Where Wild Things Grow: Nature- and Activity-based Group Interventions for Neurodivergent Children and Youth

The goal of this action research project is to develop and implement nature- and activity-based group interventions across health care, school and leisure settings in Southern Norway. The interventions are tailored to support the mental health, self-efficacy and daily life functioning of children and youth in the Agder region, with a particular focus on youngsters who struggle due to neurodivergence, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Tourette's syndrome. The main questions we aim to answer are: 1. To what extent does nature- and activity-based outdoor education contribute to improvements in children's quality of life? 2. To what extent does nature- and activity-based interventions in a health care setting improve children's self-efficacy, self-esteem and quality of life? 3. Is there a difference in physiological reactions between nature-based provision of education or therapy and traditional indoor provision of education or therapy? Participants will take part in a 12-week school-based or health care intervention.

NCT Number	NCT07203469
Lead Sponsor	Sorlandet Hospital HF Collaborators: University of Agder, University of Stavanger
Conditions	Neurodevelopmental Outcomes, ADHD - Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity, Autism, Tourette Syndrome, Health-Related Quality-of-Life, Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Enrollment	240 participants
Start Date	2025-09-01
Primary Completion	2026-06-15 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-06-15 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-10-02