Helen Chatterjee - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Helen Chatterjee

Research paper thumbnail of Well-Being With Objects: Evaluating a Museum Object-Handling Intervention for Older Adults in Health Care Settings

Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society, Jan 24, 2014

The extent to which a museum object-handling intervention enhanced older adult well-being across ... more The extent to which a museum object-handling intervention enhanced older adult well-being across three health care settings was examined. The program aimed to determine whether therapeutic benefits could be measured objectively using clinical scales. Facilitator-led, 30 to 40 min sessions handling and discussing museum objects were conducted in acute and elderly care (11 one-to-ones), residential (4 one-to-ones and 1 group of five), and psychiatric (4 groups of five) settings. Pre-post measures of psychological well-being (Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule) and subjective wellness and happiness (Visual Analogue Scales) were compared. Positive affect and wellness increased significantly in acute and elderly and residential care though not psychiatric care whereas negative affect decreased and happiness increased in all settings. Examination of audio recordings revealed enhanced confidence, social interaction, and learning. The program allowed adults access to a museum acti...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing well-being outcomes for arts and heritage activities: Development of a Museum Well-being Measures toolkit

Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 2014

Many museums and galleries offer services directed at improving the health and well-being of thei... more Many museums and galleries offer services directed at improving the health and well-being of their audiences. Despite this increasing area of activity there is no standardized method for assessing the impact on participants. Recent research into heritage-in-health revealed the need for a culture-specific toolkit of measures to assess the well-being of adults participating in museum, arts and heritage activities. A pretrial survey of UK specialist museums ascertained how a toolkit might be used and what methods of evaluation already existed. Prototypes were trialled over twelve months and a post-trial survey was conducted prior to production of the toolkit. Statistically reliable measures were constructed for positive and negative emotion. Comparison of pretest-posttest differences showed highly significant increases in positive scores and decreases in negative scores with medium to large effect sizes. All words in the measures contributed to changes in emotion. Full and short Generic Well-being Questionnaires (GWQ) were developed for people with dementia.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the therapeutic effects of museum object handling with hospital patients: A review and initial trial of well-being measures

Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 2011

... poor. Page 10. Linda J. Thomson | Erica E. Ander | Usha Menon … 46 ... Four contrasting examp... more ... poor. Page 10. Linda J. Thomson | Erica E. Ander | Usha Menon … 46 ... Four contrasting examples (Rabe et al. 2006; Walker et al. 2005; De Gucht et al. 2003; Petrie et al. 2001) are outlined below. PANAS health-care examples In ...

Research paper thumbnail of Material objects and psychological theory: A conceptual literature review

Arts & Health, 2015

Background: This review offers a conceptual summary and critique of psychological theories and re... more Background: This review offers a conceptual summary and critique of psychological theories and research concerning the use of material objects and their possible role in clinical work. Methods: Studies relating to the theory and use of material objects in different contexts and interventions were identified through a search of the following data bases: Psycinfo, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts and Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. Results: The 29 papers that met inclusion criteria fell within six broad categories: psychoanalytic thinking and transitional objects, found object theory and clinical use, developmental and neuropsychological perspectives on touch, valued object choice, the relationships of material objects to identity and museum object handling interventions. Conclusions: A range of effective roles for material objects in research and clinical work was identified, and in particular, museum object-handling sessions offered short-term benefits in well-being and engagement to a variety of clinical populations. A number of methodological limitations were identified throughout this literature. The review concludes with recommendations for further research including the need for longitudinal studies, further study of the processes within group object-handling sessions and studies of multiple object-handling sessions; clinical application of material objects was also addressed.

Research paper thumbnail of Philippine Panay Island Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat (Crateromys heaneyi): A Preliminary Behavioural Study of Captive Cloud Rats

International Journal of Biology, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Object Therapy: A Student-selected Component Exploring the Potential of Museum Object Handling as an Enrichment Activity for Patients in Hospital

