Adaptation and Validation of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) for the Portuguese Population: A Study on the Assessment of the Restorative Effect of Environments
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The relationship between natural environments and psychological well-being has gained increasing attention in environmental and health sciences. However, there is still a lack of robust quantitative instruments to assess the restorative potential of different environ-ments. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Portuguese version of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), an instrument based on Attention Restoration Theory that evaluates the perceived restorative qualities of environments. In Study 1, 410 participants completed the Portuguese PRS, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses con-firmed a five-factor structure (being away, fascination, coherence, compatibility, and legibility), with good internal consistency and acceptable model fit indices. Measurement invariance analyses showed configural and metric invariance across gender. In Study 2, 212 participants completed the PRS along with additional validated measures: the Sub-lime Emotion toward Nature Scale (SEN), an aesthetic evaluation of landscapes, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PRS showed strong convergent and discriminant validity and significantly predicted restorative outcomes. These findings support the psychometric robustness of the Portuguese PRS and its applicability in as-sessing how people perceive the restorative potential of natural and built environments. This tool may support future research and public policies aiming to promote sustainable environments that foster mental health and well-being.
Source: Green Health
Institution: University of Algarve
Language: English
Topic: Urban Green Space and Health
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
OpenAlex ID: W4411580889