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J. Korean Soc. People Plants Environ. 2011;14(3):139-145. Published online June 30, 2011.
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- Abstract
- In an attempt to find out the influence of horticultural activities on middle school students’ stress and academic motivation, this study was performed to male students in A middle school in Gyeongsangbuk-do participate in a range of horticultural activities once weekly, on Thursdays, totaling 12 times, from September 9 to December 23, 2010. Stress scores measured before and after the horticultural activities were compared. The scores of stress from parents and teachers, which are two of the sub-items in the stress questionnaire, dropped by 2.2 from 11.00 to 8.80 and by 3.94 from 17.00 to 13.06, respectively at the significance level, P<0.05. Scores of stress from studying and from surroundings, which are another two sub-items in the stress questionnaire, decreased by 5.07 from 18.93 to 13.86 and by 3.94 from 17.00 to 13.06, respectively, at the significance level, P<0.01. The total score fell by 18.46 from 89.86 to 71.40 at the significance level, P<0.01. Nothing motivation, as a sub-item of academic motivation, compared before and after horticultural activities, lowered by 7.4 from 45.40 to 38.00, while the self motivation rose by 3 from 23.33 to 26.33. Both sub-items were improved at the significance level, P<0.01. After completing horticultural activities, the control and experimental groups were compared in terms of changes in stress and academic motivation. Stress from families showed a significant difference when P<0.05, whereas stress from studying, teachers and surroundings displayed significant differences when P<0.01. With regard to academic motivation, nothing and self motivations led to significant differences when P<0.01. These findings suggest that horticultural activities including floral decoration and plant growing relieve stress and boost academic motivation among middle school students to a great extent.
Keywords :Horticultural therapy;Self-esteem;Social motivation;Self motivation;Stress
