Physical–Spatial Determinants of Semi-Private Spaces Associated with Reduced Resident Anxiety in Mid-Rise Residential Complexes: A Survey-Based Study in Mashhad, Iran

Vakili, Sepideh; Saffar Sabzevar, Fatemeh; Salehinia, Majid

doi:10.22034/ijumes.2026.2106127.1406

Physical–Spatial Determinants of Semi-Private Spaces Associated with Reduced Resident Anxiety in Mid-Rise Residential Complexes: A Survey-Based Study in Mashhad, Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sepideh Vakili

Fatemeh Saffar Sabzevar

Majid Salehinia

Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

10.22034/ijumes.2026.2106127.1406

Abstract

In dense urban housing, semi-private spaces mediating between private dwellings and the public realm are increasingly recognised as determinants of residents' psychological well-being rather than mere circulation zones. However, the physical–spatial characteristics of these spaces associated with residents' anxiety and apprehension remain poorly defined, particularly in mid-rise complexes in Mashhad, Iran, where economic pressures and floor-area maximisation often marginalise their psychological role. This study aimed to identify the physical–spatial characteristics of semi-private spaces associated with lower anxiety and apprehension among residents of mid-rise complexes and to translate them into evidence-based design strategies. A quantitative, descriptive–analytical, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 153 residents of five purposively selected mid-rise complexes in Mashhad, using a researcher-developed questionnaire and the standardised Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 scale; data were analysed in SPSS 26 through Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. After controlling for general anxiety, physical–spatial characteristics explained 27.3% to 39.2% of the variance in environmental anxiety and apprehension. Perceived control over space, perceived security, and place attachment were inversely associated with anxiety, whereas enclosure and privacy showed positive associations, and the effect of accessibility and legibility differed between complexes. The composition of significant predictors varied across complexes, indicating that anxiety is shaped by the integrated configuration of space rather than by any single attribute. Designing semi-private spaces that balance privacy and visibility, and enclosure and openness, while reinforcing territorial definition, natural surveillance, and route legibility, may foster more psychologically supportive residential environments; given the cross-sectional design, these relationships are associational rather than causal.

Graphical Abstract

Physical–Spatial Determinants of Semi-Private Spaces Associated with Reduced Resident Anxiety in Mid-Rise Residential Complexes: A Survey-Based Study in Mashhad, Iran

Highlights

• Semi-private spaces are treated as determinants of residents’ psychological well-being, not merely functional circulation zones.

• A survey of 153 residents in five mid-rise complexes in Mashhad linked physical–spatial characteristics to anxiety using the GAD-7 scale.

• The perceived quality of semi-private space significantly predicted residents’ anxiety after controlling for general anxiety (R² = 0.27–0.39).

• Enclosure and privacy, perceived control and security, legibility, environmental quality, and natural elements emerged as significant predictors.

• Predictor weight and direction varied across complexes, showing that anxiety reflects the integrated configuration of space rather than any single attribute.

Keywords

Anxiety and apprehension

Mid-rise residential complexes

Perceived security

Physical&ndash

spatial characteristics

Semi-private spaces

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