Creative adventures and flow in art-making: A qualitative study of women living with cancer

(Introduction) A diagnosis of cancer is recognised as highly fear-arousing. People not only face the discomforts of potentially disfiguring medical treatment but also confront issues of mortality. Even those who have completed treatment tend to ‘live with’ cancer for many years, because they remain subject to intrusive thoughts about cancer and concerned about possible recurrence and metastasis (Saegrov and Halding 2003, Laubmeier and Zakowski 2004). As well as creating worry and vigilance, cancer imposes what has been described as a biographical disruption (Bury 1982). After such a diagnosis, the person may feel that valued life goals are unattainable. The assumptions that guided life before cancer may be shattered and the person may feel disconnected from the familiar self, observing – from the avoidance or the pity of others – that only a stigmatised cancer identity remains (Frank 1991, Mathieson and Stam 1995). Facing such a combination of physical, emotional, cognitive and social stressors, it would seem difficult for people with cancer to construct a life of positive quality. Yet research studies suggest that many people devise resourceful coping strategies. Some people cope by reprioritising their goals to enjoy more authentic relationships and activities. Some even come to re-evaluate their illness as having catalysed certain positive changes (for example, Mathieson and Stam 1995, Carpenter et al 1999, Urcuyo et al 2005). However, previous research has tended to neglect the potential contribution of meaningful occupations to maintaining or regaining subjective wellbeing in cancer. Flow has been conceptualised as a particular type of optimal experience associated with ‘vital engagement’, a deep involvement in activities that are significant to the self and that promote feelings of aliveness or vitality (Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi 2002, p83). To what extent vital engagement offers people living with cancer a source of subjective wellbeing has received little previous examination in the occupational therapy literature. This issue is addressed here

The role of art-making in identity maintenance: Case studies of people living with cancer

The aim of this qualitative research was to understand why some people with cancer take up art as a leisure activity, and how visual art-making in daily life might support identity maintenance/ reconstruction. The study forms part of a larger project with people who view art-making as a resource for living with chronic illness. In order to provide a detailed, holistic analysis, the paper focuses on the accounts and artwork of three participants, two women (aged 47 and 59) each with breast cancer, and a man (aged 51) with stomach and lung cancer. The participants turned to art after a process of reflection but did not necessarily reject their pre-illness lifestyles or selves. Rather, art-making afforded many opportunities to retain familiar personal and social identities, and to resist being dominated by labels related to their illness. A practical implication is that people coping with cancer may need not only cognitive and emotional support, but opportunities to find meaningful activities. Such activities can be understood to have a powerful role in maintaining a familiar, positive identity in cancer, and providing a resource for coping

“Sticking jewels in your life”: Exploring women’s strategies for negotiating an acceptable quality of life with multiple sclerosis

This study explored women’s strategies for living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Twenty-seven women were interviewed, most of whom had lived with MS for more than five years. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews followed the interpretative phenomenological approach. The women portrayed living with MS as an ongoing process of negotiation, and described gaining quality of life through looking after their health; maintaining a familiar self-image, particularly through meaningful occupations, and adapting pre-illness skills and interests to their changing levels of physical functioning; actively valuing positive life experiences, including finding benefits in adversity; clarifying values, priorities and philosophy of life; and maintaining mutual, caring relationships. Some regarded MS as presenting opportunities for personal growth. Without minimizing the very substantial difficulties that MS presents, the findings suggest that well-being derives from both managing the illness and also embracing life’s wider experiences, including change and growth. Implications for rehabilitation and counseling professionals are considered

'A lifestyle coat-hanger': A phenomenological study of the meanings of artwork for women coping with chronic illness and disability

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological enquiry was to explore the meanings and functions of art for a group of women living with disabling chronic illness. Participants were recruited on the basis that they considered artwork as central to their current well-being. Method: Thirty women were interviewed, and five submitted written narratives. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was carried out. Results: About half of the participants had taken up their preferred artistic occupation since the onset of illness. Participants described their artwork as contributing to their health and well-being in many diverse ways. Art filled occupational voids, distracted thoughts away from illness, promoted the experience of flow and spontaneity, enabled the expression of grief, maintained a positive identity, and extended social networks. Its value was conceptualised by one participant as a ‘lifestyle coat-hanger’ organising numerous further roles and activities that gave purpose to life. Art was more than cathartic. It offered a versatile means of overcoming the restrictions imposed by illness on self and lifestyle, in many cases creating a more enriched lifestyle than before. Conclusion: The findings may encourage professionals working in health and rehabilitation settings to assist clients in identifying meaningful, creative occupations that are feasible within the limits imposed by illness or injury

Investigations into the design of a wheelchair-mounted rehabilitation robotic manipulator

