The Psychological Benefits of Forest Bathing in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Pilot Study

Background/Objectives. The main objective of the present study is to assess the short-term effects of Forest Bathing (FB) conducted in a Mediterranean forest on individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) on perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative affect, mood states, and state mindfulness. Methods. A total of 44 participants with FM and/or CSF/ME agreed to participate in this study. The FB session consisted of a 3km silent walk, lasting three hours long and guided by a specialized psychologist and a mountain guide to guarantee the safety of the activity. Paired-sample t-tests were used to analyze the pre-post changes in perceived pain, fatigue, state anxiety, positive and negative affect, mood states and mindfulness. Results. All reported variables but self-reported pain showed statistically significant pre-post variations after the FB session. Particularly, large-to-very-large improvements in positive and negative affect, state anxiety, tension, depression, anger, and vigor were found. Small-to-moderate effect sizes for fatigue, friendliness and state mindfulness were also reported. Conclusions. This study provides preliminary evidence of the short-term benefits of FB in individuals with FM and/or CFS/ME, especially on state anxiety and negative affect.