The Relationship Between Classroom Indoor Plants and Happiness of Female High School Students

Abstract

Background: Nature relatedness and indoor plants can affect human mental health and behavior. In addition, students may take advantage of the green plant at schools. Objectives: This study investigated the effect of indoor plants on the happiness of female high school students in the classrooms. Methods: 384 students participated in this quasi-experimental study carried out with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The subjects of this study were selected from among all female high school students studying in the 2016 - 2017 academic year. To randomize the students, a random allocation rule was used and the subjects were divided into intervention and control groups, each including six classes (n = 192). A demographic questionnaire and the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI) scale were answered by each group as a pretest. Living pot-plants were placed in the experimental group classrooms for 12 weeks and then the OHI was completed by the two groups as a posttest. Paired t-test was used to analyze the data. Results: The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the mean happiness score between the intervention and control groups before the intervention. However, the mean happiness score increased from 41.17 to 55.58 after the intervention. In the posttest, the happiness score was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The presence of indoor plants in the classroom could be helpful in enhancing the happiness of female high school students.