A Multigroup Comparison of Walk Characteristics, Place Attachment, and Awe Experiences Among Participants in a Campus-Based Mental Health Intervention

Authors

  • Zachary A. Russell University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Nick Pitas SUNY Brockport

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2025-13133

Keywords:

Awe, Place attachment, Multi-group SEM, University Student, Walking Intervention

Abstract

While American college students face increasingly poor mental health outcomes, campus-based treatment resources are insufficient to meet demand, highlighting the need for self-guided opportunities. Awe, an intense emotional experience characterized by perceived vastness and mental reorganization, has been linked to improved mental well-being. Using a multigroup comparison, we examine the effects of place attachment and walk characteristics such as route development, overall route appeal, and time walking on feelings of awe between two treatment groups in an eight-week, campus-based, awe-walking intervention. Among participants primed to conscientiously look for awe during their walks, increased walk time was linked to increased place attachment and feelings of awe; no similar relationship existed among participants who were not primed to look for awe during their walks. Our results suggest that time spent conscientiously walking in places that one is attached to may be more beneficial than time spent in more generic environments. 

Published

2025-10-10