How perceived campus environments influence college students’ mental health: Mediating roles of campus life experiences

Research has demonstrated how natural and built environments influence health behaviors and outcomes. Although substantial work has examined college student health, the relationship between campus environments and health outcomes requires further exploration at multiple levels. To address this critical gap, we surveyed 410 students enrolled in a large university in Texas to examine how campus environments (i.e. greenness and walkability) affect psychological distress, considering campus life experiences (i.e. academic life satisfaction and university stress) as mediators. We employed structural equation models to explore the direct and indirect pathways among these variables. The results indicate that perceived campus environments contribute to reducing psychological distress, and campus life experiences further mediate this relationship. Specifically, academic life satisfaction significantly mediates one of the pathways linking campus environments and psychological distress. Academic life satisfaction and university stress collectively formed another significant mediation pathway, where campus environments influence psychological distress by improving academic life satisfaction and alleviating university stress. Additionally, campus greenness/walkability affected academic life satisfaction through psychological distress. The study provides valuable guidance for campus planners and policymakers, suggesting that strategies prioritizing green spaces, pedestrian-friendly pathways, and easy access to daily destinations can enhance student academic life satisfaction and mitigate stress, which in turn reduces psychological distress and improves overall well-being. Future research should adopt an integrated Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) approach to campus environments and psychosocial aspects of student life, considering pathways involving restorative mechanisms, instorative processes, and harm reduction to inform more effective healthy university planning. • Examined how perceived campus environments influence student mental health. • Explored the mediating role of campus life experiences in this relationship. • Campus greenness and walkability help reduce students' psychological distress. • Academic life satisfaction and university stress are key mediators. • Offer guidance for developing healthy campuses that support student well-being.