Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: According to the World Health Organization, health is a multi-dimensional issue that, in addition to the physical aspect, includes mental and psychological dimensions. The goal of designing therapeutic spaces, beyond providing medical services, should be to address the mental and psychological needs of users—an aspect that has not yet been fully considered. Recently, in addition to the general population, depression has become increasingly common among patients with physical illnesses such as COVID-19, heart disease, lung conditions, diabetes, and others. This research aims to identify and categorize the physical characteristics that are effective in reducing the level of depression in the design of therapeutic spaces, and to determine the dominant mental pattern among expert professors in the fields of architecture and psychology.
Methods: This study adopts a descriptive-survey research method. The process of identifying factors that influence the reduction of depression involved three main phases: content analysis of existing literature and documents, a two-stage Delphi survey, and exploratory factor analysis of the Q type to recognize and classify the mental patterns of experts. In the first part of the Delphi survey, interviews were conducted with fifteen experts in the fields of architecture and psychology, and the opinions of expert professors who were available at the time of the study were used. In the second part, twenty people participated in two stages through a closed questionnaire to analyze the Q factor.
Findings: To check the content validity of the questionnaire, the opinions of five architecture experts were used. The questionnaire was distributed among them, and based on their feedback, items were added or removed. Therefore, the content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the experts’ questionnaire was 0.716, indicating good reliability. Bartlett’s KMO test, with a value of about 0.7 and a significance level less than 0.05, confirmed the adequacy of sampling for this analysis. To ensure accuracy in calculations and due to the non-uniformity of participants in each component, the average response to the questions of each component was used to calculate the total variance. According to the scree chart, perceived factors were identified among 20 participants. The data matrix was rotated, and the factor loading of each individual was determined. In the end, the most important factors affecting the reduction of patients’ depression were identified, categorized, and named by the experts.
Conclusion: In the end, according to experts, six dominant mental patterns were extracted: logical sequence, nature-oriented space, diverse space, targeted sociable space, safe space, and visual comfort. These are used by architects in the design of therapeutic spaces and are reflected in the final outcome. A nature-oriented space should be able to incorporate various elements such as still and flowing water on the site, the presence of water at different levels, the sound system and the effect of water, diversity of vegetation, and the use of plants at different levels. These factors can reduce patients’ internal psychological stress and increase their vitality. A targeted social space plays an important role in fostering social interactions among patients. Considering elements such as creating a purposeful open collective space for patients’ physical activity and designing for environmental interactivity can lead to meaningful social connections among patients. Additionally, an appropriate recreational and sports area should be provided next to the treatment space to facilitate interaction between patients and medical staff and to prevent personal harm. Spatial diversity—through varied materials for surface finishes, diversity in exterior, intermediate, and interior spaces, as well as variety in texture, material, color, and lighting—creates dynamism, movement, and vitality. Using these elements in both interior and exterior space design helps reduce anxiety, internal pressure, and social stress, and enhances liveliness. Visual comfort in hospitals should ensure the visual and physical ease of patients. This includes components such as appropriate views and landscapes, ambient lighting, light control, shadowed areas, light play, and energy efficiency for temperature and ventilation control. Logical sequence within the structural system of enclosed spaces should support patient well-being and reduce external stress in treatment areas. It is essential to establish continuity and logical connections between entrance spaces, waiting areas, and inpatient and surgical departments. A safe space should enhance both the physical and psychological safety of patients in treatment environments, while reducing external and social pressures. The use of these patterns can shape the final processing elements in the design process and lead to the development of architectural products, which here are therapeutic spaces.