Samenvatting

The physical environment of a shelter for homeless families may be a stressful place for parents. Exposure to natural environments might help to improve parental wellbeing. This study tested the impact of personalized exposure to a natural environment on wellbeing of parents residing in shelters. Single-case experiments with three families involved repeated and randomized exposure to the indoor environment of the shelter (baseline phases) and to a natural environment (intervention phases). During exposure, basic psychological need fulfillment in parenting as well as parents’ overall affective state and satisfaction with life were assessed. Exposure to nature significantly increased basic psychological need fulfillment of parents but did not significantly improve affective state nor satisfaction with life. To contribute to parents’ functioning and resilience, professionals may invite families for nature exposure for the support of parents’ basic psychological need fulfillment.