Abstract
Across four studies (Ns = 1448, 159, 175, 355), we tested the hypothesis that proximity to nature can predict and prevent problematic smartphone use, being mediated by mindfulness. In correlational Study 1, we investigated a sample of Chinese undergraduate students and found that nature connectedness (sense of proximity to nature) was a significant predictor of less problematic smartphone use. In experimental Studies 2 and 3, we manipulated participants’ proximity to nature by having them recall experiences in natural (vs. urban) settings or exposing them to real natural (vs. urban) environments, and observed that participants in natural (vs. urban) conditions reported lower desire of using smartphone. Adopting an online Noticing Nature Intervention (nature condition), Study 4 showed that participants who noticing nature for two weeks reported less problematic smartphone use, relative to their peers in control conditions. Furthermore, we found that mindfulness played a significant mediating role in the correlational (Study 1) and causal (Study 3) link between proximity to nature and problematic smartphone use (desire). Overall, the present work highlights the role of nature in helping tackle the issue of problematic smartphone use as well as the underlying mechanism (i.e., mindfulness).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The datasets for the current four studies are available at https://osf.io/d3bqy/.
Notes
We also analyzed the data by including gender and age as covariates, but the results remained unchanged, F(1, 171) = 8.53, p = .004, η²p = .05, 90% CI [0.01, 0.11]. So we didn’t report the results taking gender and age as covariates.
The results remained unchanged, F(1, 171) = 15.59, p < .001, η²p = .08, 90% CI [0.03, 0.16], when taking gender and age as covariates.
References
Almog, S., Scaglione, N. M., Cheong, J., Rung, J. M., Ferreiro, A. V., & Berry, M. S. (2022). Spending time in nature serves as a protective factor against problematic alcohol use: A structural equation modeling approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 13356. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013356.
Annoni, A. M., Petrocchi, S., Camerini, A., & Marciano, L. (2021). The relationship between social anxiety, smartphone use, dispositional trust and problematic smartphone use: A moderated mediation model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052452.
Arpaci, I. (2021). Relationships between early maladaptive schemas and smartphone addiction: The moderating role of mindfulness. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 19(3), 778–792. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00186-y.
Bakir-Demir, T., Berument, S. K., & Akkaya, S. (2021). Nature connectedness boosts the bright side of emotion regulation, which in turn reduces stress. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 76, 101642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101642.
Barton, J., Griffin, M., & Pretty, J. (2012). Exercise-, nature- and socially interactive-based initiatives improve mood and self-esteem in the clinical population. Perspectives in Public Health, 132(2), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913910393862.
Bennett, L. W., Cardone, S., & Jarczyk, J. (1998). Effects of a therapeutic camping program on addiction recovery: The algonquin haymarket relapse prevention program. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 15(5), 469–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0740-5472(97)00222-5.
Berry, M. S., Repke, A. R., Metcalf, A. L., & Jordan, K. E. (2020). Promoting healthy decision-making via natural environment exposure: Initial evidence and future directions. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1682. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01682.
Bianchi, A., & Phillips, J. G. (2005). Psychological predictors of problem mobile phone use. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 8(1), 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2005.8.39.
Billieux, J. (2012). Problematic use of the mobile phone: A literature review and a pathways model. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 8(4), 299–307. https://doi.org/10.2174/157340012803520522.
Billieux, J., Van der Linden, M., & Rochat, L. (2008). The role of impulsivity in actual and problematic use of the mobile phone. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 22(9), 1195–1210.
Billieux, J., Maurage, P., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 156–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-015-0054-y.
Birch, J., Rishbeth, C., & Payne, S. R. (2020). Nature doesn’t judge you – how urban nature supports young people’s mental health and wellbeing in a diverse UK city. Health and Place, 62, 102296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102296.
Bratman, G. N., Olvera-Alvarez, H. A., & Gross, J. J. (2021). The affective benefits of nature exposure. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, e12630. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12630.
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822–848. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822.
Busch, P. A., & McCarthy, S. (2021). Antecedents and consequences of problematic smartphone use: A systematic literature review of an emerging research area. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106414.
