This study explores the implementation of green therapy in the context of inclusive education and its impact on the well-being of students with special needs. The research method used is a qualitative case study in a nature school that implements green therapy as part of their inclusive approach. This research was conducted at Darul Istiqamah Maros Natural School. The study population consisted of students with special needs, teachers, school staff, and parents. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, where three students with special needs were selected to participate in this study. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews with students, teachers, and parents; participant observation during Green Therapy activities; and document analysis related to the inclusion program and Green Therapy activities. The findings indicated that Green therapy in inclusive education positively impacts the physical, emotional, and social well-being of students with special needs, as shown by the study results. Students experienced improved social relationships with classmates, increased self-confidence, and engagement in learning. Green Therapy provided a meaningful and enjoyable learning experience for students, reflected in higher motivation and increased participation in school activities. Challenges in implementing green therapy include managing the natural environment, training teaching staff, and adapting activities to individual student needs. Collaboration between schools, parents, and experts is crucial for successful green therapy implementation in inclusive education. This study makes a valuable contribution to the development of more effective and sustainable inclusive education practices.
Downloads
- Astell-Burt, T., Mitchell, R., & Hartig, T. (2014). The association between green space and mental health varies across the lifecourse. A longitudinal study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 68(6), 578–583. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2013-203767
- Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x
- Blumer, M. L., Hertlein, K. M., & Fife, S. T. (2012). It’s not easy becoming green: Student-therapist perceptions of family therapy in an eco-sustainable age. Contemporary Family Therapy, 34(1), 72-88.
- Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., de Vries, S., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J. J., Hartig, T., Kahn Jr, P. H., Kuo, M., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Lindahl, T., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Mitchell, R., Ouyang, Z., Roe, J., ... Daily, G. C. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7), eaax0903. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax0903
- Danylchuk, L., Raievska, Y., Yurkiv, Y., Levitsky, V., Stynska, V., Krasnova, N., & Kravchyna, T. (2025). Sustainable Nature Therapy in Inclusive Educational Environments: Research Findings and Methodological Recommendations. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 14(1), 121-121.
- El Zaatari, W., & Maalouf, I. (2022). How the Bronfenbrenner bio-ecological system theory explains the development of students’ sense of belonging to school?. Sage Open, 12(4), 21582440221134089.
- Evans, W., Gable, R. A., & Habib, A. (2021). Lessons from the past and challenges for the future: Inclusive education for students with unique needs. Education Sciences, 11(6), 281. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060281
- Evans, P., Vansteenkiste, M., Parker, P., Kingsford-Smith, A., & Zhou, S. (2024). Cognitive load theory and its relationships with motivation: A self-determination theory perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 36(1), 7.
- Florian, L. (2019). On the necessary co-existence of special and inclusive education. International journal of inclusive education, 23(7-8), 691-704. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1622801
- Frumkin, H., Bratman, G. N., Breslow, S. J., Cochran, B., Kahn Jr, P. H., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Tandon, P. S., Varanasi, U., & Wolf, K. L. (2017). Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda. Environmental Health Perspectives, 125(7), 075001. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1663
- Grenier, S., Gagné, M., & O'Neill, T. (2024). Self‐determination theory and its implications for team motivation. Applied Psychology, 73(4), 1833-1865.
- Gunn, C., Vahdati, M., & Shahrestani, M. (2022). Green walls in schools-The potential well-being benefits. Building and Environment, 224, 109560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109560
- Guy-Evans, O. (2020). Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Simply Psychology, 10518-046.
