Ambiente fisico e linguaggio ambientale nel processo di rigenerazione affettiva dallo stress in camere di degenza pediatrica

Environmental messages communicated by the physical environment are considered a source of stress in hospitals when represented by negative meanings or meanings which do not match patient’s environmental expectations. In the present study, it is assumed that the hospital physical environment, through its meaning, allows or even promotes affective stress restoration when raises positive cognitions and affects. In this way, it was proposed to identify visual physical attributes of pediatric inpatient rooms that communicate environmental messages related to affective stress restoration. The study adopted a mixed method design, by associating direct and indirect observation; a qualitative and quantitative research strategy; and a descriptive profile. In total, 124 pediatric patients from the age of 8 and 66 parents participated in the study. The investigation was conducted in pediatric inpatient rooms of four hospitals in north-central Italy: one pediatric hospital and three general hospitals. Data collection took place in two phases, comprising: (a) direct observation of the physical built environment (inpatient rooms), observation of traces, administration of questionnaires to patients and parents, as well as consultation to medical records and architectural plans (Phase 1); (b) semi-structured interviews with patients from photographs of inpatient rooms (Phase 2). Data analysis involved descriptive and relational statistical analysis and thematic-categorical content analysis. It was possible to empirically establish a relation between environmental meaning and affective stress restoration. A better environmental evaluation was associated with a greater restoration. In addition, restoration was greater the more patients considered the hospital room as reassuring, orderly, cheerful, relaxing, comfortable, with fresh air, spacious, pleasant and lively. It was found that the following physical attributes of inpatient rooms play a role in the construction of these meanings: residential appearance, fresh air, visual and physical access to natural outdoors, moderate amplitude, opportunities for privacy, opportunities for social interaction, access to technologies, paintings and illustrations on the wall, support for parents’ needs, presence of toys and play areas, conservation and order of the healthcare facility. The results were discussed from multimethodological convergence and with the support of the literature regarding Restorative Environments, Environmental Perception and Cognition, and Evidence-based Design. The study of restorative environments and process from the affective stress condition by analyzing environmental meanings proved relevant, highlighting some of the issues that may promote pediatric patient’s welfare. This volume includes an English version of the thesis and, in the Appendix, the research report related to a complementary study conducted at the HELIX Centre, London.