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<p>Mental health in urban environments is increasingly recognized as a crucial dimension of public health and sustainable urban development. This study examines how environmental and social design features, specifically greenery, urban lighting, and seating affect the psychological well-being of pedestrians across recreational, residential, and commercial spaces in Nagpur, India. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative measures (Perceived Stress Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) with qualitative responses and site observations, data were collected from 500 participants equally representing women and men. Results indicate that greenery is particularly effective in reducing stress, especially among women; urban lighting strongly shapes perceptions of safety and emotional comfort, with women demonstrating higher sensitivity to poorly lit settings; and seating preferences differ by gender, with women valuing shaded, private benches while men prefer open, social arrangements. Based on these findings, the study introduces a Psychological Well-Being Index (PWI) encompassing five parameters like; greenery, urban lighting, seating, safety perception, and environmental stressors that together provide a gender-sensitive framework for assessing and enhancing urban spaces. The implications extend to urban designers, planners, and policymakers by offering evidence-based guidelines to create inclusive, equitable, and mentally supportive environments in rapidly urbanizing contexts of the Global South.</p>

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Development of a psychological wellbeing index based on environmental and social design features for public urban spaces of Indian City

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月2日

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  • Shrutee Dhanorkar,
  • Amit M. Deshmukh

摘要

Mental health in urban environments is increasingly recognized as a crucial dimension of public health and sustainable urban development. This study examines how environmental and social design features, specifically greenery, urban lighting, and seating affect the psychological well-being of pedestrians across recreational, residential, and commercial spaces in Nagpur, India. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative measures (Perceived Stress Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) with qualitative responses and site observations, data were collected from 500 participants equally representing women and men. Results indicate that greenery is particularly effective in reducing stress, especially among women; urban lighting strongly shapes perceptions of safety and emotional comfort, with women demonstrating higher sensitivity to poorly lit settings; and seating preferences differ by gender, with women valuing shaded, private benches while men prefer open, social arrangements. Based on these findings, the study introduces a Psychological Well-Being Index (PWI) encompassing five parameters like; greenery, urban lighting, seating, safety perception, and environmental stressors that together provide a gender-sensitive framework for assessing and enhancing urban spaces. The implications extend to urban designers, planners, and policymakers by offering evidence-based guidelines to create inclusive, equitable, and mentally supportive environments in rapidly urbanizing contexts of the Global South.