Busk, H., Sidenius, U., Kongstad, L. P., Corazon, S. S., Petersen, C. B., Poulsen, D. V., Nyed, P. K., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2022). Economic evaluation of nature-based therapy interventions — a scoping review. Challenges, 13(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe13010023.
Caponnetto, P., Inguscio, L., Valeri, S., Maglia, M., Polosa, R., Lai, C., & Mazzoni, G. (2021). Smartphone addiction across the lifetime during Italian lockdown for COVID-19. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 39(4), 441–449. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2021.1889751.
Cappelleri, J. C., Bushmakin, A. G., Baker, C. L., Merikle, E., Olufade, A. O., & Gilbert, D. G. (2007). Multivariate framework of the brief questionnaire of Smoking urges. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 90(2), 234–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.04.002.
Chen, S., Cui, H., Zhou, R., & Jia, Y. (2012). Revision of mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS). Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20(2), 148–151.
Chen, W., Yan, L., Yuan, Y., Zhu, X., Zhang, Y., & Lian, S. (2021). Preference for solitude and mobile phone addiction among Chinese college students: The mediating role of psychological distress and moderating role of mindfulness. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 750511. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.750511.
Corazon, S. S., Sidenius, U., Poulsen, D. V., Gramkow, M. C., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2019). Psycho-physiological stress recovery in outdoor nature-based interventions: A systematic review of the past eight years of research. International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health, 16(10), 1711. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101711.
Djernis, D., Lerstrup, I., Poulsen, D., Stigsdotter, U., Dahlgaard, J., & O’Toole, M. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of nature-based mindfulness: Effects of moving mindfulness training into an outdoor natural setting. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3202. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173202.
Duan, L., He, J., Li, M., Dai, J., Zhou, Y., Lai, F., & Zhu, G. (2021). Based on a decision tree model for exploring the risk factors of smartphone addiction among children and adolescents in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 652356. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.652356.
Elhai, J. D., Dvorak, R. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2017). Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology. Journal of Afective Disorders, 207, 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.030.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G* power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149.
Geng, L. N., Xu, J. K., Ye, L. J., Zhou, W. J., & Zhou, K. X. (2015). Connections with nature and environmental behaviors. Plos One, 10(5), e0127247. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0127247.
Guo, L., Wang, Z., & Liang, J. (2023). Exposure to nature increases the intention to reduce food waste: A moderated mediation model of selftranscendence and openness to experience. Current Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04756-1.
Hayes, A. F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. Guilford Press.
Hayes, A. F., & Cai, L. (2007). Using heteroskedasticity-consistent standard error estimators in OLS regression: An introduction and software implementation. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 709–722. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03192961.
Hinde, S., Bojke, L., & Coventry, P. (2021). The cost effectiveness of ecotherapy as a healthcare intervention, separating the wood from the trees. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11599. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111599.
Ho, P. L., Li, T. W., Liu, H., Yeung, T. F., & Hou, W. K. (2022). Testing a new protocol of nature-based intervention to enhance well-being: A randomized control trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 3931. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073931.
Huang, H., Wan, X., Lu, G., Ding, Y., & Chen, C. (2022). The relationship between alexithymia and mobile phone addiction among mainland Chinese students: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 754542. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.754542.
Jennings, V., & Bamkole, O. (2019). The relationship between social cohesion and urban green space: An avenue for health promotion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(3), 452. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030452.
Johnsen, S. Å. K., & Rydstedt, L. W. (2013). Active use of the natural environment for emotion regulation. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 9(4), 798–819. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v9i4.633.
Kao, C., Wu, W., & Chiou, W. (2019). Exposure to nature may induce lower discounting and lead to healthier dietary choices. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 65, 101333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101333.
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2.
Kaplan, S. (2001). Meditation, restoration, and the management of mental fatigue. Environment and Behavior, 33(4), 480–506. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160121973106.
Kent, S., Masterson, C., Ali, R., Parsons, C. E., & Bewick, B. M. (2021). Digital intervention for problematic smartphone use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13165. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413165.