- Hajisoteriou, C., & Sorkos, G. (2023). Towards a new paradigm of “Sustainable Intercultural and inclusive education”: A comparative “blended” approach. Education Inquiry, 14(4), 496-512. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2022.2071016
- Hansen-Ketchum, P., & Marlowe, J. M. (2017). The Benefits of Nature-Based Play Therapy. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 12(4), 495–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2017.1376452
- Hartig, T., Evans, G. W., Jamner, L. D., Davis, D. S., & Gärling, T. (2003). Tracking restoration in natural and urban field settings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(02)00109-3
- Haryanti, D. (2020). Pengelolaan Kelas Inklusi Melalui Metode Belajar Bersama Alam (MBBA) di Sekolah Alam Bangka Belitung. Tarbawy : Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 128–136. https://doi.org/10.32923/tarbawy.v7i2.1464
- Hayati, R. S., Syam, H., Husain, R., Studi, P., Biologi, P., Studi, P., Matematika, P., Makassar, U. M., Alam, S., & Istiqamah, D. (2023). Pusat Green Therapy Indonesia Timur Untuk. 2023, 409–423.
- He, M., Hu, Y., Wen, Y., Wang, X., Wei, Y., Sheng, G., & Wang, G. (2024). The impacts of forest therapy on the physical and mental health of college students: a review. Forests, 15(4), 682.
- Holt, E. W., Lombard, Q. K., Best, N., Smiley-Smith, S., & Quinn, J. E. (2019). Active and passive use of green space, health, and well-being amongst university students. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(3), 424.
- Jeronen, E., Palmberg, I., & Yli-Panula, E. (2016). Teaching methods in biology education and sustainability education including outdoor education for promoting sustainability—A literature review. Education Sciences, 7(1), 1.
- Jung, W. H., Woo, J. M., & Ryu, J. S. (2015). Effect of a forest therapy program and the forest environment on female workers’ stress. Urban forestry & urban greening, 14(2), 274-281.
- Kamran, M., Siddiqui, S., & Adil, M. S. (2023). Breaking barriers: The influence of teachers’ attitudes on inclusive education for students with mild learning disabilities (MLDs). Education Sciences, 13(6), 606. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13060606
- Kwame Ameade, E. P., Owusuaa Amoah, L. A., & Ofori, B. Y. (2021). Green care as alternative therapy: The situation in Ghana. Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021(1), 8812379.
- Korpela, K., & Ylén, M. (2007). Effectiveness of favorite-place prescriptions: A field experiment. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 32(5), 391–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2007.01.010
- Krahenbuhl, K. S. (2016). Student-centered education and constructivism: Challenges, concerns, and clarity for teachers. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 89(3), 97-105.
- Kuo, M. (2015). How might contact with nature promote human health? Promising mechanisms and a possible central pathway. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1093. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01093
- Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books.
- Mayer, F. S., Frantz, C. M., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., & Dolliver, K. (2009). Why Is Nature Beneficial? The Role of Connectedness to Nature. Environment and Behavior, 41(5), 607–643. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916508319745
- McCormick, R. (2017). Does access to green space impact the mental well-being of children: A systematic review. Journal of pediatric nursing, 37, 3-7.
- Nieuwenhuis, M., Knight, C., Postmes, T., & Haslam, S. A. (2014). The relative benefits of green versus lean office space: Three field experiments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 20(3), 199–214. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000024
- Ohly, H., White, M. P., Wheeler, B. W., Bethel, A., Ukoumunne, O. C., Nikolaou, V., Garside, R., & Jones, M. (2016). Attention Restoration Theory: A Systematic Review of the Attention Restoration Potential of Exposure to Natural Environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part B: Critical Reviews, 19(7), 305–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/10937404.2016.1196155
- Rumjaun, A., & Narod, F. (2025). Social learning theory—albert bandura. In Science education in theory and practice: An introductory guide to learning theory (pp. 65-82). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
- Rijal, M. S. (2025). Pendekatan Holistik untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Pendidikan Siswa Inklusi di Sekolah Dasar. Journal of Education and Social Science, 1(2), 30-34.