This research describes the steps towards the development of a low-cost wheelchair-mounted manipulator for use by the physically disabled and elderly. A detailed review of world rehabilitation robotics research has been conducted, covering fifty-six projects. This identified the main areas of research, their scope and results. From this review, a critical investigation of past and present wheelchair-mounted robotic arm projects was undertaken. This led to the formulation of the key design parameters in a final design specification. The results of a questionnaire survey of fifty electric wheelchair users is presented, which has for the first time established the needs and abilities of this disability group. An analysis of muscle type actuators, which mimic human muscle, is presented and their application to robotics, orthotics and prosthetics is given. A new type of rotary pneumatic muscle actuator, the flexator, is introduced and through extensive testing its performance characteristics elucidated. A review of direct-drive rotary pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical actuators has highlighted their relative performance characteristics and has rated their efficiency in terms of their peak torque to motor mass ratio, Tp/MM. From this, the flexator actuator has been shown to have a higher Tp/MM ratio than most conventional actuators. A novel kinematic arrangement is presented which combines the best features of the SCARA and vertically articulated industrial robot geometries, to form the 'Scariculated' arm design. The most appropriate actuator for each joint of this hybrid manipulator was selected, based on the criteria of high Tp/MM ratio, low cost, safety and compatibility. The final design incorporates conventional pneumatic linear double-acting cylinders, a vane type rotary actuator, two dual flexator actuators, and stepping motors for the fme control of the wrist/end effector. An ACSL simulation program has been developed which uses mass flow rate equations, based on one-dimensional compressible flow theory and suppressed critical pressure ratios, to simulate the dual flexator actuator. Theoretical and empirical data is compared and shows a high degree of correlation between results. Finally, the design and development work on two prototypes is discussed. The latest prototype consists of a five-axis manipulator whose pneumatic joints are driven by pulse width modulated solenoid valves. An 8051 microprocessor with proportional error feedback modilles the mark to space ratio of the PWM signal in proportion to the angular error of the joints. This enables control over individual joint speeds, reprogrammable memory locations and position monitoring of each joint. The integration of rehabilitation robotic manipulators into the daily lives of the physically disabled and elderly will significantly influence the role of personal rehabilitation in the next century

Developments in nano unmanned aerial systems.

There is a growing realization by military planners that to win the insurgency wars of the future, forward units will have to operate within the close confines of urban conurbations and for prolonged periods of time with minimal support. Micro/Nano Air vehicles (MAV/NAVs) are rapidly developing to become an integral component of a soldier’s real-time information and intelligence gathering capability on enemy strength, dispositions and tactics. The recent MoD Nano UAS UOR tender (Feb 2011) called for an air element of <60 g with a minimum range of 300 m and an endurance of at least 20 min. A major obstacle faced by many MAV/NAV developers, when trying to create a fully autonomous and soldier compatriot system, is the advancement of equivalent scale sensor platforms combining Detect, Sense and Avoid (DSA) sub-systems. The few existing systems currently in use at the MAV/NAV scale encompass, at best, a semi-autonomous level of operation, usually without DSA. The next generation of MAV/NAVs used in combat/reconnaissance missions, intended for use within close proximity to insurgents, will be required to be fully autonomous; carrying out a complete mission using on-board sensing, information processing, control and (re)configuration

Images of resistance: A photonarrative enquiry into the meanings of personal artwork for people living with cancer

This study explored the meanings, inspirations and subjective significance of personal artwork created as a leisure activity by women living with cancer. A convenience sample of twelve women aged between 23-74 years participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants were living in various stages of the cancer trajectory, and engaged in several forms of visual art-making. They submitted examples of their artwork by photograph and then participated in semi-structured interviews. From a phenomenological analysis, the authors inferred a number of themes. Participants perceived a few pieces, made during chemotherapy, as expressing deeper feelings about cancer in symbolic terms. More prevalent in participants’ accounts were references to their artwork as a sensuous pleasure, and its confirmation of their ongoing capability, personal continuity and social connectedness. Participants acknowledged ongoing loss and difficulties related to cancer. However, each piece of art offered a measure of resistance against the psychologically and socially disruptive effects of cancer. The pre-interview photography activity was helpful for empowering participants in the interview, and for stimulating detailed memories and associations

Women's experiences of increasing subjective well-being in CFS/ME through leisure-based arts and crafts activities: A qualitative study

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright © 2008 Informa Plc.Purpose. To understand the meanings of art-making among a group of women living with the occupational constraints and stigma of CFS/ME. The study explored their initial motives for art-making, and then examined how art-making had subsequently influenced their subjective well-being. Method. Ten women with CFS/ME were interviewed; three provided lengthy written accounts to the interview questions. Findings. Illness had resulted in devastating occupational and role loss. Participants took many years to make positive lifestyle changes. Art-making was typically discovered once participants had accepted the long-term nature of CFS/ME, accommodated to illness, and reprioritized occupations. Several factors then attracted participants specifically to art-making. It was perceived as manageable within the constraints of ill-health. Participants also tended to be familiar with craft skills; had family members interested in arts and crafts, and some desired a means to express grief and loss. Once established as a leisure activity, art-making increased subjective well-being mainly through providing increased satisfaction in daily life, positive self-image, hope, and contact with the outside world. Participants recommended provision of occupational/recreational counselling earlier in the illness trajectory. Conclusions. Creative art-making occurred as part of a broader acceptance and adjustment process to CFS/ME, and allowed some psychological escape from a circumscribed lifeworld

Revisiting revisitation in computer interaction: organic bookmark management.

According to Milic-Frayling et al. (2004), there are two general ways of user browsing i.e. search (finding a website where the user has never visited before) and revisitation (returning to a website where the user has visited in the past). The issue of search is relevant to search engine technology, whilst revisitation concerns web usage and browser history mechanisms. The support for revisitation is normally through a set of functional built-in icons e.g. History, Back, Forward and Bookmarks. Nevertheless, for returning web users, they normally find it is easier and faster to re-launch an online search again, rather than spending time to find a particular web site from their personal bookmark and history records. Tauscher and Greenberg (1997) showed that revisiting web pages forms up to 58% of the recurrence rate of web browsing. Cockburn and McKenzie (2001) also stated that 81% of web pages have been previously visited by the user. According to Obendorf et al. (2007), revisitation can be divided into four classifications based on time: short-term (72.6% revisits within an hour), medium-term (12% revisits within a day and 7.8% revisits within a week), and long-term (7.6% revisits longer than a week)