Predicting Mental Health Trough Satellite Images

Empirical studies indicate that natural landscapes, such as coastlines and forests, provide greater restorative benefits compared to urban environments. Factors like individual identity can influence the level of perceived restorativeness. Our research aimed to establish standardized, straightforward procedures for assessing the impact of both objective and subjective elements on human health. We investigated how natural versus urban settings affect personal restorative experiences, engaging around 1,000 participants from Italy. Utilizing both psychometric evaluations and analytical approaches, we examined the influence of the physical characteristics of participants’ local environments on their perceived restorativeness. We developed an original pipeline for the analysis of satellite imagery, through which we quantitatively assessed the greenery and urban elements surrounding the participants’ residences. Our sophisticated analysis included a comprehensive image analysis framework and iterative clustering techniques for categorizing environmental features. Our results, confirmed by multivariate analysis, reveal that green spaces significantly enhance restorativeness, in stark contrast to urban spaces, which negatively impact it. The positive effects of green spaces were especially pronounced in promoting feelings of Fascination, Being-Away, and Scope, with these benefits being influenced by the individual’s sense of identity. This study not only highlights the critical role of environmental characteristics in promoting well-being but also introduces novel methodologies for forecasting the well-being impacts of environmental changes.