Susceptibility to stress and nature exposure: unveiling the Integrative Model of Environmental Sensitivity

Abstract

The objective of this program of research was to uncover potential mechanisms underpinning epidemiological evidence that groups in lower versus higher socioeconomic positions exhibit greater health benefits from nature exposure. One possible mechanism is described in the Integrative Model of Environmental Sensitivity: (susceptibility to stress) groups in lower socioeconomic positions are often exposed to more early-life stressors, which can induce a lifelong susceptibility to stress through various neurobiological pathways; (environmental sensitivity) susceptibility to stress, traditionally understood as heightened reactivity to stressors, could also encompass enhanced responsivity to health-protective exposures, inducing greater risks in adverse environments, but also greater benefits in protective environments. As the evidence for this framework expands, it could inform more targeted interventions that leverage individual differences in environmental sensitivity to promote health equity, ultimately providing more nuanced and socioeconomically attuned approaches to public health