Work

Greenspace and Adolescent Internalising and Externalising Problems: Limited Associations in the ABCD Cohort

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT The availability of neighbourhood greenspace has been associated with many positive health outcomes across the lifespan. However, evidence has been mixed during adolescence. This study examined associations between greenspace and internalising and externalising problems amongst adolescents ages 9–14 in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort. We tested whether associations were present or stronger at certain ages, for certain genders, or for certain indices of greenspace using a split‐half approach. Analyses in the exploratory sample ( N = 2932) indicated few associations between greenspace and adolescent mental health. Preregistered analyses in the confirmatory sample ( N = 3264) replicated these largely null results. However, the proportion of park land in 13‐year‐old girls' census tracts was associated with lower internalising problems in both samples. Our findings point to the need to more precisely consider access to and interaction with greenspace, as well as other neighbourhood factors affecting youth mental health.

Source: Infant and Child Development

DOI: 10.1002/icd.70091

Authors: Carly E. Gray, Pooja S. Tandon, Katherine T. Foster, Lucía Magis‐Weinberg

Institutions: University of Washington, Seattle Children's Hospital, The Trust for Public Land

Language: English

Topic: Urban Green Space and Health

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,620