience-integration intervention delivered to community dwelling cancer patients was an effective method for relieving depression and enhancing self-regulation resilience, interpersonal resilience, positivity resilience, and total resilience, and can be utilized as an effective nursing intervention for community dwelling cancer patients.