A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Urban Blue Spaces on Residents’ Mental Health

Abstract

The research on the impact of urban blue spaces on residents’ mental health has attracted great attention from scholars internationally, and quantitative studies of the effects dominate the current academia. This study, on the basis of reviewing the theories of urban blue spaces and residents’ mental health, conducted a meta-analysis of 47 key studies by systematically selecting and examining the literature from Web of Science, CNKI, and other databases. This paper analyzed the measuring indicators and research models among the literature and standardized the effect size of the research findings. The meta-analysis results include that: 1) the measurements of the characteristics of urban blue spaces are mainly conducted in space-based and individual-based dimensions; 2) residents’ mental health is mainly measured from aspects of general mental health, positive psychology, and negative psychology; 3) the proximity of blue space has a significant positive effect in improving residents’ general mental health and positive psychology; 4) the availability of blue space is significantly positively correlated with general mental health and positive psychology; 5) although there are studies confirming that factors such as blue space visibility, frequency of visit, and exposure types have an impact on mental health, the relevant studies are still limited; and 6) research on the effect of blue spaces on negative psychology is controversial, especially on mental disorders such as depression, and the findings among existing studies vary significantly. The results of this meta-analysis can provide guidelines for future research and the construction of healthy cities.

Keywords

Urban Blue Spaces / Mental Health / Meta Analysis / Environmental Exposure / Effect Size

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