How sensory stimuli and barrier-free environments through restorative environmental perception influence visually impaired Individuals’ satisfaction with urban parks

The well-being and holistic development of visually impaired individuals (VII) are fundamental requisites for constructing more inclusive cities, and they necessitate the provision of environments that are more conducive to the habitation of the VII. The restorative experiences of the VII within urban parks play a pivotal role in fostering their physical and mental health; however, this domain has received relatively little scholarly attention. Hence, this study, which is grounded in theories of restorativeness and sensory compensation, adopted Guangzhou, China, as its contextual background. It employs a mixed-methods approach that incorporates both online and offline questionnaire surveys to gather data on the perceptual experiences of 448 VII in urban parks. This study constructed a “stimulus-cognition-attitude” model to investigate the interrelationships among sensory stimuli, perceptions of a barrier-free environment, restorative environmental perception, and satisfaction.

The study’s findings validated the seven hypotheses: sensory stimuli and a barrier-free environment influence the restorative environmental perception and satisfaction among VII. Moreover, restorative environmental perception influences satisfaction while acting as a partial mediator not only between sensory stimuli and satisfaction but also between perceptions of a barrier-free environment and satisfaction. Additionally, this research introduced kinesthesia as the sixth sense, which, following touch, exerts a significant influence on the perception of VIIs. Furthermore, being away exerts the greatest influence on the perception of a restorative environment for VIIs.

Accordingly, this study provides insights for urban public sectors seeking to develop green spaces with enhanced restorative benefits and a more inclusive atmosphere, thereby contributing to evidence-based policy and design decisions that promote inclusivity and well-being for the VII within city parks.