Changes in emotions and perceived stress following time spent in an artistically designed multisensory environment

Abstract

Self-management strategies that enhance positive emotions are considered most effective to cope with stress and maintain good mental health and well-being. An artistically designed multisensory environment, The Sensory-Art Space (SAS), was installed in a university in NSW Australia as a new self-management intervention. The design of the SAS was informed by evidence regarding the benefits of viewing art, experiencing nature and accessing sensory rooms.A pilot pre–post intervention study measured changes in affect and perceived stress in 224 participants who spent time in the SAS. Descriptive statistics were completed on the individual affective states, and paired sample t-tests were used to determine changes in Positive and Negative Affect (PANAS-X) and perceived stress (Visual Analogue Scale).The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that negative affect reduced, z=−10.23 (p<0.001), and positiveaffect increased, z=−2.57 (p=0.01), following spending time in the SAS. In addition, stress levels reduced after time spent in the SAS, z=−11.29 (p<0.0001).Self-management benefits were found following time in the SAS and future implications for public health and well-being are discussed.

Exploring Intraindividual Profiles for Home Buildings Based on Architectural Compositional Elements and Psychological Health Factors: A Transdisciplinary Approach

“…In addition, as multi-sensory environments are gaining popularity, our methodology and findings are useful also to assess the influences of multi-sensory spaces on psychological phenomena, and to use this information in turn to design indoor evidence-based spaces. Yet, multi-sensory rooms have usually been used as contextual spaces for rehabilitation (e.g., dementia, severe mental illness, developmental disabilities), there is a growing interest in exploring these spaces (e.g., artistically designed multisensory environments) in otherwise healthy individuals and their restorative influences on affective states [110,111]. As an innovative line of inquiry, we encourage to expand this research to architectural elements and building facets due to its potential clinical and non-clinical applications.…”