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Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs |
2023, Volume 7, Number 1, pages
39–50
Original scientific paper
The Impact of Urban Home Gardens on The Mental
Well-Being of Women in The Greater Jakarta Area
*1 R Anantama Benanda Yasminingrat
, 2 Dr. Bambang Sulistyantara
3 Dr. Nizar Nasrullah
1, 2 & 3 Department of Landscape
Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University,
Indonesia
1 E-mail
r.anantama@apps.ipb.ac.id , 2
E-mail
bambang_sulisyantara@apps.ipb.ac.id
3 E-mail
nizar_nasrullah@apps.ipb.ac.id
|
ARTICLE INFO:
Article History:
Received: 15 March 2023
Revised: 20 April 2023
Accepted: 30 May 2023
Available online: 19 June 2023
Keywords:
Mental Well-Being,
Urban Home Gardens,
Women,
Urban Areas,
Greater Jakarta Area. |
ABSTRACT
Promoting positive mental health is of utmost
importance, especially in today's urban context, as recognized
by the World Health Organization. However, the scarcity of green
spaces in urban areas presents challenges for fostering a
connection with nature. To address this gap, this study
investigates the distinctive contribution of urban home gardens
to the mental well-being of women in the Greater Jakarta Area.
Through an online survey, participant backgrounds and mental
well-being were assessed using the WEMWBS scale. Validity and
reliability were established using Pearson's product-moment
correlation and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. The study
unravels several influential factors, including garden
interaction (visit frequency and duration) and size. Crucially,
it advances the literature by shedding light on the original
contribution of urban home gardens to mental well-being.
Notably, women who visit their urban home garden more than seven
times a week and spend over two hours per day in their garden
report the highest levels of mental well-being. These findings
highlight the unique role of urban home gardens in promoting
mental well-being among urban women. Consequently, they hold
implications for policymakers and practitioners aiming to
enhance mental well-being and foster access to green spaces in
urban areas. |
|
This article is an open-access article
distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International
(CC
BY 4.0)
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Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs stays neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and
institutional affiliations. |
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2023),
7(1), 39-50.
https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-3
www.ijcua.com
Copyright © 2023 by the author(s). |
| Highlights |
Contribution to the field statement |
- This study reveals the positive impact of
urban home gardens on the mental well-being of women in Greater
Jakarta Area.
- Women who visited their home garden more than seven times a
week and spent more than thirty minutes per day in their garden
reported the highest levels of mental well-being.
- Research highlights the unique role of home gardens as
accessible green spaces, offering potential solutions to improve
mental well-being in urban settings.
- This study provides valuable insights for policy makers and
practitioners aiming to promote mental health and increase
access to green spaces in urban areas. |
This study significantly contributes to the existing
literature by examining the impact of urban home gardens on
the mental well-being of women in the Greater Jakarta Area.
It sheds light on the unique role of home gardens in
promoting mental well-being, particularly for urban women.
The findings provide valuable insights into the positive
effects of frequent garden interaction. This research
expands the knowledge base and offers new insights for
policymakers and practitioners aiming to enhance mental
well-being and improve access to green spaces in urban
areas.
|
*Corresponding Author:
Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture,
IPB University, Indonesia
r.anantama@apps.ipb.ac.id |
How to cite this
article:
Yasminingrat, R. A. B., Sulistyantara, B., &
Nasrullah, N. (2023). The Impact of Urban Home Gardens on
The Mental Well-Being of Women in The Greater Jakarta Area.
Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs,
7(1), 39-50.
https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-3
|
1. Introduction
The field of mental health has received considerable attention in
recent years, with a growing emphasis on the significance of positive
mental well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the
crucial role of positive mental health in enabling individuals to trust
their abilities, effectively cope with life's challenges, perform
productively, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and
ultimately enhance their overall quality of life (Tennant et al., 2007).
In line with this, the WHO has provided recommendations for sustaining
mental health and psychosocial well-being, including engaging with
nature as a healthy living practice. Notably, (Krols et al., 2022) have
highlighted the numerous health benefits associated with exposure to
nature, which include improved subjective well-being, enhanced quality
of life, and reduced stress levels.
