Pilot study of telehealth delivery of horticultural therapy (TeleHT) as an acceptable intervention and in reducing suicide risk factors in veterans

Objectives: Converging evidence indicates that Horticultural Therapy (HT) contributes to significant reductions in stress, loneliness, and depression, notable risk factors for suicidality. This pilot study aimed to assess the initial feasibility and acceptability of HT when virtually administered.

Intervention: Telehealth-delivered horticultural therapy (TeleHT) was administered to groups of Veterans, including those with elevated suicide risk over the course of four weeks. Participants were each sent a package through the mail of at-home gardening supplies that were used to facilitate multisensory, nature experiences during weekly HT sessions administered via Zoom.

Outcome measures: Participants completed thermometer-based scales for the suicide risk factors of stress, loneliness, depression, and pain before and after each TeleHT session. Post-intervention qualitative assessments were completed upon the conclusion of the four-week intervention.

Results: Significant reductions in stress, depression, and loneliness risk were observed from weekly pre- to post-session measures (p < 0.05), with 89.1 % HT completion rate. Stress, pain, depression, and loneliness indices also showed small to medium sized symptom reduction amongst Veterans with no history of suicidality (Cohen's d=-0.70, d=-0.49, d=-0.62, d=-0.71), while those with elevated suicide risk at baseline also showed reduction in these risk factors with small to medium effect sizes (d=-0.58, d=-.018, d=-0.46, d=-0.41). Qualitative post-intervention assessments indicated a high degree of acceptability and pointed to the inclusion of mailed gardening packages as particularly relevant to positive experiences.

Conclusions: While future work is needed to fully assess efficacy, findings from this pilot study demonstrate an initial feasibility and acceptability through a high retention rate and positive qualitative assessments for TeleHT that mirror that of the in-person intervention.