Disconnection from nature is increasingly associated with declining mental health among young people, including elevated stress, anxiety, and emotional imbalance. In contrast, exposure to natural environments has been consistently linked to greater psychological resilience, improved mood regulation, and enhanced cognitive functioning. To achieve lasting effects, however, individuals must integrate nature-based self-care practices into everyday life. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, sustained engagement requires positive attitudes, supportive norms, and perceived behavioural control. Digital technologies offer new opportunities to strengthen these conditions, providing accessible and personalized interventions that can help transform intention into long-term self-care routines.
This study reports on the development of GreenTouch, a web-based application designed to promote nature-based self-care. The Intervention Mapping protocol was applied in combination with a participatory co-creation process. An expert panel (N = 12) with backgrounds in health psychology, ecopsychology, and nature-based practices, together with students and academic staff (N = 9), contributed to identifying drivers of nature disconnection and shaping the behavioural outcomes. Following formative and summative evaluations and partial piloting of the intervention, a set of semi-structured interviews was conducted with university students (N = 18).
The prototype consists of seven sessions delivered over 21 days. Each session combines a brief educational component with an experiential nature-based activity, such as mindful walking, sensory exploration, or creative engagement, paired with reflective journaling and progress tracking through a Nature Connectedness Tracker. Students' feedback was collected and will be taken into account in the next stage of development.
The co-creation process enabled the design of an intervention adapted to diverse users. The forthcoming stages will include continued pilot testing, empirical validation of the theoretical framework, and integration of student suggestions into the updated version of the app.