The Impacts of Recreation Programs on the Mental Health of Postsecondary Students in North America: An Integrative Review

The mental health of university students has become a recognized concern and lifestyle factors, including recreation, can play an integral role in maintaining positive mental health. The objective of this integrative review was to consolidate our understanding of the efficacy of post-secondary institution-based recreation programs developed with the purpose of supporting students' mental health. Inclusion criteria included non-clinical populations of undergraduate students and North American studies (2005 to 2016) that used valid approaches to measure changes in mental health. Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Results indicate recreation programs that emphasize Mindfulness, meditation, Tai Chi, yoga, exercise, and animal therapy may reduce perceived stress, anxiety, depression and negative mood. Future research should consider the effect of interventions on sex and gender categories and measure more mental health outcomes, in particular social outcomes, against a broader definition of recreation activities (e.g., arts).