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The Impact of Blue and Green Spaces on Wellbeing: A Review of Reviews through a Positive Psychology Lens

O’Keeffe, Jimmy orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6322-0305, Burke, Jolanta orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-2209-782X, Clarke, Darren orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-0233-0316 and Meehan, Trudy orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6322-0305 (2023) The Impact of Blue and Green Spaces on Wellbeing: A Review of Reviews through a Positive Psychology Lens. Journal of Happiness and Health, 3 (2). pp. 93-108. ISSN 2791-8246

Abstract
The impact of blue and green spaces on wellbeing has been universally acknowledged. However, the meaning of “wellbeing” differs depending on the lens through which it is viewed. The current review of reviews considers the impact of blue and green spaces from the positive psychology perspective, which focuses on the gains in psychological outcomes (e.g., optimism, positive affect) instead of a reduction in deficits (e.g., depression, anxiety). Of the 149 systematic review and meta-analysis papers, 17 were included in the current review of reviews. The results highlighted the scarcity of systematic reviews that assess the positive outcomes of blue and green spaces and moderating factors associated with them. The existing systematic reviews identified inconsistent wellbeing frameworks, focused primarily on positive affect as an outcome of engaging in nature and disregarded eudaimonic aspects of wellbeing. Limitations of the current systematic reviews and future directions are discussed along with the implications for practice.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Blue and green spaces, wellbeing, positive psychology, systematic review
Subjects:Social Sciences > Social psychology
Social Sciences > Sociology
Social Sciences > Public administration
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Science
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of History and Geography
Publisher:Gokmen Arslan, Pub.
Official URL:https://www.journalofhappinessandhealth.com/index....
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:31621
Deposited On:07 Oct 2025 10:16 by Gordon Kennedy . Last Modified 07 Oct 2025 10:16
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