Furthermore, (Pouso et al., 2020) conducted a study revealing that
maintaining contact with nature during stressful life events can aid in
the preservation of mental health. Notably, individuals residing in
greener rural areas reported fewer symptoms of mental and physical
ailments compared to their urban counterparts. However, the rapid
urbanization observed in densely populated regions such as the Greater
Jakarta area has led to a scarcity of available land that can be
utilized as green open spaces (GOS) (Budiman et al., 2014).
The situation was further exacerbated by the mobility and social
restrictions implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, making it
increasingly challenging for urban communities to access green open
spaces. The government's implementation of Large-Scale Social
Restrictions (PSBB) meant that individuals were confined to their homes,
with transportation, office activities, schools, recreational areas,
parks, and places of worship all closed. This quarantine policy had
significant adverse effects on society, notably contributing to a
decline in psychological well-being. (Elvira et al., 2021) conducted a
survey in the Jakarta Greater Area and discovered that 14% of the
residents displayed moderate to severe anxiety (11.82% moderate and
2.17% severe) during the pandemic. Importantly, their findings
highlighted a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms among women,
suggesting that they were more vulnerable to psychological distress.
Various factors, such as experiencing domestic violence, longer working
hours compared to men, and the responsibility for household chores,
contributed to heightened psychological stress among women during the
pandemic.
In light of these circumstances, home gardens have emerged as a
potential alternative to fulfill the need for interaction with nature,
particularly for married women. (Pérez-Urrestarazu et al., 2021) found
that homes with open areas, such as terraces or green spaces, played a
supportive role during periods of isolation. Both visual and physical
exposure to plants have been linked to increased positive behavior and
pleasurable feelings, while also mitigating negative emotions such as
anger, fear, and stress. Building upon these findings, the present study
aims to further investigate the mental well-being of women in urban
areas, specifically the Jakarta Greater Area, and explore their patterns
of interaction with private garden houses. This exploration will include
examining the frequency of visits, duration of visits, types of
activities engaged in, as well as the size and positioning of the
private garden houses. By delving deeper into these aspects, the study
aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and provide
valuable insights for promoting mental well-being among urban women.
2. Methods
2.1. Research Location and Time
This study was conducted from July 2021 to May 2022 in the Greater
Jakarta Area, located at 6.2175° S, 106.8178° E. The Greater Jakarta
Area or commonly known as Jabodetabek is an urban area in Indonesia that
is integrated with Jakarta, consisting of the city of Jakarta and its
surrounding areas, especially Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. The
Greater Jakarta Area is one of the largest greater cities in the world
and also the largest urban area in Southeast Asia with a population
exceeding 31.24 million people and the number of married respondents was
9,308,269 people (BPS 2021; BPS 2022), making the Greater Jakarta area
one of the most densely populated areas in Indonesia. The Greater
Jakarta Area has an area of 6,437.89 km2 accounting for 0.34% of
Indonesia's total area of 1,916,906.77 km2 (Kementerian
Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat, 2008).
![]()
Figure 1. Map of Greater Jakarta Area (Google Earth,
2022).
2.2. Data Collection and Respondents
In this study, data were collected through an online questionnaire
and respondents were determined using the Snow Ball sampling method. The
sample population was obtained as many as possible according to the
results of the questionnaire distribution (over 100 respondents from all
over the Greater Jakarta Area). Questionnaires were distributed through
social media such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to
married women (married, divorced, and widowed) aged 19-60 years in the
Greater Jakarta Area randomly. The research subjects who filled out the
questionnaire were reviewed to comply with the described criteria.
