Effects of horticultural therapy applied by herb fragrance on the depression of middle school students

The use of horticulture as a therapeutic tool has been increasing in recent years. This study examined the depression-reducing effects of participating in a horticultural program (HP) for the mental and psychiatric stability of middle school students, with the application of a selected herb fragrance as the horticultural therapy (HT) program. A personality inventory was used - the Korean Youth Self Checklist (K-YSR), as an investigatory instrument adapted for Korean from the Child Behavior Checklist, with words and structures paraphrased to fit the students' level so that they could react to the K-YSR directly. The experimental group (Exp. G) was divided into two groups, with and without herb fragrance being applied. Students selected one of 15 commercial fragrances individually, which was applied at school and home, while the control group did not participate in any horticultural activities. Melancholia in Exp. G [1] on the post-test was shown to have a reduction from 10.07 to 9.14, compared with our control subjects, who had a mean of 9.07. This main melancholia reduction effect measured in the post-test after participation in the HP (Exp. G [1]) as therapy was insignificant, F (1,18) =0.38, p=0.54 (p>0.01). Similar results of means on somatic symptoms and withdrawal, of pre- and post-test, i.e., before and after participation in the HP (Exp. G [1]) also were insignificant. However, psychological measures of pre- and post-test on Exp. G 1111, supplied with herb fragrance, compared with a control group, showed a melancholia reduction of from 11.14 to 7.57, compared with pre-test without the application of fragrance, identified as the control group. This time the difference between means on melancholia observed in the pre- and post-test relating to Exp. G [H] was significant, F (1,18) =3.17, p=0.09 (p<0.01). Specifically, an effect which was apparent which was shown to be significant was withdrawal in the Exp. G [11], F (1,18) =4.85, p=0.04 (p<0.01). However, means on withdrawal of pre- and post-test before and after participating in the HP (Exp. G [11]) were insignificant.