AUTHOR=Lee Jisoo , Yang Yeji , Pyo Ji-Eun , Kim Ye-Seul , Choi Kee-Hong , Kang Shin-Koo , Nam Su-Hwan , Song Yu-Jin , Jeoun Bu-Gi , Park Sung-Hee 

TITLE=The concept of the digital therapeutic garden and its psychological effects

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1534541

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1534541

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=IntroductionTherapeutic gardens have been discussed as effective social interventions for promoting physical and mental health, and integrating digital technologies into therapeutic gardening offers a promising approach to enhance both accessibility and effectiveness. This study aimed to explore various forms of digital therapeutic gardening. Furthermore, it sought to investigate perceptions regarding digital therapeutic gardens and to examine the relationship between participation in such gardens and mental health.MethodsSurvey data were collected from 335 community-dwelling adults in Korea using across-sectional design. Demographic information and experiences with digital gardens were collected, and mental health variables including depression, anxiety, stress, vitality, life satisfaction, loneliness, and social networks were assessed. To investigate differences in mental health by experience with digital therapeutic gardens, t-tests and ANCOVA were performed.ResultsParticipants with experience in digital therapeutic gardens reported social, psychological, and physical benefits. They also demonstrated significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and vitality than those without such experience.DiscussionThis study highlights the potential therapeutic benefits of digital gardens and suggests that, when integrated with community gardens and mental health services, they may serve as a promising candidate for evidence-based interventions.