Kesebir, S., & Kesebir, P. (2017). A growing disconnection from nature is evident in cultural products. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(2), 258–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616662473.
Korpela, K. M., & Ylén, M. (2007). Perceived health is associated with visiting natural favourite places in the vicinity. Health and Place, 13(1), 138–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.11.002.
Kotera, Y., & Rhodes, C. (2020). Commentary: Suggesting shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) for treating addiction. Addictive Behaviors, 111, 106556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106556.
Lan, Y., Ding, J., Li, W., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Liu, M., & Fu, Y. (2018). A pilot study of a group mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral intervention for smartphone addiction among university students. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(4), 1171–1176. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.103.
Larson, L. R., Szczytko, R., Bowers, E. P., Stephens, L. E., Stevenson, K. T., & Floyd, M. F. (2019). Outdoor time, screen time, and connection to nature: Troubling trends among rural youth? Environment and Behavior, 51(8), 966–991. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916518806686.
Lau, M. A., Bishop, S. R., Segal, Z. V., Buis, T., Anderson, N. D., Carlson, L., Shapiro, S., Carmody, J., Abbey, S., & Devins, G. (2006). The Toronto Mindfulness Scale: Development and validation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(12), 1445–1467. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20326.
Lee, Y., Chang, C., Lin, Y., & Cheng, Z. (2014). The dark side of smartphone usage: Psychological traits, compulsive behavior and technostress. Computers in Human Behavior, 31(1), 373–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.047.
Li, H., & Cao, Y. (2022). Exposure to nature leads to a stronger natural-is-better bias in Chinese people. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 79, 101752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101752.
Li, L., Niu, Z. M., & Mei, S. L. (2017). The mindfulness cognitive-behavioral group therapy of medical students’ smartphone addiction in group counseling course. China Higher Medical Education, 5, 37–38. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-1701.2017.05.016.
Li, Y., Li, G., Liu, L., & Wu, H. (2020). Correlations between mobile phone addiction and anxiety, depression, impulsivity, and poor sleep quality among college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(3), 551–571. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00057.
Lian, S., Sun, X., Niu, G., Yang, X., Zhou, Z., & Yang, C. (2021). Mobile phone addiction and psychological distress among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of rumination and moderating role of the capacity to be alone. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 701–710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.10.005.
Liang, Y., Huang, H., Ding, Y., Zhang, Y., Lu, G., & Chen, C. (2022). The relationship between self-esteem and mobile phone addiction among mainland Chinese adolescents: A meta-analysis. Psychological Reports, 332941221109115. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221109115.
Lipovac, K., Đerić, M., Tešić, M., Andrić, Z., & Marić, B. (2017). Mobile phone use while driving-literary review. Transportation Research Part F Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 47, 132–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2017.04.015.
Liu, Q. Q., Zhang, D. J., Yang, X. J., Zhang, C. Y., Fan, C. Y., & Zhou, Z. K. (2018). Perceived stress and mobile phone addiction in Chinese adolescents: A moderated mediation model. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.06.006.
Liu, F., Zhang, Z., Liu, S., & Feng, Z. (2022). Effectiveness of brief mindfulness intervention for college students’ problematic smartphone use: The mediating role of self-control. Plos One, 17(12), e0279621. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279621.
Long, J., Liu, T. Q., Liao, Y. H., Qi, C., He, H. Y., Chen, S. B., & Billieux, J. (2016). Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates. Bmc Psychiatry, 16(1), 408. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-1083-3.
Lopez-Fernandez, O., Honrubia-Serrano, L., Freixa-Blanxart, M., & Gibson, W. (2014). Prevalence of problematic mobile phone use in British adolescents. Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking, 17(2), 91–98. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0260.
Luk, T. T., Wang, M. P., Shen, C., Wan, A., Chau, P. H., Oliffe, J., Viswanath, K., Chan, S. S., & Lam, T. H. (2018). Short version of the smartphone addiction scale in Chinese adults: Psychometric properties, sociodemographic, and health behavioral correlates. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(4), 1157–1165. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.105.
