Assessing the Impact of the Campuses’ Landscape Design on the Stress Levels of the Students Using the Salutogenic Model (The New Campus of Al-Aqsa University as a Case Study)

Authors

Ahed Helles, Al-Aqsa University, PalestineFollow

Abstract

Studies in the field of environmental psychology have found that there is a strong correlation between the built environment and stress on the one hand, and between stress and health on the other hand. This research used the Salutogenic theory introduced by Antonovsky to examine the impact of architectural elements and design features of the outdoor spaces within learning environments, such as those of university campuses, on the level of stress of the university students, using the new campus of Al-Aqsa University in the city of Khan Younis (in The Gaza Strip) as a case study. The hypothesis of the study was based on the thought that there is a positive impact of the architectural elements and design features of the open spaces within Al-Aqsa University on the stress levels of the students. The researcher used the descriptive analytical approach to review the literature and architectural research related to the subject of the study. The literature review concluded with a matrix of architectural elements and design features influencing the level of stress. Consequently, a questionnaire was designed and conducted on a random sample of 364 students. The survey showed there is a positive effect of the design characteristics and architectural elements on the students' sense of coherence and stress-coping strategies.

Recommended Citation

Helles, Ahed (2022) "Assessing the Impact of the Campuses’ Landscape Design on the Stress Levels of the Students Using the Salutogenic Model (The New Campus of Al-Aqsa University as a Case Study)," Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/aaup/vol8/iss1/6