Examining Effects of Active Plant Engagement on College Student Well-Being and Performance

The goal of this feasibility study is to determine if active engagement with plants (e.g. care, maintenance) improves mental health and academic performance in college students. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does active engagement with plants result in improvements in academic motivation and study habits? 2. Does active engagement with plants result in reductions in stress and improvements in mood? Researchers will compare two interventions groups (campus plant engagement group and home plant engagement group) to the comparison group (no plant engagement or passive exposure) to clarify the practical and potential benefits of active plant care for college students. Participants will: * Complete four surveys over the course of a 16-week semester * Water, prune and check the soil of their assigned plants

NCT Number	NCT07228013
Lead Sponsor	Colorado State University
Conditions	Perceived Stress, State Anxiety, Intrinsic Goal Orientation, Study Habits, Mood, Sleep Quality, Connectedness to Nature, Extrinsic Goal Orientation
Enrollment	87 participants
Start Date	2025-08-22
Primary Completion	2026-12-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-12-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-01-13