Abstract

There is a consensus regarding the impact of neighborhoods, especially their green areas, on mental well-being. However, our hypothesis suggests that this attribute is not always significant. In vulnerable, socially stigmatized, and urbanistically poorly connected neighborhoods, other neighborhood attributes could have correlations that are equally or more significant. To discuss this, we studied three neighborhoods and conducted 300 surveys, qualifying respondents based on personal attributes, built environment attributes, urban habits, and declared perceptions about their neighborhood and mental well-being. Statistically analyzed using a polychoric matrix and tests of statistical independence, the results show that green areas do not have a significant correlation with mental well-being, as evidenced by perceptions about neighborhood aesthetics, sense of urban integration, and habits such as walking. This does not invalidate the positive potential of green areas on mental well-being but suggests new design strategies that could be relevant for their activation. ©EURE