Global Journal of Health Science, 2009

This study involved innovative research in a novel field, namely 'object therapy', within the fra... more This study involved innovative research in a novel field, namely 'object therapy', within the framework of a student-selected component (SSC) undertaken by second year, Phase 1 Medicine students at University College London. The project had a series of intrinsic aims: to provide medical students with communication skills, methods of assessing wellbeing and research techniques and to evaluate the potential of museum object handling as an enrichment activity in hospitals. Five medical students undertook museum object handling activities at 24 patient's bedsides in order to assess the psychological impact of 'object therapy' using standard Quality of Life (QoL) measures. Quantitative analyses indicated an increase in overall well being and patient's perception of their health status at the end of the session. Qualitative analyses revealed patients felt positive about the role of object handling sessions as a distraction from everyday ward life. The study showed that this is a novel enrichment activity which has the potential to enhance patient's lives whilst in hospital. The SSC provided valuable communication and research skills to students in their pre-clinical year, affording an opportunity to interact with patients, gain ward experience and an appreciation of the importance of considering the whole person when treating a patient.

Research paper thumbnail of Culture and health

The Lancet, 2014

Planned and unplanned migrations, diverse social practices, and emerging disease vectors transfor... more Planned and unplanned migrations, diverse social practices, and emerging disease vectors transform how health and wellbeing are understood and negotiated. Simultaneously, familiar illnesses-both communicable and non-communicable-continue to aff ect individual health and household, community, and state economies. Together, these forces shape medical knowledge and how it is understood, how it comes to be valued, and when and how it is adopted and applied.

Research paper thumbnail of Generic well-being outcomes: towards a conceptual framework for well-being outcomes in museums

Museum Management and Curatorship, 2011

The concept of well-being is now widely used in policy, including in the museum sector. This arti... more The concept of well-being is now widely used in policy, including in the museum sector. This article addresses the need for museums to understand and be able to measure their contribution to this increasingly important instrumental value, if they are to engage with the policy. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and trajectories applied to the human astragalus (talus)

Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2011

shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and t... more shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and trajectories applied to the human astragalus (talus), Journal of Theoretical Biology,

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing Cancer Patient Well-Being With a Nonpharmacological, Heritage-Focused Intervention

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2012

Context. Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated consider... more Context. Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated considerable improvements in cancer patient well-being, although there is a little clinically robust, empirical evidence to demonstrate the value of heritage-focused practices.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating the therapeutic potential of a heritage-object focused intervention: a qualitative study

Journal of Health Psychology, 2012

This study explores the therapeutic potential of heritage-object handling in nurse-patient encoun... more This study explores the therapeutic potential of heritage-object handling in nurse-patient encounters with women facing cancer. Ten women participated in an object-focused conversation with a nurse specialist. Sessions were audio-tape recorded and transcribed. Kleinian theory framed the analysis to reveal the individual ways women 'used' the object in the session. Professionally observed heritage-object handling provides an aid to discussion with patients and has potential as an assessment platform for therapeutic work or as an intervention approach in its own right. Further longitudinal controlled trials are needed to evaluate such benefits, particularly given the depth of the talk revealed in this study.

Research paper thumbnail of Calculating the axes of rotation for the subtalar and talocrural joints using 3D bone reconstructions

Journal of Biomechanics, 2012

Orientation of the subtalar joint axis dictates inversion and eversion movements of the foot and ... more Orientation of the subtalar joint axis dictates inversion and eversion movements of the foot and has been the focus of evolutionary and clinical studies for a number of years. Previous studies have measured the subtalar joint axis against the axis of the whole foot, the talocrural joint axis and, recently, the principal axes of the talus. The present study introduces a new method for estimating average joint axes from 3D reconstructions of bones and applies the method to the talus to calculate the subtalar and talocrural joint axes. The study also assesses the validity of the principal axes as a reference coordinate system against which to measure the subtalar joint axis. In order to define the angle of the subtalar joint axis relative to that of another axis in the talus, we suggest measuring the subtalar joint axis against the talocrural joint axis. We present corresponding 3D vector angles calculated from a modern human skeletal sample. This method is applicable to virtual 3D models acquired through surface-scanning of disarticulated 'dry' osteological samples, as well as to 3D models created from CT or MRI scans.

