Time spent in the great outdoors, or 'green time,' may be a valuable supplement for children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), say two researchers in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
"The advantage of green outdoor activities was observed among children living in different regions of the United States and among children living in a range of settings, from rural to large city environments," wrote co-authors Frances E. Kuo and Andrea Faber Taylor. "Overall, our findings indicate that exposure to ordinary natural settings in the course of common after-school and weekend activities may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit symptoms in children."
Kuo is a professor of psychology and natural resources and environmental sciences, and Faber Taylor is a postdoctoral researcher who specializes in children's environments and behavior.
ADHD is a neurological disorder that affects some 2 million school-aged children, as well as up to 2 to 4 percent of adults, in the United States. Those with ADHD often face serious consequences, such as problems in school and relationships, depression, substance abuse, and on-the-job difficulties.
Kuo and Taylor recruited the parents of 452 children, all diagnosed with ADHD, through ads in major newspapers and the website of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Parents were interviewed by means of the Web and asked to report how their children performed after participating in a wide range of activities. Some activities were conducted inside, others in outdoor places without much greenery, such as parking lots and downtown areas, and others in relatively natural outdoor settings such as a tree-lined street, back yard or park. Researchers found ADHD symptoms were reduced most in green outdoor settings, even when the same activities were compared across different settings.
"These findings are exciting," Kuo says. "We're on the trail of a potential treatment for a disorder that afflicts one of every 14 children-that's one or two kids in every classroom."
If clinical trials and additional research confirm the value of exposure to nature for ameliorating ADHD, daily doses of "green time" might supplement medications and behavioral approaches to ADHD, the authors suggest. Spending time in ordinary "urban nature"-a tree-lined street, a green yard or neighborhood park-may offer additional relief from ADHD symptoms when medications aren't quite enough. Some kids might be able to substitute a "green dose" for their afternoon medication, allowing them to get a good night's sleep.
"A green dose could be a lifesaver for the 10 percent of children whose symptoms don't respond to medication, who are just stuck with the symptoms," Kuo says.
The findings appeared in a recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
