Growing up in disadvantaged areas can be stressful and place a heavy burden on children, leading to mental health problems and delayed psychological development. But a decade of research suggests there are effective and nearly free treatments that level the playing field with favored opponents. It’s about spending time in nature.
This concept, invented in 2013, is known as isogeneration. This refers to the way the physical environment (usually the amount of green space in a neighborhood) promotes health and functional equity. According to this concept, people who live at a disadvantage due to factors such as income, parental education, and minority status may benefit. more From the natural environment than from privileged groups.
A new paper from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign synthesizes what is known about the isogenetic effects of green space on the mental and psychological health of children living in disadvantaged environments.
“Most homogeneous studies have focused on physical health and adult populations. Only a few dozen studies have specifically looked at the differential effects of green space on mental health for advantaged and disadvantaged children. We look at this body of research collectively and find that “We wanted to discover whether such a pattern was emerging,” said Kyra Denker, who led the review article after taking co-author Andrea Faber Taylor’s Children and Nature class as a psychology senior at the University of Illinois.
Although hundreds of studies have shown clear benefits from spending time in green spaces, few studies have been specifically designed to compare disadvantaged and advantaged groups. Denker and Faber-Taylor found 123 such studies that included all ages and health indicators. Nearly 60% showed evidence of isogeneticity. In other words, people living in disadvantaged conditions benefited more from the natural environment than those who were better off.
That doesn’t mean advantaged groups don’t benefit as well. However, there may be a ceiling effect. Because they already have the support they need, they feel less energized by spending time in green spaces than people living in disadvantaged environments. ”
Faber Taylor, Associate Professor, Department of Crop Science, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois
The team then looked more closely at a subset of 24 studies that focused on children and their psychological health. Half of the studies clearly showed the benefits of green spaces for disadvantaged children, showing reduced levels of anxiety, behavioral difficulties, psychological and behavioral disorders, and improved reading and numeracy skills, cognitive functioning, and pro-social and pro-environmental behaviors. Although a small number of studies found contradictory or non-significant results regarding isogeny, none suggested that time spent in green spaces was harmful for either group.
Although the field of equilibrium generation is still new, researchers do not believe there are any downsides to spending more time in natural environments, especially for children living in disadvantaged environments. Whether or not you’re specifically trying to prove homogeneity, study after study shows numerous psychological and mental health benefits of spending time in green spaces, including stress reduction, attention support, and reduced ADHD symptoms. This is in addition to physical health benefits, from lowering cortisol and blood pressure to increasing immune cell proliferation and activity.
Denker and Faber-Taylor acknowledge that green spaces such as city parks may not be accessible or provide a safe environment for children in disadvantaged areas. While they believe in reforming and promoting neighborhood green spaces, they urge administrators and policy makers to invest in greening schoolyards, which they say will reap huge benefits.
“Schoolyards in particular are something that can be done easily,” Faber-Taylor said. “Most children have to go to school, so they are almost certain to experience that green space. There is some compelling research showing the value of green schoolyards in improving learning, especially math and science, and supporting physical activity and creative play. Given all the benefits of green space and the potential cost offsets for medical and behavioral interventions, it would be crazy not to invest in more trees and other forms of green space.”
sauce:
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Reference magazines:
Denker, K. I., and Faber-Taylor, A. (2026). Nature is nurturing: A scoping review of nature exposure as an isogenetic intervention for children’s psychological health. Frontiers of Psychology. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1731222. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1731222/full
