Architecture for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Therapists.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to identify an architectural design framework that can be applied to create adaptable, transformative therapy rooms that benefit children with autism and their therapists.

BACKGROUND

Previous research suggests that environment shapes and influences human behavior. However, there remains a lack of evidence of effective design for pediatric rehabilitation therapy rooms. This study specifically focuses on how the design of the therapy room influences the patient's level of comfort and participation as well as the therapists' quality and efficiency of treatment to improve the overall therapeutic experience.

METHOD: Two different surveys were conducted to improve the design of a therapeutic room based on professional therapist experiences. A grounded theory approach was employed to identify specific codes and categories.

RESULTS

The result of this study is an architectural framework based on specific design tenets and their properties that not only can be utilized by architects and interior designers for building a new therapy center but could also be used for remodeling existing therapy rooms.