Nature Connection, Mindfulness, and Wellbeing: A Network Analysis

Relationships between nature connection, mindfulness and wellbeing have been observed through nature based therapeutic interventions, where mindfulness and nature appear to reciprocally influence each other in relation to wellbeing and is potentially consistent with attention restoration theory. However, previous studies have relied on examining nature based interventions rather than the role of nature connection in everyday lives. This investigation explored the relationship between nature connection, mindfulness, and wellbeing within a general population sample in Auckland, New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 472) completed a survey questionnaire measuring nature connectedness (CNS), hedonic and eudemonic wellbeing (PANAS and MLQ), stress (PSS), and mindfulness (FFMQ). Given mindfulness consists of interrelated practices and the relationship between mindfulness and nature connection is thought to be reciprocal, an EBIC GLASSO network was constructed to investigate the pathways between nature connection, mindfulness, and wellbeing. The FFMQ subscale of Observing was central to the network in terms of closeness and betweenness and had a strong correlation with CNS where it bridged CNS and wellbeing scales. This study demonstrates that individuals in their daily lives show relationships between nature connection, mindfulness, and wellbeing, and indicates that the Observing aspect of mindfulness might be useful for harnessing nature connection and wellbeing effects.