The present study began with a survey to find out the demographic
background of the respondents, including age, marital status,
educational background, occupation, age of the children they had, and
subsequently measured the participants' mental well-being conditions, by
asking respondents to answer a 5-point Likert scale (such as very good,
good, fair, bad and very bad). This mental well-being condition was
assessed using the Indonesian language version of the Warwick Edinburgh
Mental Well-Being (WEMWBS) scale (Wicaksono et al., 2021). The condition
of mental well-being of the respondents in the study was measured using
The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), which is a scale
developed and used to measure a person's level of mental well-being. The
English version of the WEMWBS has good validity and internal consistency
with Cronbach's alpha 0.89/0.91 and reliability (retest reliability of
0.83) (Tamminen et al., 2020) whereas in this study the WEMWBS had good
validity and a good level of consistency with Cronbach's alpha
coefficient of 0.94. This scale is suitable for measuring mental
well-being on a population scale (large and broad) because of its strong
psychological measurement/assessment. This scale consists of 14 question
items and each item used a five-point Likert response format and the
cumulative score of the items ranges from 14 to 70. A higher score
represents a high level of mental well-being. Three categories of mental
well-being were created based on the results of the WEMWBS score, namely
a Low level of mental well-being if the score was less than 44, a High
level of mental well-being if the score was more than 61, and a Moderate
level of mental well-being for the rest. Furthermore, the condition of
the home garden and participants' interactions with the home garden
including the area of the garden and patterns of interaction including
the frequency and duration spent in the home garden were also
investigated. All of these surveys were conducted online, before filling
out the questionnaire, participants were presented with the procedure
for filling out the survey and debriefed about the study objectives to
prevent confusion among the participants.
2.2. Data Analysis
The results of the questionnaire were analyzed to determine validity
and reliability using the Pearson product-moment correlation (validity)
and Cronbach's alpha (reliability). Data from the sample were analyzed
using descriptive analysis, while also using correlation. The data
processing application that was used is IBM SPSS version 26.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1 Demographic Characteristics
The total number of subjects involved in this study was 160 people
and for the final sample, there were 109 people who met the criteria in
this study, namely aged 19-60 years, married women (married, divorced,
and widowed), and living in the area Greater Jakarta Area.
| Table 1. Sociodemographic data by
level of mental well-being, and Mean and Standard
Deviation. |
| Category |
Sample
(n=109) |
WEMWBS |
| Mean ± SD |
Category |
p-value |
| Age |
Early Adult
(19-40 years old) |
n = 51 (46.8%) |
55.9 ± 11.38 |
Moderate |
.267 |
| Middle Adult (41-60 years old) |
n = 58 (53.2%) |
56.3 ± 8.3 |
Moderate |
| Occupation |
| Housewife |
n = 50 (45.9%) |
55.66 ± 8.297 |
Moderate |
.317 |
| Employee |
n = 59 (54.1%) |
56.56 ± 9.663 |
Moderate |
| Income |
| Not Earning |
n = 3 (2.8%) |
62.67 ± 2.082 |
High |
.059 |
| < IDR 2,000,000/month |
n = 11 (10.1%) |
59.09 ± 8.848 |
Moderate |
| IDR 2,000,000 – IDR 4,000,000/month |
n = 17 (15.6%) |
48.94 ± 11.771 |
Moderate |
| IDR 4,000,000 - IDR 6,000,000/month |
n = 20 (18.3%) |
54.95 ± 9.478 |
Moderate |
| > IDR 6,000,000/month |
n = 58 (53.2%) |
57.67 ± 8.771 |
Moderate |
| Education |
| Junior High School |
n = 1 (0.9%) |
64 |
High |
.619 |
| Senior High School |
n = 13 (11.9%) |
52.46 ± 13.329 |
Moderate |
| Diploma 1/2 |
n = 6 (5.5%) |
54.0 ± 13.008 |
Moderate |
| Diploma 3/Academy |
n = 24 (22%) |
56.83 ± 6.703 |
Moderate |
| Bachelor |
n = 55 (50.2%) |
56.2 ± 9.73 |
Moderate |
| Master |
n = 10 (9.2%) |
58.9 ± 10.115 |
Moderate |
| Number of Children |
| No children |
n = 30 (27.5%) |
55.43 ± 12.414 |
Moderate |
.458 |
| 1 (one) |
n = 13 (11.9%) |
54.54 ± 8.222 |