Research paper thumbnail of Inter- and intra-specific scaling of articular surface areas in the hominoid talus

Journal of Anatomy, 2011

The morphology of postcranial articular surfaces is expected to reflect their weight-bearing prop... more The morphology of postcranial articular surfaces is expected to reflect their weight-bearing properties, as well as the stability and mobility of the articulations to which they contribute. Previous studies have mainly confirmed earlier predictions of isometric scaling between articular surface areas and body mass; the exception to this is 'male-type', convex articular surface areas, which may scale allometrically due to differences in locomotor strategies within the analysed samples. In the present study, we used new surface scanning technology to quantify more accurately articular surface areas and to test those predictions within the talus of hominoid primates, including modern humans. Our results, contrary to predictions, suggest that there are no generalised rules of articular scaling within the talus of hominoids. Instead, we suggest that articular scaling patterns are highly context-specific, depending on the role of each articulation during locomotion, as well as taxon-and sex-specific differences in locomotion and ontogenetic growth trajectories within any given sample. While this may prove problematic for inferring body mass based on articular surface area, it also offers new opportunities of gaining substantial insights into the locomotor patterns of extinct species.

Research paper thumbnail of Heritage, health and well-being: assessing the impact of a heritage focused intervention on health and well-being

International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2013

Do museums and other heritage organisations have something to offer the healthcare sector? Do the... more Do museums and other heritage organisations have something to offer the healthcare sector? Do they have a role in improving health and well-being? Increasingly both heritage and healthcare organisations think they do. A broader definition of health including well-being and an emphasis on preventative medicine and multi-agency approaches to care within the UK’s National Health Service has facilitated the work

Research paper thumbnail of Quantitative evidence for wellbeing benefits from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients

International Journal of Art Therapy, 2012

ABSTRACT The benefits of a heritage-in-health intervention were assessed using clinically accepte... more ABSTRACT The benefits of a heritage-in-health intervention were assessed using clinically accepted psychometric measures of wellbeing and happiness. Positive outcomes of arts-in-health activities are well documented and reviewed yet little empirical research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of heritage-in-health activities. The research drew upon art therapy, psychology and education for a conceptual framework. General healthcare patients participated in one-toone, facilitated sessions of around 40 minutes that involved discussing factual and emotional properties of a selection of museum objects. Questions followed a standardised protocol with a semi-structured interview format. In the experimental group, participants handled the objects (tactile condition) whereas in the comparison group, participants looked at pictures of these objects (visual condition). Baseline and intervention self-report measures (Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale and Visual Analogue Scales) were used to evaluate the sessions. Quantitative comparison of pre- and post-session scores showed significant increases in wellbeing and happiness and an advantage for the tactile condition over the visual condition. Museum object handling sessions appeared to produce therapeutic effects on patient welfare, at least in the short term. Findings add weight to the need for provision of heritage-focused activities by museums and galleries for excluded audiences in healthcare settings.

Research paper thumbnail of Estimating the phylogeny and divergence times of primates using a supermatrix approach

BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2009

The primates are among the most broadly studied mammalian orders, with the published literature c... more The primates are among the most broadly studied mammalian orders, with the published literature containing extensive analyses of their behavior, physiology, genetics and ecology. The importance of this group in medical and biological research is well appreciated, and explains the numerous molecular phylogenies that have been proposed for most primate families and genera. Composite estimates for the entire order have been infrequently attempted, with the last phylogenetic reconstruction spanning the full range of primate evolutionary relationships having been conducted over a decade ago.

Research paper thumbnail of Mixed methods evaluation of well-being benefits derived from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients

Arts & Health, 2014

This study sought to determine the effects of a heritage-in-health intervention on well-being. Be... more This study sought to determine the effects of a heritage-in-health intervention on well-being. Benefits of arts-in-health interventions are relatively well-documented yet little robust research has been conducted using heritage-in-health interventions, such as those involving museum objects. Hospital patients (n = 57) participated in semi-structured, 30-40 minute facilitated interview sessions, discussing and handling museum objects comprising selections of six artefacts and specimens loaned from archaeology, art, geology and natural history collections. Well-being measures (Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale, Visual Analogue Scales) evaluated the sessions while inductive and deductive thematic analysis investigated psycho-educational features accounting for changes. Comparison of pre- and post-session quantitative measures showed significant increases in well-being and happiness. Qualitative investigation revealed thinking and meaning-making opportunities for participants engaged with objects. Heritage-in-health sessions enhanced positive mood and social interaction, endorsing the need for provision of well-being-related museum and gallery activities for socially excluded or vulnerable healthcare audiences.