Lymeus, F., Lindberg, P., & Hartig, T. (2018). Building mindfulness bottom-up: Meditation in natural settings supports open monitoring and attention restoration. Consciousness and Cognition, 59, 40–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2018.01.008.
Maas, J., van Dillen, S. M. E., Verheij, R. A., & Groenewegen, P. P. (2009). Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health. Health and Place, 15(2), 586–595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.09.006.
Macaulay, R., Lee, K., Johnson, K., & Williams, K. (2022). Letting my mind run wild’: Exploring the role of individual engagement in nature experiences. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 71, 127566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127566.
Martin, L., Pahl, S., White, M. P., & May, J. (2019). Natural environments and craving: The mediating role of negative affect. Health and Place, 58, 102160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102160.
Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24, 503–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.10.001.
McMahan, E. A., & Estes, D. (2015). The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(6), 507–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.994224.
Menardo, E., Di Marco, D., Ramos, S., Brondino, M., Arenas, A., Costa, P., de Carvalho, V., C., & Pasini, M. (2022). Nature and mindfulness to cope with work-related stress: A narrative review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 5948. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105948.
Minor, K., Glavind, K. L., Schwartz, A. J., Danforth, C. M., Lehmann, S., & Bjerre-Nielsen, A. (2023). Nature exposure is associated with reduced smartphone use. Environment and Behavior, 55(3), 103–139. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165231167165.
Moore, C. L., & Van Vliet, K. J. (2022). Women’s experiences of nature as a pathway to recovery from Sexual Assault. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 62(1), 123–150. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167819847094.
Nielsen Company (2017). The Nielsen total audience report: Q2 2017. New York, NY: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports-downloads/2017-reports/total-audience-report-q2-2017.pdf.
Oh, K. H., Shin, W. S., Khil, T. G., & Kim, D. J. (2020). Six-step model of nature-based therapy process. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 685. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030685.
Oh, R. R. Y., Zhang, Y., Nghiem, L. T. P., Chang, C., Tan, C. L. Y., Quazi, S., Shanahan, D. F., Lin, B. B., Gaston, K. J., Fuller, R. A., & Carrasco, R. L. (2022). Connection to nature and time spent in gardens predicts social cohesion. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 127655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127655.
Olson, J. A., Sandra, D. A., Colucci, S., Bikaii, A. A., Chmoulevitch, D., Nahas, J., Raz, A., & Veissière, S. P. L. (2022). Smartphone addiction is increasing across the world: A meta-analysis of 24 countries. Computers in Human Behavior, 129, 107138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107138.
Passmore, H. A., & Holder, M. D. (2017). Noticing nature: Individual and social benefts of a two-week intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(6), 537–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126.
Passmore, H. A., & Howell, A. J. (2014). Eco-existential positive psychology: Experiences in nature, existential anxieties, and well-being. The Humanistic Psychologist, 42(4), 370–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/08873267.2014.920335.
Passmore, H., Yang, Y., & Sabine, S. (2022). An extended replication study of the well-being intervention, the noticing nature intervention (NNI). Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(6), 2663–2683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00516-3.
Ran, G., Li, J., Zhang, Q., & Niu, X. (2022). The association between social anxiety and mobile phone addiction: A three-level meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 130, 1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107198.
Ray, T. N., Franz, S. A., Jarrett, N. L., & Pickett, S. M. (2021). Nature enhanced meditation: Effects on mindfulness, connectedness to nature, and pro-environmental behavior. Environment and Behavior, 53(8), 864–890. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916520952452.
Regan, T., Harris, B., Van Loon, M., Nanavaty, N., Schueler, J., Engler, S., & Fields, S. A. (2020). Does mindfulness reduce the effects of risk factors for problematic smartphone use? Comparing frequency of use versus self-reported addiction. Addictive Behaviors, 108, 106435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106435.
Richardson, M., Hussain, Z., & Griffiths, M. D. (2018). Problematic smartphone use, nature connectedness, and anxiety. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1), 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.10.
Schertz, K. E., & Berman, M. G. (2019). Understanding nature and its cognitive benefits. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(5), 496–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721419854100.