Moderate |
| 2 (two) |
n =37 (33.9%) |
56.59 ± 9.593 |
Moderate |
| 3 (three) |
n = 25 (22.9%) |
56.96 ± 7.464 |
Moderate |
| More than 3 |
n = 4 (3.7%) |
56.0 ± 11.045 |
Moderate |
| Chronic Diseases |
| Hearth Failure |
n = 1 |
56 ± |
Moderate |
.724 |
| Hypertension |
n = 2 |
46.5 ± 4.95 |
Moderate |
| Diabetes |
n = 1 |
58 |
Moderate |
| None |
n = 105 |
56.29 ± 9.881 |
Moderate |
| Status of Residence |
| Own residence |
n = 11 |
51.27 ± 12.939 |
Moderate |
.631 |
| Living with nuclear family (husband, wife, and child) |
n = 78 |
56.59 ± 9.167 |
Moderate |
| Living with extended family/ relatives |
n = 20 |
56.8 ± 10.103 |
Moderate |
| Number of people living with |
| 0 |
n = 4 |
55.0 ± 18.493 |
Moderate |
.402 |
| 1 (one) |
n = 10 |
56.8 ± 7.052 |
Moderate |
| 2 (two) |
n = 9 |
54.56 ± 11.501 |
Moderate |
| 3 (three) |
n = 26 |
54.88 ± 8.468 |
Moderate |
| 4 (four) |
n = 21 |
56.24 ± 11.541 |
Moderate |
| 5 (five) |
n = 29 |
57.55 ± 9.553 |
Moderate |
| >5 (more than 5 people) |
n = 10 |
55.8 ± 8.779 |
Moderate |
Respondents' ages were grouped into two groups based on the grouping
of the Central Bureau of Statistics, namely the early adult age group
(19-40 years old) and the middle adult age group (41-60 years old). This
study restricted participants' age to 60 years because the age over 60
years or commonly called old age becomes the closing period in a
person's life span. At this age, physical and psychological changes
begin to decline so that productivity decreases and is limited compared
to a younger age. Thus, activities that can be done in the Home Garden
becomes also more limited. The early adult age group in this study made
up 46.8 percent of the total respondents and the middle age group was
53.2 percent. Most of the respondents had higher education, where as
many as 50.5 percent of respondents had a university degree, namely a
bachelor's degree, while the lowest education was junior high school, as
many as 0.9 percent. In terms of occupation, the majority of respondents
were housewives/not working as many as 45.9 percent, followed by
employees as many as 54.1 percent with the highest income of more than
IDR 6,000,000/month (53.2%) and the lowest is below 2,000,000/month.
27.5 percent of respondents did not have children, while 11.9 percent
had one, 33.9 percent had two, 22.9 percent had three, 3.7 percent had
more than three children under 5 years, and 13.8% of respondents had
children with special needs (Table 1).
3.2 Well-being Condition
The results of this study indicate that within the Greater Jakarta
Area, a significant proportion of women exhibited varying levels of
mental well-being. Specifically, 39 individuals (35.8%) displayed a high
level of mental well-being, while 58 respondents (53.2%) demonstrated a
moderate level and followed by 12 respondents (11%) in the Greater
Jakarta Area reported a low level of mental well-being. The average
score on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) in this
study was 56.09, as shown in Table 2. These results provide evidence
that women in the Greater Jakarta Area have attained sustainable mental
well-being, characterized by a healthy and prosperous mental state. This
state is characterized by reduced levels of stress, guilt, depression,
and other negative emotions.
In the contemporary psychological context, the definition of
well-being has evolved to encompass various dimensions, including
physical, socio-emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and behavioral aspects
(Manita et al., 2019). The Oxford dictionary defines wellness as a state
of good health, while well-being refers to a positive condition in an
individual's life, such as happiness, health, or prosperity (McMahon et
al., 2010). When viewed in a broader sense, well-being is a
comprehensive construct that can be approached from two perspectives:
the hedonic perspective, which focuses on subjective well-being and life
satisfaction, and the eudaimonic perspective, which centers on
psychological well-being and self-realization. Positive mental health
encompasses factors such as self-esteem, optimism, a sense of mastery
and coherence, fulfilling personal relationships, and resilience—the
ability to navigate challenges and cope with stressors (Ryan & Deci,
2001).
