Active Prevention of Nature-Deficit Disorder in Urban Children: An IoT-Based Interactive Ecological Intervention System Design

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Modern urban lifestyles have fundamentally transformed children's growth environments, indirectly contributing to the proliferation of Nature-Deficit Disorder (NDD). This condition has elevated the prevalence of childhood obesity, attention deficit disorders, and mental health issues to epidemic levels. Existing interventions face significant limitations, particularly in their inability to seamlessly integrate into the daily routines of urban children.

OBJECTIVES: Grounded in Socio-Ecological Theory, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM), this study aims to propose and design a novel IoT-based interactive ecological intervention system. The goal is to create a unified framework that effectively bridges the gap between urban living and nature engagement.

METHODS: The system incorporates modular hardware design and a gamified task-driven mechanism, organically integrating outdoor exploration with indoor planting. Through user surveys involving 100 urban children aged 6–12, we constructed and applied partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness. This analysis examined the impact paths of perceived ease of use(PEOU)and gamification experience(GAM)on nature connectedness (NC)and pro-nature behavioral intention(BI), while testing the mediating role of gamification experience. Field observations were also conducted with representative users.

CONCLUSION: The structural equation modelling (SEM)results indicate strong explanatory power for the model, with R²values for key variables ranging from 0. 396 to 0. 477. The study confirms that gamification experience plays a critical and significant mediating role between perceived ease of use and nature connectedness (indirect effect β=0. 241, p=0. 003). A more noteworthy finding is that the primary driver of children's future pro-nature behavioral intention is gamification experience itself (β=0. 376, p<0. 001), rather than the nature connectedness it fosters. This research thus concludes that, in digital health interventions for children, intrinsic enjoyment derived from gamification experience serves as a more pivotal long-term motivator for sustained engagement than the educational value of nature connectedness. These insights not only validate a promising prototype intervention system but, more importantly, offer essential theoretical and practical guidance for designing more effective child-focused intervention products in the future.