CAMPUS GREEN SPACES AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONGST STUDENTS
Exploring the association between campus green spaces and perceived stress, moderated by
overall satisfaction, at a Dutch University
Name
Department
Masterthesis Clinical Psychology
Supervisor:
First assessor:
Date:
Words: 6801
1
,CAMPUS GREEN SPACES AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONGST STUDENTS
Abstract
With a growing prevalence of stress amongst university students, quick, affordable, and
accessible treatments are required. Campus green spaces may help reduce stress. The aim of
this study was to investigate the association between campus green spaces at a Dutch
university and students stress while exploring the possible moderation of satisfaction. Data
was collected from students at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam (VU). Students studying
at the VU filled out an online questionnaire about their perceived amount of stress (dependent
quantitative variable), usage of (independent quantitative variable) and satisfaction with
(qualitative moderator variable) local campus green spaces. Results showed no association
between usage of campus green spaces and perceived stress. Furthermore, overall satisfaction
with campus green spaces did not moderate the association between usage of campus green
spaces and perceived stress. However, satisfaction was added as an independent variable
alongside usage of campus green spaces and showed a main effect. Students who were more
satisfied with campus green spaces perceived lower amounts of stress. Possible explanations
for lack of significant associations could be the objectification of green spaces, lack of
extreme stress amongst students, lack of awareness of green spaces and the period of data
collection. Implications for future research are discussed.
Keywords: campus green spaces, stress, satisfaction, university students, moderation, survey
research, cross-sectional
2
, CAMPUS GREEN SPACES AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONGST STUDENTS
Exploring the association between campus green spaces and perceived stress,
moderated by overall satisfaction, at a Dutch University
Stress is a phenomenon that profoundly influences everyday life. At this very
moment, approximately 74% of the world population feels or is about to feel stress, according
to the mental health organization in the United Kingdom
(www.mentalhealthfoundations.org). According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2023),
stress can be defined as a “state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation”.
Stress can be divided into adaptive and maladaptive stress (Aschbacher et al., 2013).
Adaptive stress occurs for a short period of time and motivates and enhances performance on
different levels. For example, a stress feeling before you perform a solo violin play can be
classified as adaptive stress. In contrast, maladaptive stress is long-term and causes a variety
of mental and physical problems. Repeated and consecutive exposure to stressors, for
example financial difficulties, unemployment or dissatisfaction at work, loss of a loved one
and toxic relationships can cause maladaptive stress. Subsequently, maladaptive stress can
result in: loss of appetite, quickly irritated, trouble with sleeping, unexplainable pain in
different parts of the body, fatigue, cognitive problems, anxiety, and depression (Dragos et
al., 2010; Schweren et al., 2021; Nakao et al., 2021).
Crum et al. (2013) defined stress as followed: “In the context of stress, one’s
stress mindset can be conceptualized as the extent to which one holds the belief that stress
has enhancing consequences for various stress related outcomes such as performance and
productivity, health and wellbeing, and learning and growth (referred to as a “stress-is-
enhancing mindset”) or holds the belief that stress has debilitating consequences for those
outcomes (referred to as a “stress-is-debilitating mindset”). The perception of stress by an
individual thus determines how stress is physically and mentally processed. A stressful
situation is not entirely fundamental to either (mental) health problems or beneficial
outcomes. The process of perceiving and processing stress are part of coping mechanisms;
some people can cope with stress, others succumb to the effects. McEwen et al. (1993)
provides a possible explanation for this difference in coping, by introducing a concept called
allostatic load. Allostatic load refers to the associations between accumulation of events
(repeated, chronic, and life changing) and the corresponding responses of endocrine
3
Exploring the association between campus green spaces and perceived stress, moderated by
overall satisfaction, at a Dutch University
Name
Department
Masterthesis Clinical Psychology
Supervisor:
First assessor:
Date:
Words: 6801
1
,CAMPUS GREEN SPACES AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONGST STUDENTS
Abstract
With a growing prevalence of stress amongst university students, quick, affordable, and
accessible treatments are required. Campus green spaces may help reduce stress. The aim of
this study was to investigate the association between campus green spaces at a Dutch
university and students stress while exploring the possible moderation of satisfaction. Data
was collected from students at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam (VU). Students studying
at the VU filled out an online questionnaire about their perceived amount of stress (dependent
quantitative variable), usage of (independent quantitative variable) and satisfaction with
(qualitative moderator variable) local campus green spaces. Results showed no association
between usage of campus green spaces and perceived stress. Furthermore, overall satisfaction
with campus green spaces did not moderate the association between usage of campus green
spaces and perceived stress. However, satisfaction was added as an independent variable
alongside usage of campus green spaces and showed a main effect. Students who were more
satisfied with campus green spaces perceived lower amounts of stress. Possible explanations
for lack of significant associations could be the objectification of green spaces, lack of
extreme stress amongst students, lack of awareness of green spaces and the period of data
collection. Implications for future research are discussed.
Keywords: campus green spaces, stress, satisfaction, university students, moderation, survey
research, cross-sectional
2
, CAMPUS GREEN SPACES AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONGST STUDENTS
Exploring the association between campus green spaces and perceived stress,
moderated by overall satisfaction, at a Dutch University
Stress is a phenomenon that profoundly influences everyday life. At this very
moment, approximately 74% of the world population feels or is about to feel stress, according
to the mental health organization in the United Kingdom
(www.mentalhealthfoundations.org). According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2023),
stress can be defined as a “state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation”.
Stress can be divided into adaptive and maladaptive stress (Aschbacher et al., 2013).
Adaptive stress occurs for a short period of time and motivates and enhances performance on
different levels. For example, a stress feeling before you perform a solo violin play can be
classified as adaptive stress. In contrast, maladaptive stress is long-term and causes a variety
of mental and physical problems. Repeated and consecutive exposure to stressors, for
example financial difficulties, unemployment or dissatisfaction at work, loss of a loved one
and toxic relationships can cause maladaptive stress. Subsequently, maladaptive stress can
result in: loss of appetite, quickly irritated, trouble with sleeping, unexplainable pain in
different parts of the body, fatigue, cognitive problems, anxiety, and depression (Dragos et
al., 2010; Schweren et al., 2021; Nakao et al., 2021).
Crum et al. (2013) defined stress as followed: “In the context of stress, one’s
stress mindset can be conceptualized as the extent to which one holds the belief that stress
has enhancing consequences for various stress related outcomes such as performance and
productivity, health and wellbeing, and learning and growth (referred to as a “stress-is-
enhancing mindset”) or holds the belief that stress has debilitating consequences for those
outcomes (referred to as a “stress-is-debilitating mindset”). The perception of stress by an
individual thus determines how stress is physically and mentally processed. A stressful
situation is not entirely fundamental to either (mental) health problems or beneficial
outcomes. The process of perceiving and processing stress are part of coping mechanisms;
some people can cope with stress, others succumb to the effects. McEwen et al. (1993)
provides a possible explanation for this difference in coping, by introducing a concept called
allostatic load. Allostatic load refers to the associations between accumulation of events
(repeated, chronic, and life changing) and the corresponding responses of endocrine
3
