Journal of Nursing & Care

The Effects of Horticultural Therapy on the Well-Being and Hope of Women in Rural Korea

Abstract

Hee-Young Kang, Soon Min, Yun-Ju Ha and Jung-Hwa Kang

Purposes: Horticultural therapy (HT) is an enjoyable and accessible method of recreation that readily lends itself to a variety of healthful lifestyle activities. HT is valued for its physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and recreational benefits. This study was designed to examine the effects of HT on the psychological well-being and hope of rural women. Methods: HT consists of three stages: establishing credibility (sessions 1-3), well-being and interpersonal relationships improvement (session 4-22), and maintenance (sessions 23-24). Participants consisted of 45 women from rural Korea, of which 21 were assigned to the experimental group and 24 to the control group. The experimental participants attended 24 sessions of HT. Results: Two groups undergone the program had a significant difference in the psychological well-being and hope. Conclusions: The findings of this study show that HT has positive effects on psychological and emotional health, and can be utilized as an intervention to help rural women.