Undergraduate Research

What Do Young Adults with Anxiety Want from Clothing? An Exploratory Study on Technology Inspired Clothing Design for Young Adults with Anxiety

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Abstract

Statistics show that 20% of young adults suffer from an anxiety disorder.  Scholars and clinicians have proposed various ways to aid in the prevention and coping of anxiety disorders, such as having a balanced and healthy lifestyle; other researchers noted the important role of clothing in anxiety management. In addition, with the quick advancement of apparel technologies and cross-disciplinary collaborations, technology-infused apparel design has been booming in recent years. However, there is still not a wide range of garments within the current apparel market that aid in anxiety disorder. The existing products have not yet achieved a balance among the following factors: anxiety-aiding design, aesthetics, affordability, and functionality. Therefore, the researchers conducted an exploratory project to study how clothing could potentially aid in preventing and easing anxiety. Then the researchers proposed an unobtrusive and affordable collection, which could be comfortably worn daily, to help those people with subsidizing anxiety symptoms.  

Keywords: Anxiety, Functional Design, Technology

How to Cite:

Bynum, K., Brinkley, T., Filinger, C. & Wu, Y., (2022) “What Do Young Adults with Anxiety Want from Clothing? An Exploratory Study on Technology Inspired Clothing Design for Young Adults with Anxiety”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.15969