| Table 2. Data based on WEMWBS
score. |
| WEMWBS |
N |
% |
| Low |
12 |
11 |
| Moderate |
58 |
53.2 |
| High |
39 |
35.8 |
| Mean±Stdev |
56.09±9.798 |
3.2.1 Mental Well-being from Sociodemographic Status
The results of the correlation analysis that has been conducted based
on the data of this study indicated that there was no strong and
significant relationship (Table 3). Thus, it can be concluded that
sociodemographic factors are not associated with the mental well-being
of the respondents living in the Jakarta Greater Area. This can happen
because individuals' well-being can be influenced by many factors aside
from sociodemographic factors, namely demographic factors (Ryff, 1989),
personality (Ryan & Deci, 2001), social support (Shujaat, 2018) as
well as contextual and situational factors (van Hoorn, 2008).
| Table 3. Correlation between sociodemographic
status and level of mental well-being. |
|
Variable/factor |
|
Age |
Occupation |
| WEMWBS |
.750 |
. 674 |
|
Income |
Education |
| WEMWBS |
.541 |
.422 |
|
Number of children |
Chronic disease |
| WEMWBS |
.959 |
.331 |
|
Status of residence |
Number of people living with |
| WEMWBS |
.200 |
.967 |
| Note: (*) p-value ≤ 0.05, (**)
p-value ≤ 0.01; p-value
correlation between mental well-being and sociodemographic
characteristics. |
3.2.2 Level of Mental Well-being by Interaction
Patterns
3.2.2.1
Interaction with Outdoors
Figure 2. Outdoor activities performed by respondents
living in Greater Jakarta (respondents can choose more than one
activity).
The results show that almost half of the respondents who filled out
the questionnaire admitted that they only left their homes 1-2 times a
week (45.9%) (table 4). In term of activities carried out by the
respondents in the Greater Jakarta Area beside routine activities such
as work or school, 60 Respondents in the Greater Jakarta Area visited
markets/shopping centers (55%) to meet their needs, 16 Respondents did
sports (14.7%) ), 6 respondents visited recreational areas (5.5%) and 27
respondents attended social and religious events (E.g., Muslim forum,
rotating savings, prayer, social services, and so on.) (Figure 2).
| Table 4. Data based on outdoor
interaction with level of mental well-being as well as Mean and
Standard Deviation. |
| Category |
Sample (n=109) |
Level of Mental Well-being (WEMWBS) |
| Mean±SD |
Category |
p-value |
| Frequency of weekly outdoor activity |
| Never |
n = 4 (3.7%) |
49.5 ± 10.97 |
Moderate |
.269 |
| 1-2 times a week |
n = 50 (45.9%) |
55.84 ± 9.43 |
Moderate |
| 3-4 times a week |
n = 24 (22.0%) |
57.46 ± 8.11 |
Moderate |
| 5-6 times a week |
n = 15 (13.8%) |
55.67 ± 10.06 |
Moderate |
| 6-7 times a week |
n = 16 (14.7%) |
56.87 ± 12.89 |
Moderate |
The results of the study from the correlation analysis as presented
in Table 5 indicate that there was no significant correlation between
the frequency of weekly leaving the house and the level of mental
well-being among respondents living in the Greater Jakarta Area. This
finding may be attributed to the fear of contracting COVID-19, which is
still prevalent among respondents. Fear of transmission is likely to
undermine the mental health benefits of outdoor activities and may help
explain why in some areas the number of visitors to green spaces during
the pandemic declined (Marques et al., 2021).
