Calm Space, an Outdoor Escape Area: A Feasibility Study on Social Participation of Children with Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a behaviorally defined neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social-communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors. It affects ~1 in every 54 children in the USA. These autistic children suffer from anxiety, particularly when they engage in outdoor activities, mostly due to environmental stimuli and unawareness of communicating with them. While the evidence suggests that engaging in outdoor activities can improve the quality of life of autistic children, they reportedly rarely engage in outdoor activities. Therefore, they are introduced to autism centers with well-established quiet spaces and retreat areas by their mentors and are guided to gradually use them to relieve their stress/anxiety. They can return to the classroom when they feel calmer. Unfortunately, they lack access to such spaces in public areas when overstimulated. This research aims to conduct a feasibility study on designing calm spaces in public areas for children, including autistic ones. The required data were collected by performing an extensive literature review on autism design features. Then, questionnaires were distributed among experts regarding the types of calm spaces and design features. The Delphi method is employed to conduct the questionnaire survey and continue in three rounds until the experts reach a consensus. The final result approved one out of the three types of calm spaces. The expert panel also agreed on all design features attributed to autism.