- Risty Justicia, Etha Salaza Titiana , Hana Fahranaz Fairuz, S. L. (2022). Implementasi Green Therapy Pada Anak Usia Dini Di Sekolah Alam Purwakarta. Edukids Volume 19 (1) Tahun 2022, 19(1), 62–69. https://doi.org/10.17509/edukids.v19i1.43989
- Pretty, J., Peacock, J., Hine, R., Sellens, M., South, N., & Griffin, M. (2007). Green Exercise in the UK Countryside: Effects on Health and Psychological Well-being, and Implications for Policy and Planning. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 50(2), 211–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560601156466
- Roe, J. J., Thompson, C. W., Aspinall, P. A., Brewer, M. J., Duff, E. I., Miller, D., Mitchell, R., & Clow, A. (2013). Green Space and Stress: Evidence from Cortisol Measures in Deprived Urban Communities
- Šouláková, B., Kasal, A., Butzer, B., & Winkler, P. (2019). Meta-review on the effectiveness of classroom-based psychological interventions aimed at improving student mental health and well-being, and preventing mental illness. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 40(3), 255-278.
- Stigsdotter, U. K., & Grahn, P. (2002). What Makes a Garden a Healing Garden? Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 13(2), 60–69.
- Taylor, A. F., Kuo, F. E., & Sullivan, W. C. (2002). Views of Nature and Self-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(1–2), 49–63. https://doi.org/10.1006/jevp.2001.0241
- Wells, N. M., & Evans, G. W. (2003). Nearby Nature: A Buffer of Life Stress among Rural Children. Environment and Behavior, 35(3), 311–330. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916503035003001
- Woodcock, S., Sharma, U., Subban, P., & Hitches, E. (2022). Teacher self-efficacy and inclusive education practices: Rethinking teachers’ engagement with inclusive practices. Teaching and teacher education, 117, 103802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103802
Copyright (c) 2025 Anisah Aah Marfuah, Zulfikar Zulfikar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Similar Articles
- Yusriani Yusriani, Hardi Yanti, Amran Saputra, Nurwahidah Intang, Rifna Safhina, Risna Risna, Siti Hajratul Aswa, Rendi Rendi, Reski Ramadhan, Amirul Mukminin, The Dynamics of Parental Supervision of Children's Gadget Use from an Islamic Education Perspective , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): June
- Murni Fadhilah, Sela Sutrisna, Siti Nuri Muslimah, Muhammad Taufik Ihsan, An Exploring Methods in Online Learning: Synchronous and Asynchronous , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 1 No. 1 (2021): December
- Zulfahmi Mustapa, Rizal Masaniku, Photomath and ChatGPT-4o Applications in Fraction Learning: A Review from the Perspective of Mathematics Education Students , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 4 No. 3 (2025): June
- Fitri Fitri, Muhammad Hasbi, Bio-Math Synergy: Creating Relevant Cross-Disciplinary Learning in the Digital Age , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): December
- Dadang Kurniawan, Hasmyati Hasmyati, Asran Asran, The Process of Learning Fundamental Football Techniques: A Study of Kicking and Ball Stopping , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 1 No. 3 (2022): June
- Hariaty Hamid, Nurmala R, Nur Afni Oktavia, Analysis of Entrepreneurial Interest of Mathematics Education Students: A Study at Higher Education , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): June
- Amos Otieno Wanjara, Paul Okeyo Ogembo, Integration of Information Communication Technology into Geography Instruction in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya. Mythical or Reality? , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 3 No. 3 (2024): June
- Arifuddin Usman, Saharullah Saharullah, Dewi Hapipa Rusli, Muh. Adnan Hudain, Sahabuddin Sahabuddin, Education, Community Participation, and Satisfaction: An Overview of Pakui Sayang Park as an Open Sports Space , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 3 No. 3 (2024): June
- Nurul Fadilah Aswar, The Linking Education and Knowledge on BPJS Participant Collectibility and Satisfaction: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 3 No. 4 (2024): September
- Jonalyn B. Calis, Rebecca D. Ngolab, Sherilyn B. Pablo, Angel Faith B. Saysayap, John Rey O. Pelila, Effective Strategies for Listening Comprehension: A Focus on Asia , ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review : Vol. 4 No. 4 (2025): September
<< < 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 > >>
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.


