| Table 5. Correlation between
outdoor interaction pattern and level of mental well-being. |
|
WEMWBS |
| Frequency of weekly outdoor |
.477 |
| Note: (*) p-value ≤ 0.05, (**)
p-value ≤ 0.01; p-value of
correlation between mental well-being and frequency of weekly
outdoor activities. |
3.2.2.2 Interaction with Public Green Space
| Table 6. Data based on public green
interaction patterns and level of mental well-being as well as
Mean and Standard Deviation. |
| Category |
Sample (n=109) |
Level of Mental Well-being (WEMWBS) |
| Mean±SD |
Category |
p-value |
| Frequency of public green visits |
| Never |
n = 36 (33%) |
53.83 ± 11.08 |
Moderate |
.212 |
| 1-2 times a week |
n = 59 (54.1%) |
56.86 ± 8.53 |
Moderate |
| 3-4 times a week |
n = 9 (8.3%) |
61.78 ± 6.32 |
Moderate |
| 5-6 times a week |
n = 2 (1.8%) |
48.5 ± 14.85 |
Moderate |
| 6-7 times a week |
n = 3 (2.8%) |
56 ± 18.52 |
Moderate |
| Travel Duration |
| < 5 minutes |
n = 22 (20.2%) |
60.5 ± 7.61 |
Moderate |
.093 |
| 5-10 minutes |
n = 27 (24.8%) |
55.48 ± 10.39 |
Moderate |
| 11-30 minutes |
n = 34 (31.2%) |
53.29 ± 9.80 |
Moderate |
| 31-60 minutes |
n = 14 (12.8%) |
59.29 ± 7.19 |
Moderate |
| > 60 minutes |
n = 12 (11%) |
53.58 ± 11.98 |
Moderate |
In addition, during the past month respondents visited public green
areas at least 1-2 times a week (54.1%) with travel time to reach the
nearest green area varying from >5 minutes (20.2%), 5-10 minutes
(24%), 11-30 minutes (31.2%), 31-60 minutes (12.8%) and >60 minutes
(11%) (table 6). Based on the available data, it is evident that the
frequency of visits to public green spaces by the respondents remains
extremely low. This lack of visits can likely be attributed to concerns
about contracting Covid-19 (Marques et al., 2021). Despite the
relaxation of community activity restrictions, the number of respondents
visiting public green spaces remains consistently low. This apprehension
not only diminishes the mental health benefits derived from outdoor
activities but also leads to the absence of a correlation between the
level of mental well-being and general interactions with green spaces,
as indicated in Table 7. Additionally, it was observed that respondents
exhibited a preference for visiting nearby parks, which aligns with
previous research (Xie et al., 2020) highlighting that people tend to
opt for parks in their immediate vicinity that can be reached within 10
minutes. This preference further emphasizes the significance of having a
private home garden, which serves as a convenient alternative for
enhancing an individual's well-being. Notably, even in this study,
respondents required 11-30 minutes to reach public green open spaces,
reinforcing their inclination to interact with their private gardens.
The ease of access afforded by home gardens enables individuals to visit
and engage with green spaces more frequently, eliminating the need for
long-distance travel or significant expenses to connect with nature.
| Table 7. Correlation between public
green space interaction pattern and level of mental
well-being. |
|
WEMWBS |
| Frequency of public green space visit |
.244 |
| Travel duration |
.093 |
| Note: (*) p-value ≤ 0.05, (**)
p-value ≤ 0.01; p-value of
correlation between the level of mental well-being and public
green space interaction pattern. |
3.2.2.3 Interaction with Home Garden
| Table 8. Data based on home garden
interaction pattern and level of mental well-being as well as
Mean and Standaard Deviation . |
| Category |
Sample (n=109) |
WEMWBS |
| Mean±SD |
Category |
p-value |
| Frequency of home garden visit |
| Never |
n = 26 (23.9%) |
49.65±10.68 |
Moderate |
.000 |
| 1-2 times a week |
n = 4 (3.7%) |
42.5±7.37 |
Low |
| 3-4 times a week |
n = 12 (11%) |
56.75±6.94 |
Moderate |
| 5-6 times a week |
n = 10 (9.2%) |
58.50±5.99 |
Moderate |
| 6-7 times a week |
n = 57 (52.3%) |
59.42±8.26 |
Moderate |
| Duration of home garden
activities |
| Never |
n = 26 (23.9%) |
49.65±10.68 |
Moderate |
.193 |
| <30 minutes a day |
n = 47 (43.1%) |
56.91±8.37 |
Moderate |
| 1 hour a day |
n = 18 (16.5%) |
59.06±7.56 |
Moderate |
| 2 hours a day |
n = 9 (8.3%) |
63 ± 6.82 |
High |
| > 3 hours a day |
n = 9 (8.3%) |
57.67±11.53 |
Moderate |
![]()
Figure 3. Home garden activities performed by the
respondents living in Greater Jakarta (respondents can select more than
one activity).
