| Abstract |
| This study investigated the effects of activities involving interaction with companion plants on the psychological well-being of adults experiencing depressive symptoms. Adults with moderate or severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 17) or a control group (n = 16). Participants in the experimental group cultivated four types of companion plants and participated in structured interaction activities at least once per week for three months, whereas the control group received no intervention. Depression (CES-D), anxiety (GAD-7), stress (PSS), loneliness (UCLA), self-esteem (RSES), and self-efficacy (SES) were assessed at three time points (baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention) using a mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA. Results demonstrated significant Time × Group interaction effects for loneliness and self-efficacy, indicating differential intervention-related effects in the experimental group. Significant main effects of time were observed for depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, polynomial trend analysis showed that significant linear improvement trajectories for self-esteem and self-efficacy were observed exclusively in the experimental group, suggesting that companion plant interaction specifically enhanced positive psychological resources. These findings suggest that interaction with companion plants may serve as a promising non-pharmacological mental health intervention for adults experiencing depressive symptoms, particularly young adults who have limited access to formal mental health services. |
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| Key Words |
| Mental Health, Agro-Healing, Companion Plant, Depression, 정신건강, 치유농업, 반려식물, 우울 |
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