A Mood survey
Last changed: 23 January 2023
A mood survey is a psychological measuring instrument. The purpose of a mood survey* may be to "measure" the effect of an activity, such as a nature-based intervention of any kind, forest bathing, nature- or animal-oriented rehabilitation or wellness activity. It is then possible to calculate, for example, a change in mood after an activity, on a group or individual level.
The mood survey consists of a simple questionnaire designed to work well in relation to outdoor stays. It is based on different feelings or moods and focuses on feelings that we can expect to observe the effects of in connection with stays in nature environments. It includes 6 questions on a 10-degree scale and with two endpoints for each question; tense – relaxed, exhausted – alert, sad – happy, restless – peaceful, irritated – harmonious, mentaly divided – clear-headed
The mood survey is described and developed in a research project in Umeå, where study participants with exhaustion disorders stayed in the forest and where the survey was used, in combination with other measurements, to investigate the effects of the therapy.
If you want to use the survey, please refer to the article below!
*The survey has been developed and first described in:
Sonntag-Öström E, Nordin, M, Slunga Järvholm L, Lundell Y, Brännström R, Dolling A. 2011. Can the boreal forest be used for rehabilitation and recovery from stress-related exhaustion? A pilot study. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 26: 245-256.
Try it yourself!
As an example of how you can use the Mood Survey, we have a small exercise here to measure your mood before and after a forest stay. You can test the effect it had on YOU by answering the questions on an online form and then seeing how your mood has changed. You can also see an average of how the mood of everyone who has gone out into the forest has changed: