The theoretical principles of the QET
If the triangle of supporting environments (Fig. 1) is to be translated into a healthcare garden that aims for optimal well-being (as described by Becker et al., 2010), it should contain a combination of pathogenic strategies, i.e. avoiding risk factors, and salutogenic strategies, i.e. supporting salutary factors. In the context of healthcare gardens, we interpret risk factors as those that would cause a person not to be able or not to dare to go out in and/or use the garden, or that would cause actual danger to a person when using the garden. Similarly, we interpret salutary factors as attractive qualities that are desired and preferred in the garden and that encourage people to go outdoors.
If the triangle of supporting environments is related to the Kaplans’ two kinds of attention (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989), our suggestion is that people situated at the bottom of the triangle need environments offering soft fascination, whereas people situated at the top of the triangle can handle an environment with higher demands on directed attention (Fig. 2).