Research paper thumbnail of Well-Being With Objects: Evaluating a Museum Object-Handling Intervention for Older Adults in Health Care Settings

Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society, Jan 24, 2014

The extent to which a museum object-handling intervention enhanced older adult well-being across ... more The extent to which a museum object-handling intervention enhanced older adult well-being across three health care settings was examined. The program aimed to determine whether therapeutic benefits could be measured objectively using clinical scales. Facilitator-led, 30 to 40 min sessions handling and discussing museum objects were conducted in acute and elderly care (11 one-to-ones), residential (4 one-to-ones and 1 group of five), and psychiatric (4 groups of five) settings. Pre-post measures of psychological well-being (Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule) and subjective wellness and happiness (Visual Analogue Scales) were compared. Positive affect and wellness increased significantly in acute and elderly and residential care though not psychiatric care whereas negative affect decreased and happiness increased in all settings. Examination of audio recordings revealed enhanced confidence, social interaction, and learning. The program allowed adults access to a museum acti...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing well-being outcomes for arts and heritage activities: Development of a Museum Well-being Measures toolkit

Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 2014

Many museums and galleries offer services directed at improving the health and well-being of thei... more Many museums and galleries offer services directed at improving the health and well-being of their audiences. Despite this increasing area of activity there is no standardized method for assessing the impact on participants. Recent research into heritage-in-health revealed the need for a culture-specific toolkit of measures to assess the well-being of adults participating in museum, arts and heritage activities. A pretrial survey of UK specialist museums ascertained how a toolkit might be used and what methods of evaluation already existed. Prototypes were trialled over twelve months and a post-trial survey was conducted prior to production of the toolkit. Statistically reliable measures were constructed for positive and negative emotion. Comparison of pretest-posttest differences showed highly significant increases in positive scores and decreases in negative scores with medium to large effect sizes. All words in the measures contributed to changes in emotion. Full and short Generic Well-being Questionnaires (GWQ) were developed for people with dementia.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the therapeutic effects of museum object handling with hospital patients: A review and initial trial of well-being measures

Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 2011

... poor. Page 10. Linda J. Thomson | Erica E. Ander | Usha Menon … 46 ... Four contrasting examp... more ... poor. Page 10. Linda J. Thomson | Erica E. Ander | Usha Menon … 46 ... Four contrasting examples (Rabe et al. 2006; Walker et al. 2005; De Gucht et al. 2003; Petrie et al. 2001) are outlined below. PANAS health-care examples In ...

Research paper thumbnail of Material objects and psychological theory: A conceptual literature review

Arts & Health, 2015

Background: This review offers a conceptual summary and critique of psychological theories and re... more Background: This review offers a conceptual summary and critique of psychological theories and research concerning the use of material objects and their possible role in clinical work. Methods: Studies relating to the theory and use of material objects in different contexts and interventions were identified through a search of the following data bases: Psycinfo, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts and Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. Results: The 29 papers that met inclusion criteria fell within six broad categories: psychoanalytic thinking and transitional objects, found object theory and clinical use, developmental and neuropsychological perspectives on touch, valued object choice, the relationships of material objects to identity and museum object handling interventions. Conclusions: A range of effective roles for material objects in research and clinical work was identified, and in particular, museum object-handling sessions offered short-term benefits in well-being and engagement to a variety of clinical populations. A number of methodological limitations were identified throughout this literature. The review concludes with recommendations for further research including the need for longitudinal studies, further study of the processes within group object-handling sessions and studies of multiple object-handling sessions; clinical application of material objects was also addressed.

Research paper thumbnail of Philippine Panay Island Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat (Crateromys heaneyi): A Preliminary Behavioural Study of Captive Cloud Rats

International Journal of Biology, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Object Therapy: A Student-selected Component Exploring the Potential of Museum Object Handling as an Enrichment Activity for Patients in Hospital

