Investigating the Impact of School Physical Environment Quality on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; A Case Study of Six Schools in Different Districts (2, 5, and 9) of Tehran (Students Aged 7 to 10)

Gholizadeh Marandi, Soniya; Jalili, Mohammad; Khameh, Masoomeh

doi:10.22034/aaud.2025.461036.2889

Investigating the Impact of School Physical Environment Quality on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; A Case Study of Six Schools in Different Districts (2, 5, and 9) of Tehran (Students Aged 7 to 10)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Soniya Gholizadeh Marandi ¹

Mohammad Jalili ²

Masoomeh Khameh ³

¹ Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architecture, BO.C., Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, BO.C., Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran (Corresponding Author).

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, BO.C., Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran.

10.22034/aaud.2025.461036.2889

Abstract

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children and can have negative effects on students' academic and social performance. The physical environment of schools is recognized as an important factor in shaping students' behavior and attention. The issue addressed in the present study is the evaluation of children's educational centers that, in terms of architectural physicality and types of activities, do not align with the real needs of students with ADHD. Accordingly, the relationship between the quality of the physical environment in schools and ADHD among students in six schools in Tehran was investigated. This study is applied in nature and utilizes correlation and stepwise regression methods. Survey instruments included the standardized Conners questionnaire, a school physical environment quality questionnaire comprising eight environmental indicators (air quality, acoustics, lighting, thermal comfort, façade, layout, green space, and color), and a questionnaire for evaluating moderating factors (teacher, individual intelligence, academic status, and family income). The selected schools were: Alborz Boys’ School and Shahid Fahmideh Girls’ School (District 2), Ibn Sina Boys’ School and Moftah 1 Girls’ School (District 5), and Shohada-ye Moallem Boys’ School and Afsharian Girls’ School (District 9), chosen through cluster sampling. The study subjects consisted of 100 students diagnosed with ADHD (aged 7 to 10 years; 44 boys and 46 girls) and 124 of their teachers. The schools were assessed using the Physical Environment Evaluation Questionnaire, and the contribution of each environmental dimension was determined. The physical environment components—green space (standard coefficient +0.15), layout (–0.08), façade (–0.19), lighting (–0.20), color (–0.32), environmental comfort (–0.31), and acoustics (–0.12)—played a determining role in reducing ADHD symptoms. The results indicated that the eight indicators of school physical environment quality and three moderating factors were correlated with both the diagnosis and severity of symptoms in students with ADHD. Improving the quality of the school environment can lead to a reduction in the symptoms and severity of the disorder among students.

Keywords

Environmental Quality

Physical Environment

School

Students

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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