Effects of built environment on healing the mental health of the people–literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Pragati ◽  
R. Shanthi Priya ◽  
Prashanthini Rajagopal ◽  
C. Pradeepa

PurposeThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been reported to have a major impact on the mental health of an individual. Healing the mental stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia of an individual's immediate surroundings play a major role. Therefore, this study reviews how the built environment impacts the healing of an individual's state of mind.Design/methodology/approachVarious works of literature on healing environments were analysed to create frameworks that can facilitate psychological healing through architectural elements. Articles were selected from various journals like SAGE, PubMed, Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics (JACM), Routledge Taylor and Francis, Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs (JCUA), ScienceDirect, and Emerald databases, news articles, official web pages, and magazines that have been referred.FindingsIndicators (spatial, sensory comfort, safety, security, privacy and social comfort) are linked to sub-indicators (access, distractions and views) and design characteristics (indoor climate, interior view, outside view, privacy, communication, noise, daylighting, temperature) which help in better connection of the built environment with individual's mental health. From the above indicators, sub-indicators and design characteristics, the authors have come to a conclusion that a view to the outside with better social interaction has an in-depth effect on an individual's mental health.Research limitations/implicationsThis study predominantly talks about healing in hospitals but quarantining of COVID-19 patients happens in residences too. So, it is important to find the healing characteristics in residences and in which typology the recovery process is high.Originality/valueThis paper has been written completely by the author and the co-authors and has not been copied from any other sources.

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 460-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazia Di Giovanni ◽  
Lorenzo Chelleri

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of build back better (BBB) in contexts affected by depopulation and shrinking economies discussing how and if its principles are able to drive the recovery pattern toward a sustainability re-development path.Design/methodology/approachBBB principles’ usefulness in driving toward a sustainable post-disaster recovery has been tested in L’Aquila’s area (Italy) – severely affected by an earthquake in 2009 – through interviews and analyses of reconstruction plans and policies.FindingsAlthough most of the BBB principles can be recognized within the intentions of plans and policies, the recovery process highlights a major fallacy in addressing the pre-disaster socio-economic stresses inducing to shrinkage and depopulation development lock-ins.Practical implicationsAlthough most of the principles can be recognized in the intentions of plans and policies, the recovery process highlights a main fallacy of the “BBB paradigm”: the need of addressing pre-disaster socio-economic stresses while recovering from the shocks was not explicitly nor implicitly addressed.Originality/valueShrinkage as a process of territorial transformation has been little explored in relation to natural hazards and post-disaster contexts. Indeed, while from one side BBB concept and principles drive toward a potential mitigation of the main risks while re-building, it results challenging to overcome the built environment re-building priorities to question whether, what and how to re-build while investing in socio-economic recovery. Reverting, or accepting, shrinkage could indeed implies to not build back part of the urban fabric, while investing in skills and capacity building, which, in turn, would be difficult to justify through the reconstruction budget. The tension between re-building (better, the built environment) and re-development (skills and networks, at the expense of re-building) is critical when BBB faces disasters happening in shrinking territories.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 457-468
Author(s):  
Dagmar Narusson ◽  
Jean Pierre Wilken

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on individuals who experience mental health difficulties with the services they receive from “support workers” as part of a personal recovery model, this study will obtain individuals reflections, experiences and opinions on how support helps them stay well and facilitates their personal recovery process. Recovery is seen through the lens of the CHIME framework (Connectedness–Hope–Identity–Meaning–Empowerment). Design/methodology/approach The sample size included 13 people who experience mental health difficulties and are receiving support from mental health care services. The structured interview was designed based on the INSPIRE measurement and the CHIME framework structure. The qualitative content analyses, discursive framing approach and CHIME as a framework made it possible to examine the key activities of recovery-oriented support work revealed in the data. Findings Participants valued the enhancement of hope provided by support workers and also expressed it was important as they were non-judgemental. Identity and meaning in recovery could be enhanced by sharing powerful stories about the individuals’ own life and health experiences, and those of support workers or others. Inclusive behaviour in public spaces and trying out new interest-based activities together were considered as empowering. Originality/value This research helps to understand the value of personal recovery support activities given the societal changes (tension between survival vs self-expression values) and highlights the need for value-based recovery-oriented education and practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-200
Author(s):  
Emily Glorney ◽  
Sophie Raymont ◽  
Amy Lawson ◽  
Jessica Allen

