NEUROERGONOMICS, INCLUSIVE ARCHITECTURE, AND MENTAL HEALTH: DESIGNING NEURODIVERSITY-RESPONSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 17% of the world's population is considered neurodivergent, meaning they have neurological variations that differ from what is considered typical or normative. This includes individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, among others. These people have patterns of cognitive, emotional and social development that diverge significantly from what is expected. Therefore, the ergonomic configuration of workspaces must consider new demands that meet not only the needs of this group, but of all employees. Considering that more than 20 million Brazilians have been diagnosed with burnout, anxiety and depressive disorders, this study aims to investigate, through an interdisciplinary literature review, the contributions of neuroergonomics to mental health and the inclusion of neurodiversity in the workplace. It is expected to ensure not only the quality of the built environment for the performance of tasks, but also to meet the biopsychosocial needs of users. As a result, evidence-based design propositions allied to inclusive architecture were considered, such as: spatial references (wayfinding), spatial organization (layout), biophilic design, thermal comfort, acoustics, integrative lighting and degree of sensory stimulation. It is expected to contribute to the planning of healthy, comfortable, safe and inclusive environments.