Autism and Biophilia: The impact of natural scenes on anxiety

自闭症和生物癖：自然场景对焦虑的影响

• 批准号: 2886988
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of East Anglia
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2886988
• 关键词: Autism; Biophilia; impact; natural; scenes

Biophilia is the hypothesis that a love of plants and nature is not a learned trait, but rather a genetically-based affinity that evolved over the course of human evolution (Kellert & Wilson, 1993). We seek out nature - hikes, pets, house plants, etc. - because of an inborn attraction to external life. Empirical studies suggests that spending time in nature, or even within sight of nature, can be placative, reducing the physiological indicators of stress and facilitating physical and emotional wellbeing (Ulrich et al., 1991; Hartig et al., 2003; Yin, J. et al, 2020). There is currently very little research exploring biophilia in relation to autism - a developmental disability impacting how an individual processes the information around them and how they interact with the world (World Health Organisation, 2020). Autistic individuals are at increased risk of mental health disorders, particularly anxiety (Hollocks et al., 2018). Little is currently known about how or why biophilia may benefit the autistic population who can struggle with urban environments; with sensory sensitivities and challenges being characteristic of an autistic profile. While there is a small amount of literature investigating autism in relation to building design, sensory rooms and/or spaces, the wider literature of autism in relation to nature and its potential to impact anxiety has not been extensively explored.Project aims and objectivesThe aim of the proposed studentship is to explore how biophilia can be used to help reduce anxiety for people with autism. This will be done through two experimental studies and a final applied study. The two experiments will look at whether a particular type of natural environment (biome) is preferred (e.g., fields, fields & trees, trees & water, etc.) and how 'immersive' the environment needs to be for the physiological reductions in stress to occur. The experiments will compare an autistic sample to a non-autistic sample and use virtual reality to explore alternative modalities to a fully immersive natural experience (i.e. being outside in a field or forest, etc.). A final applied study will use the identified biomes and preferred modalities from the two experiments to trial run a small behavioural intervention study exploring the potential of biophilia to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing in autistic individuals.The study objectives are:1. To identify preferred natural environments (biomes) of autistic and non-autistic individuals and any positive effect of biophilic exposure on anxiety.2. To investigate the optimal modality for biome exposure for reducing anxiety, including immersivity of experience, in autistic and non-autistic individuals.3. To explore the feasibility of a using an individualised biophilic therapy intervention to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing in autistic individuals.

Biophilia是一种假设，即对植物和自然的热爱不是一个学识渊博的特征，而是一种基于遗传的亲和力，在人类进化过程中进化而来（Kellert＆Wilson，1993）。由于天生对外部生命的吸引力，我们会寻找自然 - 远足，宠物，植物植物等。实证研究表明，在自然界中或什至在自然界中花费时间可能是安置的，可以减少压力的生理指标，并促进身体和情感健康（Ulrich等，1991; Hartig et al。，2003; Yin，J。J.等，2020）。目前，几乎没有研究探索与自闭症有关的生物植物的研究 - 一种发育障碍影响了一个人如何处理周围的信息以及它们与世界的互动方式（世界卫生组织，2020年）。自闭症患者患心理健康障碍，尤其是焦虑症的风险增加（Hollocks等，2018）。目前，关于生物生物如何或为什么会使可能与城市环境斗争的自闭症人群受益的知之甚少；感觉敏感性和挑战是自闭症特征的特征。尽管有少量文献调查了与建筑设计，感官室和/或空间有关的自闭症，但与自然有关的自闭症文献及其影响及其影响焦虑的潜力尚未得到广泛探索。项目的目标和目标学生的目标是探索如何使用自身抗心人的生物友善来探索如何使用自身的生物焦虑。这将通过两项实验研究和最终应用研究来完成。这两个实验将研究是否优选一种特定类型的自然环境（例如，田野，田野和树木，树木和水等），以及“沉浸式”环境需要如何使压力减少的生理减少。该实验将将自闭症样本与非自主样本进行比较，并使用虚拟现实来探索完全沉浸式自然体验的替代方式（即在野外或森林中，等等）。最终的应用研究将使用两个实验中确定的生物群体和首选方式进行试验进行小型行为干预研究，以探讨生物友善的潜力减轻自闭症个体的焦虑和改善健康状况。研究目标是：1。确定自闭症和非自闭症个体的首选自然环境（生物群体）以及生物接触对焦虑的任何积极作用。2。为了调查自闭症和非自动人物的生物群体暴露的最佳方式，以减少焦虑，包括经验的沉浸性。3。探索使用个性化的生物疗法干预措施的可行性，以减少自闭症患者的焦虑并改善健康状况。