Q&A: UW Researchers Examine Mental Impact of Girl Scouts’ Interactions With Nature

Lauren Kirschman · UW News · April 21, 2025

Featuring multiple members of the Center’s Research Collaborative

Think of your last memorable moment in nature. Did you spot a bird you’ve never seen before? Dip your toes in a river? Maybe climb a tree?

New research from the University of Washington, recently published in the Journal of Environmental Education, examined whether children’s interactions with nature that are embodied, rather than just visual, are associated with being in the moment and feeling connected to something beyond the self.

Researchers coded responses from 127 Girl Scouts, ages 8-11, about a recent meaningful nature experience. A questionnaire then assessed the degree to which participants experienced presence in nature, the study’s term for being in the moment. Exploratory analyses found that participants who had embodied interactions reported a greater sense of presence in nature than those who reported only visual interactions. 

Carly Gray, co-author of the study and doctoral student of psychology at the UW, talked with UW News about the study.