A3-Using positive psychology to understand motivations, constraints, and opportunities to enhance human-wildlife interactions among people with disabilities
Podium 1
12:10 PM - 12:30 PMThu
Podium 1
Novel Environmental Approaches
Speakers
Roxanne Zybenko Keane
Master's Candidate
La Trobe University
Notwithstanding increasing evidence about the health benefits of nature and wildlife engagement, numerous barriers—such as physical constraints, resource limitations, and perceived risks—can hamper participation for people with disabilities. This presentation applies positive psychology (specifically, the PERMA+4 framework) to identify motivations, barriers, and potential solutions for promoting inclusive wildlife experiences. It explores how interactions with wildlife may enhance well-being through the Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment, as well as Environmental, Economic, Health, and Mindset to address unique challenges people with disabilities face in wildlife-based educational, leisure, and work contexts. It synthesises studies on nature and animal-assisted interventions, environmental volunteering, and conservation activities, showing potential pathways for enhancing accessibility and engagement among people with disabilities. Positive psychology may bridge existing gaps by focusing on individual strengths, goals and adjustments. Using a model that includes psychological, social, and environmental factors, this presentation recommends future research on human-wildlife interactions to promote well-being and social inclusion for people with disabilities.