Modeling the Design of Therapeutic Environments for Patients with Schizophrenia Based on Environmental Cognitive Patterns and Its Effect on Anxiety Reduction

Mohammad Kaveh  Baghbahadorani; Hamidreza  Ameri Siyahoyi; Vahdaneh  Fooladi; Mastooreh  Sedaghat

doi:10.61838/

Authors

Mohammad Kaveh Baghbahadorani Department of Architecture, Ki.C., Islamic Azad University, Kish, Iran

Hamidreza Ameri Siyahoyi * Department of Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Payam Noor University, Hormozgan, Iran Amery66pro@yahoo.com

Vahdaneh Fooladi Department of Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Mastooreh Sedaghat Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.61838/

Keywords:

therapeutic design, schizophrenia, anxiety, environmental psychology, healing architecture, cognitive patterns

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a model for designing therapeutic environments for patients with schizophrenia based on familiar cognitive patterns and to examine its effect on reducing patient anxiety. This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach (quantitative–qualitative). In the quantitative phase, 30 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia at Omid Farda Center were interviewed and were asked to report their level of anxiety, based on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, after viewing images of designed environments. In the qualitative phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 architecture experts. The results of statistical analysis indicated that environmental design incorporating familiar cognitive elements such as lighting, color, furniture, and surface materials had a significant effect on reducing patients’ anxiety. The findings suggest that an environmental psychology-based approach can contribute to the development of effective and human-centered therapeutic environments for psychiatric patients.

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