Source: KANSAS STATE UNIV submitted to NRP
THE HEALING GARDEN: ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL AND SOCIAL BEHAVIORS INVOLVING PEOPLE-PLANT INTERACTIONS.
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0197409
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2002
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2007
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
KANSAS STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MANHATTAN,KS 66506
Performing Department
HORTICULTURE & FORESTRY
Non Technical Summary
Everyday situations increase stress, medical and behaviorial problem in disadvantaged people and the general public. This project will measure the stress reducing and healing effects of horticultural plants.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
80260993080100%
Knowledge Area
802 - Human Development and Family Well-Being;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;
Goals / Objectives
To evaluate how horticulture provides therapeutic stimuli to improve physical and mental health. To measure social interaction, behaviors, conginitive development and economics influences of community gardens.
Project Methods
Biomonitoring will be conducted at the KSU Horticultural Therapy Laboratory, at local medical centers and community based programs. People-plant interactions will be measured continuously with medical instrumentation or through use of questionnaires, surveys and inventories given in pre/post test designs.

Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/07

Outputs
Visual viewing of red-flowering geraniums enhances stress recovery of female college students as measured by physiological stress indicators and fast-beta brain waves. Gardening activities activate immune system responses as measured by changes in salivary cortical and secretory immunoglobulin A, while producing lower frequency of upper respiratory infection. Lavender fragrance was found to produce significant changes in psycho-physiological and self-rated emotional responses that reduce stress and may have important marketing applications. Pain tolerance and recovery is increased in simulated hospital rooms containing a combination of plants and flowers. Office worker productivity is enhanced and stress levels are reduced in landscaped office environments.

Impacts
This project measured human biomedical changes, cognitive development, social interaction, and affective behaviors occurring horticultural and non-horticultural activities. Research conducted in multiple experiments measured responses to visual, olfactory, pain responses, auto-immune system changes, and psycho-biological interpretations of plants in simulated office and hospital environments.

Publications

  • Cho, H. and R. H. Mattson. 2000. Effect of horticultural activity on level of stress hormone and susceptibility to upper respiratory infection. Korean Plant People Environment Association Conference Proceedings 12(8): 44-48.
  • Liu, M., Z. Qixiang, and R.H. Mattson. 2001. Development and application of horticultural therapy in the United States. Symposium of the 9th Chinese Horticultural Society Annual Conference 2001: 351-356.
  • Kim, E. and R.H. Mattson. 2002. Stress recovery effects of viewing red-flowering geraniums. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture 13: 4-12.
  • Park, S., R.H. Mattson, and E. Kim. 2002. Horticultural therapy as an alternative medicine for pain management: Pain tolerance and recovery effects of ornamental plants in a simulated hospital patient room. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture 12: 96-97. [Abstract].
  • Liu, M., E. Kim, and R.H. Mattson (Accepted for publication, 2003, to be published in 2004) Physiological and emotional influences of cut flower arrangements and lavender fragrance on university students. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture.
  • Park, S. , R.H. Mattson, and E. Kim. 2004. Pain tolerance effests of indoor plants in a simulated hospital patient room. Acta Horticulture 2: (in press).
  • Tomono, T. , R.H. Mattson, and E. Kim. 2003. Effects of interior plantings on stress among office workers: Psycho-biological responses, mood states, and work productivity. HortScience 38(5): 733. [Abstract]