The results of this study indicate that as many as 57 respondents
(52.3%) in the Greater Jakarta Area over the past month have visited the
home garden more often, at least 6-7 times a week, and spent less than
30 minutes a day (42.2%) (table 8). They performed various activities
including gardening, sunbathing, relaxing, exercising, eating/drinking,
and playing with children/pets. The most frequent activity in their home
garden was gardening (picture 3). On average, the findings of this study
indicate that respondents in the Greater Jakarta Area had a moderate
level of well-being, which improved as their interactions with their
home gardens became more frequent. These results align with the outcomes
of the correlation analysis conducted between the frequency of visits,
duration of time spent in the home garden, and the respondents' mental
well-being. The analysis revealed a positive relationship between these
interactions and the level of well-being (see Table 9). Consequently, it
can be inferred that more frequent interactions with the home garden
correspond to higher levels of well-being. This reaffirms the
significant role of visiting a home garden in enhancing mental
well-being. Furthermore, longer durations spent in the home garden
provide individuals with greater benefits, and consistent weekly visits
have shown a noteworthy increase in the level of mental well-being.
Supporting these findings, (Elsadek et al., 2019) conducted a study
comparing buildings with green facades to those without. The results
revealed distinct differences that influenced the relative strength of
alpha brain waves. Notably, participants exhibited consistently higher
alpha wave amplitudes when observing green facades compared to regular
building walls. Increased alpha wave activity has been associated with
reduced stress levels and is commonly observed during states of rest,
concentrated meditation, and relaxation. Alpha wave activity also plays
a vital role in neuronal networks and has been linked to cognitive
performance, mental coordination, calmness, attention, and overall
awareness.
Moreover, a study conducted in the UK by (Pouso et al., 2020)
demonstrated that spending a minimum of two hours per week in a
blue-green environment outdoors could yield significant well-being
benefits for more than 20,000 individuals. The study also highlighted
that daily durations of 30 minutes to one hour spent in these
environments could contribute to improved well-being. Furthermore,
research by (Xie et al., 2020) indicated that three hours of daily
interaction with nature represented the upper threshold for individuals,
suggesting that 30 minutes to one hour per day is sufficient to derive
benefits.
In summary, the findings of this study underscore the positive
association between interactions with home gardens and the well-being of
respondents in the Greater Jakarta Area. Increasing the frequency of
visits, extending the duration spent in the home garden, and adhering to
consistent weekly visits contribute to enhanced well-being. These
outcomes align with previous research that demonstrates the positive
effects of nature interactions on mental well-being, including reduced
stress levels, increased alpha wave activity, and cognitive
benefits.
|
Table 9. Result of correlation analysis between
the level of mental well-being and frequency of home garden
visit and duration of activites in home garden. |
|
WEMWBS |
| Frequency |
.000** |
| Duration |
.001** |
| Note: (*) p-value ≤ 0.05, (**)
p-value ≤ 0.01; p-value of
correlation between level of mental well-being and frequency of
home garden visit and duration of activities in the home
garden. |
3.2.3 Level of Mental Well-being by Home Garden
Conditions
Based on the results of this study (Table 10), 83 respondents (76.1%)
had a home garden, while 26 respondents (23.9%) did not have a home
garden. As many as 27 respondents (24.8%) living in the Jakarta Greater
Area in this study had a garden area of less than 5 m2, while
25 respondents (22.9%) had a home garden of 6-10 m2. From the
results, the average level of mental well-being of the respondents
living in the Jakarta Greater Area was at a moderate level.
