96. The role of color psychology in alleviating workplace stress through office space design: a randomized controlled trial
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background Mental health issues among high-stress occupational groups are becoming increasingly prominent, with chronic stress leading to anxiety, depression, and reduced work efficiency. As the physical environment where employees spend over eight hours daily, office spaces exert a significant influence on psychological well-being through their color design. Existing studies are largely theoretical and lack validation through randomized controlled trials (RCTs). To address this gap, this study focuses on high-stress individuals and employs an RCT to investigate the mechanisms by which specific color schemes alleviate stress, improve mood, and enhance job satisfaction, thereby providing empirical evidence for human-centered office space design. Methods This parallel-group RCT was conducted from March 2024 to January 2025, recruiting 120 high-stress employees (PSS-10 ≥ 22) from five large metropolitan corporations. Participants were randomized via computer-generated sequences to intervention (n = 60) and control (n = 60) groups with no significant baseline differences in demographics or psychological indicators (p>.05). Intervention offices underwent systematic renovation featuring low-saturation blue-green walls (lightness 65-75, saturation 20%-30%), warm yellow rest-area accents (lightness 75-85), and standardized 4000 K work lighting. Controls maintained conventional gray-white tones. Comprehensive assessments using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and salivary cortisol as an objective biomarker were performed at baseline, 4, 8, 12 weeks, and 6-month follow-up. SPSS 26.0 conducted repeated measures ANOVA, independent samples t-tests, and chi-square tests, with p<.05 indicating statistical significance. Results After 4 weeks, intervention PSS-10 scores fell significantly from 26.8 ± 3.2 to 21.4 ± 2.9 (p<.001) and cortisol dropped 18.7% (8.2 ± 1.6 vs 6.7 ± 1.3 nmol/L, p<.01), while controls exhibited minimal changes. At 8 weeks, improvements continued deepening (PSS-10: 19.1 ± 2.6; STAI: 42.3 ± 4.5). By 12 weeks, intervention PSS-10 reached 17.2 ± 2.5, STAI state anxiety decreased from 48.6 ± 5.8 to 38.1 ± 4.2 (t = 11.23, p<.001), and MSQ scores rose 23.4% to 84.6 ± 5.9 (t = 9.67, p<.001). In contrast, control PSS-10 only marginally decreased to 23.1 ± 3.0, with highly significant between-group differences (t = 8.45, p<.001). At 6-month follow-up, intervention clinical response rate (PSS-10 reduction ≥30%) remained robust at 81.7% versus 45.0% for controls (χ2 = 19.68, p<.001). Subgroup analysis revealed blue-green tones particularly benefited technical staff stress relief (effect size d = 1.02), while warm yellow accents enhanced administrative satisfaction more significantly (d = 0.89). Discussion This study confirms that color psychology-based office design produces significant and durable reductions in workplace stress. Blue-green environments stimulate parasympathetic activity to lower cortisol, while low-saturation colors reduce visual cognitive load, promoting psychological restoration. This passive environmental intervention integrates easily into standard office renovations, requiring no active employee participation and offering superior cost-effectiveness compared to traditional psychological interventions. The sustained 6-month effects demonstrate the durability of environmental modifications, suggesting lasting neurophysiological adaptation. Implementation costs were minimal relative to productivity gains. Future research should explore personalized color schemes based on individual preferences and personality traits, and employ advanced neuroimaging techniques like eye-tracking and functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to uncover deeper mechanisms underlying color perception and brain activation, providing comprehensive theoretical support for precision mental health design in contemporary workplace environments. Funding No.25BG153; No. Y2025LX011; No. Y2025LX009.
Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin
Authors: Xin Chen, Yuansheng Pei
Institution: Suzhou City University
Language: English
Topic: Color perception and design
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7128766955
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