Purpose Religion and spirituality are well-researched concepts within the field of psychology and mental health yet they have rarely been researched in high-secure services within the UK. Research in mental health and prison contexts suggests benefits of religion/spirituality to coping, social support, self-worth, symptoms of depression and anxiety and behavioural infractions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of religion/spirituality in high-secure service users’ personal recovery. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 male patients in a high-secure hospital, with primary diagnoses of mental illness (n=11) or personality disorder (n=2). Participants were from a range of religious/spiritual backgrounds and were asked about how their beliefs impact their recovery and care pathways within the hospital. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings Three superordinate themes were identified: “religion and spirituality as providing a framework for recovery”; “religion and spirituality as offering key ingredients in the recovery process”; and “barriers to recovery through religion/spirituality”. The first two themes highlight some of the positive aspects that aid participants’ recovery. The third theme reported hindrances in participants’ religious/spiritual practices and beliefs. Each theme is discussed with reference to sub-themes and illustrative excerpts. Practical implications Religion/spirituality might support therapeutic engagement for some service users and staff could be more active in their enquiry of the value that patients place on the personal meaning of this for their life. Originality/value For the participants in this study, religion/spirituality supported the principles of recovery, in having an identity separate from illness or offender, promoting hope, agency and personal meaning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 151-167
Author(s):  
Raffaella Margherita Milani ◽  
Keisha Nahar ◽  
Daniel Ware ◽  
Alan Butler ◽  
Sean Roush ◽  
...  

Purpose Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA) is a peer-led programme developed in the USA, which aims to address mental and addictive disorders in an integrated manner. This study is part of a mixed-methods evaluation of the first DDA pilot in the UK, and the purpose of this study is to explore the impact and mechanism of change of the programme through the perspective of DDA attendees, facilitators and the funding commissioners. Design/methodology/approach Six DDA members were interviewed three times over a period of 12 months, the facilitators were interviewed twice and the commissioner was interviewed once. The qualitative longitudinal data were analysed using a trajectory thematic analysis. Findings DDA attendance was perceived to have had a positive impact on five main areas: acceptance of self, of others and from others; social functioning; self-development; recovery progression; and feeling of hope. The possibility of addressing both mental health and addiction at the same time was a key factor in the recovery process. The facilitators observed that DDA had contributed to integrate members into employment and education, while the commissioner stressed the importance of joint commissioning and sustainability. Originality/value The longitudinal approach provided a unique insight into the recovery process of DDA members. Being able to address the mental health as well as the substance use problems was considered to be a fundamental strength of DDA in comparison to the single purpose peer-support fellowships.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Sofouli

Purpose This paper aims to review how the recovery concept among cultural and ethnic minorities has been conceptualized within extant literature. Drawing on the Connectedness; Hope and optimism about the future; Identity; Meaning in life; and Empowerment (CHIME) framework, this paper highlights the cultural adaptations of supported housing – a prominent recovery-oriented intervention – as it has been implemented in a multicultural western country and delineates the future implications for research, policy and practice in regard to mental health recovery interventions for cultural and ethnic minorities. Design/methodology/approach An online search was performed to identify recent empirical studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Findings The reviewed studies confirmed what Leamy et al. (2011) had initially reported: spirituality and support networks can act as enablers or inhibitors in the recovery process of mental health services users with diverse cultural backgrounds. The stigma surrounding mental illness is a key challenge that skews the recovery experience among minority groups. Other cultural-specific factors influencing recovery include linguistic peculiarities of the maternal language and gender. The cultural adaptation of a recovery-oriented intervention is not only feasible and effective but also challenging. Originality/value By studying the cultural variations of mental health recovery, the intention is to inform mental health practitioners and other key stakeholders of the distinct cultural components that influence the recovery process, thereby promoting the development of culturally sensitive, accessible and effective recovery-oriented interventions. It is worth noting that providing culturally appropriate mental health services could be viewed as a human right issue for minority groups.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-416
Author(s):  
David Woods ◽  
Gerry Leavey ◽  
Rosie Meek ◽  
Gavin Breslin

Purpose The high prevalence of mental illness within the prison population necessitates innovative mental health awareness provision. This purpose of this feasibility study with 75 males (47 intervention; 28 control) was to evaluate State of Mind Sport (SOMS), originally developed as a community based mental health and well-being initiative, in a notoriously challenging prison setting. Design/methodology/approach A mixed 2 (group) × 2 (time) factorial design was adopted. Questionnaires tested for effects on knowledge of mental health, intentions to seek help, well-being and resilience. For each outcome measure, main and interaction effects (F) were determined by separate mixed factors analysis of variance. Two focus groups (N = 15) further explored feasibility and were subjected to general inductive analysis. Findings A significant group and time interaction effect were shown for mental health knowledge, F(1, 72) = 4.92, p = 0.03, ηp2 = 0.06, showing a greater post-programme improvement in mental health knowledge score for the intervention group. Focus group analysis revealed an increase in hope, coping efficacy and intentions to engage more openly with other prisoners regarding personal well-being as a result of the SOMS programme. However, fear of stigmatisation by other inmates and a general lack of trust in others remained as barriers to help-seeking. Originality/value The implications of this study, the first to evaluate a sport-based mental health intervention in prison, are that a short intervention with low costs can increase prisoner knowledge of mental health, intentions to engage in available well-being opportunities and increase a sense of hope, at least in the short term.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-69
Author(s):  
Marwah Osama

