Journal of Korean Society for People, Plants and Environment 2011;14(3):139-145.
Published online June 30, 2011.

원예활동이 남자 중학생의 스트레스와 학업 동기에 미치는 영향

손희연(Hee Yeon Shon), 이민정(Min Jung Lee), 최병진(Byung Jin Choi)

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