2026-10-10T09:01:30Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34010247 2026-09-28T05:57:14Z category_159 portal_316 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Table 1_Birdwatching intensity and its impacts on mental health, happiness, mindfulness and nature connectedness among birders: a cross-sectional study in Brazil.docx Karina Pavão Patricio (13044450) Victor Castanho (25120380) Victor Rodrigues Antonelli (24204077) Giulia Catissi (25120383) Eliseth Ribeiro Leão (3797536) Zoology birdwatching mindfulness nature connectedness psychological distress scale development well-being Introduction<p>Contact with nature and birdwatching are widely associated with psychological and well-being benefits. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood and standardized instruments capable of measuring the intensity of this practice are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the association between birdwatching intensity and indicators of subjective happiness, mindfulness, nature connectedness and psychological distress, as well as to present initial evidence of validity for the Birdwatching Intensity Index (BII).</p>Methods<p>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 444 Brazilian birdwatchers that completed an online questionnaire composed of three sections: 1) sociodemographic information; 2) characterization of birdwatching intensity index (BII) and 3) validated psychometric scales: subjective happiness (PHI), mindfulness scores (MAAS), nature connectedness (CNS) and psychological distress (SRQ-20). Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed, in addition to assessments of internal consistency and the factor structure of the BII.</p>Results<p>Greater birdwatching intensity was associated with higher MAAS (p = 0.036) and lower levels of SRQ-20 (p < 0.001), with no significant differences observed for PHI or CNS. After item refinement, the reduced three-item version of the BII demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.80) and a unidimensional structure, supporting its use as a parsimonious measure of engagement in birdwatching.</p>Discussion<p>Birdwatching was associated with greater mindfulness and lower psychological distress, reinforcing its potential to promote well-being and mental health.</p> 2026-09-28T05:57:14Z Dataset Dataset 10.3389/fbirs.2026.1879457.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Table_1_Birdwatching_intensity_and_its_impacts_on_mental_health_happiness_mindfulness_and_nature_connectedness_among_birders_a_cross-sectional_study_in_Brazil_docx/34010247 CC BY 4.0