The relationship between self-rated naturalness of university green space and students' restoration and health

A growing body of evidence indicates that university green space can promote students' restoration and health. Nonetheless, only a few studies have focused on the relationship that exists among perceived naturalness, restoration and health. This study developed a self-rated naturalness scale (SRNS) to measure perceived naturalness, and examined the association between self-rated naturalness and students' restoration and health in several university campus settings. Explanatory and confirmatory factors analysis were used for the development of the SRNS. The participants in the initial part aimed at SRNS development were 422 university students from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in Fuzhou, China. Finally, the SRNS included three dimensions (perception of natural attributes, perception of natural feeling and perception of natural form) and eleven related indicators. Next, the SRNS was used in a second part designed to examine the relationship between self-rated naturalness and restoration and health. Eight universities in Fuzhou, China were selected as study area, and a total of 2550 students participated in the survey. Analysis of variance showed a positive correlation between self-rated naturalness and restoration. Furthermore, a significant correlation between perceived naturalness and self-rated restoration (emotional response, physiological response, cognitive response and behavioral response) was found. The strategic relapse of health uncovered a positive relationship between self-reported health, and perception of natural attributes and perception of natural form, for both males and females. Nonetheless, only among males a cognitive response was found for perceived restoration and health. The results suggest that universities' perceived naturalness contributed positively to students' self-rated restoration and health. As a result, university managers and those involved in the design of campus landscapes ought to give careful consideration to the role of campus green spaces in meeting students' restoration and health needs.