nurturing affective intelligence through biophilic design in early childhood education: a designers' analysis

Objective: environmental crises, public policies, and shifts in cultural decision-making have diminished traditional opportunities for direct engagement with open spaces and nature. moreover, such environments enhance children's emotional capacities, enhancing their social well-being by responding to their needs and interests. hence, this study probed how designers perceive and apply biophilic design elements in preschool settings to foster emotional intelligence.method: to achieve this, a mixed-methods approach, combining q-factor analysis with grounded theory was employed. ten experts’ perspectives were systematically analyzed using q-factor analysis, allowing for the extraction of key indicators that define the relationship between biophilic design and emotional intelligence. this methodological approach ensures that findings are grounded in interdisciplinary insights, reinforcing the role of nature-integrated spaces in fostering emotional growth. conclusions: based on the results of q-factor analysis, four key dimensions of personal experience, social engagement, spatial characteristics, and ecological landscape play significant roles in shaping children’s emotional capacities. the results call for a need to reevaluate current policies, with greater attention to children’s lived experiences within nature-based, interactive settings.