Schoemann, A. M., Boulton, A. J., & Short, S. D. (2017). Determining power and sample size for simple and complex mediation models. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 8(4), 379–386. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1948550617715068.
Shonin, E., & Van Gordon, W. (2016). The mechanisms of mindfulness in the treatment of mental Illness and addiction. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(5), 844–849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-016-9653-7.
Smith, A. (2015). Smartphone use in 2015. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015.
Stewart, M., & Haaga, D. A. F. (2018). State mindfulness as a mediator of the effects of exposure to nature on affect and psychological well-being. Ecopsychology, 10(1), 53–60. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2017.0033.
Swami, V., Barron, D., Hari, R., Grover, S., & Furnham, A. (2019). The nature of positive body image: Examining associations between nature exposure, self- compassion, functionality appreciation, and body appreciation. Ecopsychology, 11(4), 243–253. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2019.0019.
Tomczyk, Ł., & Lizde, E. S. (2023). Is real screen time a determinant of problematic smartphone and social network use among young people? Telematics and Informatics, 82, 101994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2023.101994.
Twenge, J. M. (2019). More time on technology, less happiness? Associations between digital-media use and psychological well-being. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(4), 372–379. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721419838244.
Unsworth, S., Palicki, S., & Lustig, J. (2016). The impact of mindful meditation in natureon self-nature interconnectedness. Mindfulness, 7(5), 1052–1060. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0542-8.
Van der Wal, A. J., Schade, H. M., Krabbendam, L., & Van Vugt, M. (2013). Do natural landscapes reduce future discounting in humans? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B Biological Sciences, 280, 20132295. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2295.
Van Gordon, W., Shonin, E., Dunn, T. J., Garcia-Campayo, J., Demarzo, M. M. P., & Griffifiths, M. D. (2017). Meditation awareness training for the treatment of workaholism: A controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(2), 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.6.2017.021.
Wang, W., Qian, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Mindfulness and cell phone dependence: The mediating role of social adaptation. Social Behavior and Personality, 49(10), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.9363.
Wiley, E. R., Seabrook, J. A., Gilliland, J. A., Anderson, K. K., & Stranges, S. (2020). Green space and substance use and addiction: A new frontier. Addictive Behaviors, 100, 106155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106155.
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press.
Wong, B. Y., Yeo, K. J., & Handayani, L. (2022). A systematic review on relationship between stress and problematic smartphone use. International Journal of Public Health Science, 11(3), 1133–1156. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v11i3.22191.
Yang, X., Zhou, Z., Liu, Q., & Fan, C. (2019). Mobile phone addiction and adolescents’ anxiety and depression: The moderating role of mindfulness. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(3), 822–830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-01323-2.
Yang, Y., Wang, L., Passmore, H. A., Zhang, J., Zhu, L., & Cai, H. (2021). Viewing nature scenes reduces the pain of social ostracism. The Journal of Social Psychology, 161(2), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2020.1784826.
Yang, Y., Cai, H., Yang, Z., Zhao, X., Li, M., Han, R., & Chen, S. X. (2022). Why does nature enhance psychological well-being?A self-determination account. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 83, 101872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101872.
Yang, Y., Sedikides, C., Wang, Y., & Cai, H. (2023). Nature nurtures authenticity: Mechanisms and consequences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000432. Advance online publication.
Zhang, J., Zhang, X., Zhang, K., Lu, X., Yuan, G., Yang, H., Guo, H., Zhu, Z., Wang, T., Hao, J., Sun, Y., Su, P., Yang, L., & Zhang, Z. (2022). An updated of meta-analysis on the relationship between mobile phone addiction and sleep disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 305, 94–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.008.
Zhou, Y., Yang, L., Yu, J., & Guo, S. (2022). Do seasons matter? Exploring the dynamic link between blue-green space and mental restoration. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 73, 127612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127612.
Funding
The research is supported by the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province [Y202147661].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics
This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Zhejiang Ocean University.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the present studies.
Competing interest
None.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Zhu, S. Proximity to nature prevents problematic smartphone use: the role of mindfulness. Curr Psychol 43, 16699–16710 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05581-2
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05581-2