| Table 10. Data based on the
condition of the home garden by the level of mental well-being
as well as the Mean and Standard Deviation. |
| Category |
Sample (n=109) |
WEMWBS |
| Mean±SD |
Category |
p-value |
| Size of the garden |
| No garden |
n = 26 (23.9%) |
49.65±10.68 |
Moderate |
.048 |
| Less than 5
m2 |
n = 27 (24.8%) |
56.19 ± 8.85 |
Moderate |
| 6-10
m2 |
n = 25 (22.9%) |
57.44 ± 9.05 |
Moderate |
| 11-15
m2 |
n = 8 (7.3%) |
56.88 ± 3.18 |
Moderate |
| 16-20
m2 |
n = 4 (3.7%) |
60.25 ± 14.85 |
Moderate |
| > 20
m2 |
n = 19 (17.4%) |
61.79 ± 8.66 |
High |
The findings of the correlation analysis indicate a significant
positive relationship between the size of home gardens and the level of
mental well-being among respondents residing in the Jakarta Greater Area
(Table 11). This implies that larger home gardens are associated with
higher levels of mental well-being for individuals in urban settings.
Despite the constraints by limited land availability in urban areas,
this study emphasizes the significant positive influence that small home
gardens can have on an individual's mental well-being. It is crucial to
recognize and consider the size of a private home garden, ensuring that
it aligns with a person's specific requirement for green space while
also taking into account the overall area of the house. By carefully
assessing these factors, individuals can optimize the benefits of their
home gardens on their mental well-being, even within the limitations of
urban living. This consideration aligns with the guidelines provided by
Public Works Regulations Number 05/PRT/M/2008, which outline the
provision and utilization of green open spaces in urban areas. These
regulations ensure that the area of the garden corresponds appropriately
to the individual's requirements for green space.
| Table 11. Result of correlation
analysis between mental well-being and position and size of home
garden |
|
WEMWBS |
| Size |
.000** |
| Note: (*) p-value ≤ 0.05, (**)
p-value ≤ 0.01; p-value of
correlation between the level of mental well-being and position
and size of home garden. |
4. Conclusions
In summary, the study focused on women in the Greater Jakarta Area
and their interaction patterns with home gardens. It found that the
women generally had a moderate level of mental well-being (53.3%), with
a high level observed in 35.8% of participants and a low level in 11% of
participants. The women spent more time in their home gardens, typically
6-7 times a week for less than 30 minutes each day, compared to outdoors
or public green areas. The study revealed a positive relationship
between interaction patterns and mental well-being, indicating that
those with more frequent interaction with their home gardens had higher
levels of well-being.
The majority of home gardens in the study were small, with areas less
than 5 m2 and 6-10 m2. The condition of the home garden was found to be
positively associated with mental well-being. These findings support the
hypothesis that even small home gardens can positively impact an
individual's mental well-being, despite the limited land availability in
urban areas. Furthermore, the study contributes valuable insights into
the role of urban home gardens in enhancing the mental well-being of
women in the Greater Jakarta Area, specifically considering interaction
patterns and the characteristics of private garden houses.
By highlighting the positive impact of urban home gardens on mental
well-being, even in limited spaces, this study underscores the
importance of promoting positive mental health in urban contexts. The
findings offer valuable information for policymakers and practitioners
seeking to enhance mental well-being and improve access to green spaces
in urban areas. Given the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic,
which hindered the collection of in-person data for this study, future
research could benefit from incorporating in-person data collection
methods. This would allow for a more diverse and representative sample,
reducing potential biases and enhancing the generalizability
of the findings.
Acknowledgements
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding
agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Funding
The research was funded by the first author.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Data availability statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the
article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding
author/s.
CRediT author statement:
Conceptualization: R.A.B.Y., B.S., N.N. Data curation: R.A.B.Y.
Formal analysis: R.A.B.Y., B.S., N.N. Fundung acquisition: R.A.B.Y.
Investigation: R.A.B.Y., Methodology: R.A.B.Y. Writing-original draft:
R.A.B.Y. Writing-review & editing: R.A.B.Y., B.S., N.N. All authors
have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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How to cite this article:
Yasminingrat, R. A. B., Sulistyantara, B., & Nasrullah, N.
(2023). The Impact of Urban Home Gardens on The Mental Well-Being of
Women in The Greater Jakarta Area. Journal of Contemporary Urban
Affairs, 7(1), 39-50.
https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-3