Supporting Student Mental Health: A Study on the Impact of Multisensory Environments

From kindergarten to higher education, teachers and faculty are taking a closer look at students’ mental health. One approach involves the use of multisensory environments. These are spaces that stimulate or soothe the senses to promote positive emotions, aid relaxation, and foster a sense of control and choice.

Stantec and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro recently looked into multisensory spaces. The goal of the study? To see if those spaces could help relieve stress in students. The team consisted of Stantec interior design discipline leader Gwen Morgan, UNC Greensboro professor Amanda Gale, and grad student Lisa Williams. Together, they designed a room that engaged participants’ senses of sound, smell, touch, and sight while including play theory and attention restoration theory features. Survey data of the student participants showed a positive impact on their mental health.

The conclusion? Multisensory spaces hold promise as a successful way to reduce student stress and anxiety. Learn more about the project: Can multisensory environments help reduce anxiety and stress in university students? Watch this video to find out.