Global Journal of Health Science, 2009

This study involved innovative research in a novel field, namely 'object therapy', within the fra... more This study involved innovative research in a novel field, namely 'object therapy', within the framework of a student-selected component (SSC) undertaken by second year, Phase 1 Medicine students at University College London. The project had a series of intrinsic aims: to provide medical students with communication skills, methods of assessing wellbeing and research techniques and to evaluate the potential of museum object handling as an enrichment activity in hospitals. Five medical students undertook museum object handling activities at 24 patient's bedsides in order to assess the psychological impact of 'object therapy' using standard Quality of Life (QoL) measures. Quantitative analyses indicated an increase in overall well being and patient's perception of their health status at the end of the session. Qualitative analyses revealed patients felt positive about the role of object handling sessions as a distraction from everyday ward life. The study showed that this is a novel enrichment activity which has the potential to enhance patient's lives whilst in hospital. The SSC provided valuable communication and research skills to students in their pre-clinical year, affording an opportunity to interact with patients, gain ward experience and an appreciation of the importance of considering the whole person when treating a patient.

Research paper thumbnail of Culture and health

The Lancet, 2014

Planned and unplanned migrations, diverse social practices, and emerging disease vectors transfor... more Planned and unplanned migrations, diverse social practices, and emerging disease vectors transform how health and wellbeing are understood and negotiated. Simultaneously, familiar illnesses-both communicable and non-communicable-continue to aff ect individual health and household, community, and state economies. Together, these forces shape medical knowledge and how it is understood, how it comes to be valued, and when and how it is adopted and applied.

Research paper thumbnail of Generic well-being outcomes: towards a conceptual framework for well-being outcomes in museums

Museum Management and Curatorship, 2011

The concept of well-being is now widely used in policy, including in the museum sector. This arti... more The concept of well-being is now widely used in policy, including in the museum sector. This article addresses the need for museums to understand and be able to measure their contribution to this increasingly important instrumental value, if they are to engage with the policy. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and trajectories applied to the human astragalus (talus)

Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2011

shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and t... more shape vector projection: A new method for the identification of allometric shape characters and trajectories applied to the human astragalus (talus), Journal of Theoretical Biology,

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing Cancer Patient Well-Being With a Nonpharmacological, Heritage-Focused Intervention

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2012

Context. Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated consider... more Context. Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated considerable improvements in cancer patient well-being, although there is a little clinically robust, empirical evidence to demonstrate the value of heritage-focused practices.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating the therapeutic potential of a heritage-object focused intervention: a qualitative study

Journal of Health Psychology, 2012

This study explores the therapeutic potential of heritage-object handling in nurse-patient encoun... more This study explores the therapeutic potential of heritage-object handling in nurse-patient encounters with women facing cancer. Ten women participated in an object-focused conversation with a nurse specialist. Sessions were audio-tape recorded and transcribed. Kleinian theory framed the analysis to reveal the individual ways women 'used' the object in the session. Professionally observed heritage-object handling provides an aid to discussion with patients and has potential as an assessment platform for therapeutic work or as an intervention approach in its own right. Further longitudinal controlled trials are needed to evaluate such benefits, particularly given the depth of the talk revealed in this study.

Research paper thumbnail of Calculating the axes of rotation for the subtalar and talocrural joints using 3D bone reconstructions

Journal of Biomechanics, 2012

Orientation of the subtalar joint axis dictates inversion and eversion movements of the foot and ... more Orientation of the subtalar joint axis dictates inversion and eversion movements of the foot and has been the focus of evolutionary and clinical studies for a number of years. Previous studies have measured the subtalar joint axis against the axis of the whole foot, the talocrural joint axis and, recently, the principal axes of the talus. The present study introduces a new method for estimating average joint axes from 3D reconstructions of bones and applies the method to the talus to calculate the subtalar and talocrural joint axes. The study also assesses the validity of the principal axes as a reference coordinate system against which to measure the subtalar joint axis. In order to define the angle of the subtalar joint axis relative to that of another axis in the talus, we suggest measuring the subtalar joint axis against the talocrural joint axis. We present corresponding 3D vector angles calculated from a modern human skeletal sample. This method is applicable to virtual 3D models acquired through surface-scanning of disarticulated 'dry' osteological samples, as well as to 3D models created from CT or MRI scans.

