Thesis

Scottish adolescents and urban open spaces : an exploratory study of usage, availability, and impact on subjective health and wellbeing.

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2026
Thesis identifier
  • T17969
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 202087395
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Adolescent use of urban open spaces has received little attention in Scotland from policy makers and researchers alike. This is despite the subject aligning with several national priority areas in the fields of education, planning, and public health. Little is currently known about the types of open spaces that adolescents choose to use, how and why they use them, and how they make them feel. There is also a knowledge gap relating to how open spaces are distributed within Scottish urban areas and whether this varies along socioeconomic lines. To address this gap, this study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design, the findings of which were analysed through univariate statistics, multivariate statistics, a reflexive inductive thematic analysis, and a geospatial analysis. Through working with 594 adolescents aged 12 to 15, this thesis describes the characteristics and activities associated with adolescent visits to open spaces and the extent to which these visits are associated with subjective wellbeing. It also describes the spatial distribution of public parks & gardens, play spaces, sports areas, and civic spaces across the study area. The findings demonstrate that adolescent engagement with open spaces is more varied than what the literature base suggests. Open spaces were most commonly associated with health and wellbeing outcomes associated with positive interpersonal relationships, suggesting that open spaces are important venues for fostering an adolescent’s psychosocial development. The geospatial analysis found an inequality in open space distribution, with the most deprived areas having the best availability of the open spaces of focus. In addition to this, a positive association was found between open space visits and health and wellbeing.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Klein, Markus
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2025

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