Proposing a Conceptual Framework Determining Urban Design Qualities Related to the Mental Health of Urban Neighborhood Residents

Based on the mental health comprehensive plan of development expression in 2015, mental disorders owned the second place of illnesses in Iran and residents of urban areas are the majority of the groups that most had been suffering from mental disorders. Therefore, urban living is a risk factor for residents’ mental health. While the issue of mental health and health is finding an acceptable place in urban design knowledge in global research, only in the last few years this study field has been considered in Iran with respect to the physical aspect of health and the psychological dimension of health remains neglected. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between mental health and urban environment and to propose a conceptual framework aimed at promoting mental health through urban design. In the present qualitative study, the data collection is done through desk study of related valuable scientific papers, and qualitative content analysis is used to extract the urban design qualities related to mental health. The validity of conceptual framework is done through interviews with experts in the fields of urban design and psychology, and completing the questionnaire and data analysis has been done using descriptive statistics. The results show that qualities such as "safety and security", "access to green-blue space", "permeability and walkability", "public realm quality", "place attachment", and "environmental cleanliness" in the substantive dimension and "social interaction and engagement" in the procedural dimension are related to residents’ mental health.