Purpose Mental health disorders, namely, anxiety and depression, have reached an unprecedented peak; recent research demonstrates that these disorders have increased by 70 per cent over the last 25 years. Additionally, developments in the field of environmental psychology have elicited that the built environment is a crucial factor affecting mental health. It is, therefore, necessary for architects to address the issue when designing, thereby using a holistic approach to promote general well-being. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The project, Asylum: A Place of Refuge, seeks to create a reinterpretation of the eighteenth century asylum, through which the intervention of nature – vast pastures and bucolic settings – believed it had the power to cure the human psyche while, simultaneously, offering redemption. This paper examines the project in relation to multiple books and readings conducted prior and while designing. These references, many of which are considered staples in the field, refer to the important role and impact architecture and landscape have on mental health. Additionally, it discusses the ways architects can consciously design to promote physiological well-being and ensure positive psychological experience through adoption of a comprehensive approach that bridges the gap between the body and mind. Finding sources related to environmental psychology was also crucial as the research conducted in this field provides scientific reasoning to support design decisions. Findings By employing strategies from the readings as well as creating a stimulating space that challenges the conception of architecture, the project: Asylum: A Place of Refuge, was born. The use of a powerful, specific and emotive language inherent to the setting as well as a constant relationship between nature and the built environment creates a safe haven for people to resort to, away from the pressures and stresses of everyday life amplified by bustling cities. The ethos of the project is essentially inspired upon Ebenezer Howard’s concept introduced in his book, Garden Cities of Tomorrow, where he states that “human society and the beauty of nature are meant to be enjoyed together. The two must be made one” (Howard, p. 48). Research limitations/implications The application and the validity of the project are limited to a conceptual proposal leading to speculative results. Although the research paper is based on architecture-related readings and research conducted in the field of environmental psychology, to verify how this project would function in a real-world setting, it is essential to build it. Social implications Applying these findings and this approach to architecture can enhance the quality of life. These ideas can be applied to many different building types including, but not limited to, living spaces, workplaces and recreational spaces. Originality/value This paper is based on an architecture project that was created by the author as part of their undergraduate thesis. As a result, this paper and proposal is fully original.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-347
Author(s):  
Éllen Cristina Ricci ◽  
Erotildes Leal ◽  
Ehidee Isabel Gómez La-Rotta ◽  
Rosana Onocko-Campos ◽  
Maria O'Connell

Purpose The Recovery Self-Assessment (RSA–R) in Revised Version is an instrument designed to assess the degree to which mental health programs and services implement recovery-oriented practices. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the RSA–R instrument for use in local mental health services in the city of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Design/methodology/approach This method for cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument included a series of iterative steps including preparation, translation, back translation, harmonization, expert evaluation, focus groups, in-depth interviews, expert opinion and pilot study. Findings A multi-rater assessment of the equivalence of content between the original RSA–R and the translated version revealed that each of the 32 items achieved at least 88% agreement in terms of equivalency. A multi-step harmonization process revealed additional suggestions for improvements in readability, comprehension and applicability to Brazilian context. An expert in youth and adult education provided additional stylistic recommendations. Combined, this iterative approach to cross-cultural translation resulted in an adapted version of the instrument that was well understood, culturally appropriate and adequate for further verification of psychometric properties. Originality/value The recovery process in Brazil and in the USA has culturally determined differences in terms of the way mental disorders are understood, diagnosed and treated. Moreover, there are different notions of what constitutes desirable results of recovery, health care and welfare. At the present time, there are few, if any, available cross-cultural instruments to assess the recovery-orientation of services between Brazil and the USA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby C. Lautner ◽  
Megan S. Patterson ◽  
Melitza Ramirez ◽  
Katie Heinrich

Purpose CrossFit has been popularized for the high intensity workouts it provides and the sense of community it facilitates; however, its potential as an adjunctive treatment for addiction is unknown, as is has not been published in traditional peer-reviewed literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the potential for CrossFit to benefit individuals in addiction recovery. Design/methodology/approach A search was conducted using the search terms “CrossFit,” “addiction” and “addiction recovery.” A tool was created to categorize key information within articles such as type(s) of addiction described, mention of support/community, main narrative type (personal story, information about a treatment centers, etc.), mental health described as a comorbidity, and if the exercise program(s) was(were) used to prevent, sustain or support recovery. Findings Nearly half of the articles reviewed (48 per cent) described personal stories related to using CrossFit as a means to overcome addiction, and 26 per cent were about CrossFit gyms targeting addiction recovery. A key finding was that 62 per cent of all articles mentioned the community and social component of CrossFit as an important mechanism of the recovery process. Finally, 33 per cent of articles recognized mental health as a comorbidity to addiction and therefore also proposed CrossFit as a suitable way to improve mental health. Research limitations/implications Although this was a review of gray literature, the findings reveal how CrossFit may be an innovative approach for supporting addiction recovery. Practical implications The potential benefits identified in the articles demonstrate the positive impact that CrossFit may have on recovering addicts. Empirical research is needed to objectively study the impact of key aspects that CrossFit can provide to individuals overcoming addiction. Originality/value This study provides an example of how anecdotal evidence of addiction recovery can be used for analysis, thus providing a strategy to be implemented in addiction treatment facilities. CrossFit has been widely popularized by the fitness community, but the social support and exercise it provides may be a leverage point for supporting individuals in recovery.


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