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Nature exposure, satisfaction with life and loneliness: The mediating role of restorative experiences in nature
2026-03-26 - Neto, Joana Sequeira; Neto, Félix
Nature exposure has presented positive relationships with satisfaction with life and negative relationships with loneliness. Nonetheless, studies on the underlying mechanisms that may mediate these relationships are still limited. Nature restorativeness may be one such mediating variable. This paper reports on the role of nature restorativeness in the relationship between exposure to nature and two mental health outcomes — satisfaction with life and loneliness. The sample included 235 women and 113 men with an average age of 35 years (SD = 16.2 years). They answered scales to measure (1) nature exposure, (2) restorative outcomes, (3) satisfaction with life and (4) loneliness. Nature exposure was positively associated with restorative outcomes and satisfaction with life, and negatively associated with loneliness. Hierarchical regressions and mediation analyses showed that nature restorativeness significantly fully mediated the link between nature exposure and (1) satisfaction with life and (2) loneliness. The findings suggested that restorative experiences in nature are likely to be relevant aspects of people’s experience of nature, and positive mental health outcomes are related to them.
Nature connectedness and well-being: Evidence from a multi-national investigation across 75 countries
2026-02-16 - Barbett, Lea; Syropoulos, Stylianos; Capozzoli , Jin; Neto, Joana Sequeira
Nature connectedness, a widely used psychological construct which encompasses affective and cognitive aspects of the relationship a person has with nature, has become a central variable of interest in environmental psychology literature. This interest is motivated partially by its enhancing effects on well-being outcomes. However, comprehensive international evaluations of the link between nature connectedness and well-being remain sparse. In this registered report, we propose a secondary analysis of previously collected data to examine how individual differences in nature connectedness relate to multiple aspects of well-being (i.e., purpose in life, hope, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism) across 75 countries (N = 36,803). Within-country and between-country analyses (linear and mixed regressions) suggested that nature connectedness is a robust positive predictor of well-being. Our findings highlight the importance of nature connected for well-being globally, especially for communities with low access to nature and social resources.
Experienced saudade among brazilian college students: Structure and correlates
2026-02-13 - Neto, Félix; Oliveira, Eliany Nazaré; Neto, Joana Sequeira; Mullet, Etienne
This study examined the psychometric characteristics of the Experience of Saudade Scale (ESS) in a Brazilian sample, its measurement invariance across gender, and the relations of the experience of saudade with well-being and personality traits. The sample comprised 268 Brazilian participants aged 18-31 years. They completed the ESS, and other scales measuring satisfaction with life, satisfaction with love life, self-esteem, loneliness, and personality. The fit of the three-factor model of the ESS (Missing Close Others, Lack of Intimacy, and Longing for the Past) to the data was good, and reliability was adequate. Measurement invariance of the ESS across gender groups was supported. Gender had no effect, and model fit did not vary according to gender. The three factors of the ESS correlated positively with neuroticism. Additionally, (a) Missing close others correlated negatively with satisfaction with love life, (b) Lack of intimacy and Longing for the past correlated with the four measures of well-being. Well-being measures predicted experienced saudade over and above personality traits.