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Can the built environment positively influence the treatment of an eating disorder? Does the built environment play a role in the quality of care, the rehabilitation process and the lasting affects of treatment in eating disorders and if so, what role does it play? What are the important parameters to consider in designing such a space? Currently there are few facilities designed specifically for the treatment of this disorder. Of those facilities, there is a lack of research regarding the effects of the built environment. Therefore, the process of answering these questions must begin by assessing parameters in architectural precedents that have a strong, therapeutic environment. After studying several therapeutic environments, certain parameters emerged as common elements in each project. Therefore, the following parameters were chosen and used to systematize research: spatial triad (group, therapeutic, and solitude spaces), connection between interior and exterior, natural light, and sensory qualities (acoustic intimacy, space and scent, shape and touch, skeleton and muscle). While several architectural precedents exist; La Tourette, a monastery near Lyon, France designed by architect Le Corbusier, became the most significant structure studied. Research of this monastery included a two night stay with complete access to the facility. Spending full days in the monastery provided an opportunity to absorb the therapeutic qualities of the space. After analyzing common parameters across several chosen architectural precedents, a design solution was developed as a means to check the analysis. The solution involved re-purposing a warehouse building in an urban setting. Spatial connections and current treatment research drove the conceptual process which included diagramming, model building, and sketching. Key criteria for spatial development involved privacy, security, and circulation. The final design incorporated each precedent, creating an interior type that addresses the specific needs of a residential eating disorder clinic.

A National Survey indicated that 1.6 million adolescents in the U.S. were arrested in 2010 and 1.5 million in 2011 for erratic aggressive behaviors, thus showing a decline from the 2.18 million adolescent arrests in 2007. Residential facilities in the state of Pennsylvania offer a group intervention called Aggression Replacement Training (ART) to help adjudicated adolescents regain control of erratic behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which level of group participation in ART and certain demographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, family socioeconomic status, parental involvement, and education) predict decreased aggression and increased anger control among these youth. Cognitive theory and change theory were used to guide this causal-comparative investigation. The overarching research question was, does a youth's level of ART group participation (i.e., attentive, inattentive, and resistant) result in a subsequent reduction in risk assessment as measured by post Aggression Questionnaire score differences. Data were collected for the period of 2011-2014 from archival records from 5 residential facilities (n = 160) in Pennsylvania and were statistically analyzed. Findings from an analysis of variance indicate that ART group participation predict decreased erratic aggressive behaviors and increased anger control among adolescents. Findings from multiple regression analyses indicate that parental involvement predicts attentive participation level, whereas ART group participation, gender, and parental involvement predicted a reduction in risk assessment. Study findings may assist other treatment facilities and affiliated agencies in the U.S. with developing and implementing effective interventions for youth who exhibit erratic aggressive behaviors.