Research paper thumbnail of Inter- and intra-specific scaling of articular surface areas in the hominoid talus

Journal of Anatomy, 2011

The morphology of postcranial articular surfaces is expected to reflect their weight-bearing prop... more The morphology of postcranial articular surfaces is expected to reflect their weight-bearing properties, as well as the stability and mobility of the articulations to which they contribute. Previous studies have mainly confirmed earlier predictions of isometric scaling between articular surface areas and body mass; the exception to this is 'male-type', convex articular surface areas, which may scale allometrically due to differences in locomotor strategies within the analysed samples. In the present study, we used new surface scanning technology to quantify more accurately articular surface areas and to test those predictions within the talus of hominoid primates, including modern humans. Our results, contrary to predictions, suggest that there are no generalised rules of articular scaling within the talus of hominoids. Instead, we suggest that articular scaling patterns are highly context-specific, depending on the role of each articulation during locomotion, as well as taxon-and sex-specific differences in locomotion and ontogenetic growth trajectories within any given sample. While this may prove problematic for inferring body mass based on articular surface area, it also offers new opportunities of gaining substantial insights into the locomotor patterns of extinct species.

Research paper thumbnail of Heritage, health and well-being: assessing the impact of a heritage focused intervention on health and well-being

International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2013

Do museums and other heritage organisations have something to offer the healthcare sector? Do the... more Do museums and other heritage organisations have something to offer the healthcare sector? Do they have a role in improving health and well-being? Increasingly both heritage and healthcare organisations think they do. A broader definition of health including well-being and an emphasis on preventative medicine and multi-agency approaches to care within the UK’s National Health Service has facilitated the work

Research paper thumbnail of Quantitative evidence for wellbeing benefits from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients

International Journal of Art Therapy, 2012

ABSTRACT The benefits of a heritage-in-health intervention were assessed using clinically accepte... more ABSTRACT The benefits of a heritage-in-health intervention were assessed using clinically accepted psychometric measures of wellbeing and happiness. Positive outcomes of arts-in-health activities are well documented and reviewed yet little empirical research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of heritage-in-health activities. The research drew upon art therapy, psychology and education for a conceptual framework. General healthcare patients participated in one-toone, facilitated sessions of around 40 minutes that involved discussing factual and emotional properties of a selection of museum objects. Questions followed a standardised protocol with a semi-structured interview format. In the experimental group, participants handled the objects (tactile condition) whereas in the comparison group, participants looked at pictures of these objects (visual condition). Baseline and intervention self-report measures (Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale and Visual Analogue Scales) were used to evaluate the sessions. Quantitative comparison of pre- and post-session scores showed significant increases in wellbeing and happiness and an advantage for the tactile condition over the visual condition. Museum object handling sessions appeared to produce therapeutic effects on patient welfare, at least in the short term. Findings add weight to the need for provision of heritage-focused activities by museums and galleries for excluded audiences in healthcare settings.

Research paper thumbnail of Estimating the phylogeny and divergence times of primates using a supermatrix approach

BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2009

The primates are among the most broadly studied mammalian orders, with the published literature c... more The primates are among the most broadly studied mammalian orders, with the published literature containing extensive analyses of their behavior, physiology, genetics and ecology. The importance of this group in medical and biological research is well appreciated, and explains the numerous molecular phylogenies that have been proposed for most primate families and genera. Composite estimates for the entire order have been infrequently attempted, with the last phylogenetic reconstruction spanning the full range of primate evolutionary relationships having been conducted over a decade ago.

Research paper thumbnail of Mixed methods evaluation of well-being benefits derived from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients

Arts & Health, 2014

This study sought to determine the effects of a heritage-in-health intervention on well-being. Be... more This study sought to determine the effects of a heritage-in-health intervention on well-being. Benefits of arts-in-health interventions are relatively well-documented yet little robust research has been conducted using heritage-in-health interventions, such as those involving museum objects. Hospital patients (n = 57) participated in semi-structured, 30-40 minute facilitated interview sessions, discussing and handling museum objects comprising selections of six artefacts and specimens loaned from archaeology, art, geology and natural history collections. Well-being measures (Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale, Visual Analogue Scales) evaluated the sessions while inductive and deductive thematic analysis investigated psycho-educational features accounting for changes. Comparison of pre- and post-session quantitative measures showed significant increases in well-being and happiness. Qualitative investigation revealed thinking and meaning-making opportunities for participants engaged with objects. Heritage-in-health sessions enhanced positive mood and social interaction, endorsing the need for provision of well-being-related museum and gallery activities for socially excluded or vulnerable healthcare audiences.