Impact of a nature-based intervention on incarcerated women

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-12-2017-0065
• Pages: 232-243
• Published date: 17 December 2018
• Date: 17 December 2018
• Author: Barb Toews,Amy Wagenfeld,Julie Stevens
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice

Impact of a nature-based intervention

on incarcerated women

Barb Toews, Amy Wagenfeld and Julie Stevens

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of a short-term nature-based intervention

on the social-emotional well-being of women incarcerated on a mental health unit in a state prison.

Design/methodology/approach –This research used a mixed method approach with individual interviews,

a focus group and a visual analog scale (VAS).

Findings –Qualitative results found that women appreciated the planting party and the way the plants

improved the physical environment. Women were also emotionally and relationally impacted by their

participation and practiced skills related to planting and working with people. Quantitative results indicate that

women were happier, calmer, and more peaceful after the intervention than before.

Research limitations/implications –Study limitations include sample size, self-report data and use of a

scale not yet tested for reliability and validity.

Practical implications –Findings suggest that nature-based interventions can serve as an adjunct to

traditional mental health therapies in correctional settings. Nature-based interventions can support women’s

goals to improve their mental health.

Social implications –Findings suggest that nature-based interventions can serve to improve relationships

among incarcerated women, which may make a positive impact on the prison community. Such interventions

may also assist them in developing relational and technical skills that are useful upon release.

Originality/value –To date, there is limited knowledge about the impact of nature-based interventions on

incarcerated individuals coping with mental health concerns.

Keywords Mental health, Prison, Treatment, Nature, Environmental design, Gardens

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

The USA boasts the world’s highest incarcerat ion rate, incarcer ating 2.2 million me n and

women each year in federal and state prisons and local jails (Tsai and Scommegna, 2012).

More than half of these i ndividuals cope wit h mental health probl ems including subs tance

abuse, depression, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (Travis et al., 2014).

Incarcerated women struggle with mental health at greater rates than men (Glaze and James,

2006; Prins, 2014; Steadman et al., 2009), with 91 percent of female offenders meeting

lifetime criteria for mental health disorders, 82 percent for substance abuse and 53 percent

for post-traumat ic stress disorder (Lyn ch et al., 2014). This compromisedmental health is due,

in part, to women’s ex periences with chil dhood abuse as well as intimate partn er violence

(Lynch et al., 2012, 2013).

The mental health of those incarcerated, both men and women, is clearly of great concern,

especially for the way it may contribute to offending (Gottfried and Christopher, 2017). In this era

when correctional facilities have become “‘de facto’mental health treatment facilities”(Honberg,

2015, para. 6), individuals may receive their first mental health services while incarcerated

(Farnworth and Muñoz, 2009). However, of the $8 billion spent annually on correctional

healthcare, only 14 percent covered mental health care and pharmaceuticals and 5 percent paid

for substance abuse treatment (Henrichson and Delaney, 2012; The Pew Charitable Trusts and

MacArthur Foundation, 2014). This limited funding translates into less than one hour of mental

Received 27 December 2017

Revised 28 February 2018

23 March 2018

Accepted 26 March 2018

Barb Toews is based at the

University of Washington

Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington,

USA.

Amy Wagenfeld is based at the

Department of Occupational

Therapy, Western Michigan

University, Grand Rapids,

Michigan, USA.

Julie Stevens is Professor at the

Department of Landscape

Architecture, Iowa State

University, Ames, Iowa, USA.

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INTERNATIONALJOURNAL OF PRISONER HEALTH

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VOL. 14 NO. 4 2018, pp. 232-243, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200 DOI 10.1108/IJPH-12-2017-0065