Understanding public perceptions of healing: An arts-based qualitative study
Emmylou Rahtz1, Sara L Warber2, Paul Dieppe3
1The European Centre for Environment and Human Health, The University of Exeter Medical School, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|July 24, 2019
Summary
The public perceives healing through external forces, other people, or self-healing. These nuanced views offer insights into healthcare professionals' understanding of patient healing processes.
Area of Science:
- Qualitative Health Research
- Public Health Perspectives
- Arts-Based Research Methods
Background:
- Limited research exists on the general public's conception of healing, with most studies focusing on practitioners.
- Understanding public views on healing is crucial for improving healthcare professional-patient interactions.
- Creative qualitative methods were employed to explore this under-researched area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore and understand how members of the public conceptualize the process of healing.
- To provide healthcare professionals with a better understanding of diverse public perspectives on healing.
- To identify common models and themes in public understanding of healing.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative, arts-based drawing method was used, asking participants to visually represent their understanding of healing.
- Participants explained their drawings in recorded interviews, providing rich qualitative data.
- Convenience sampling was employed at a wellbeing show and a museum, with 59 participants interviewed.
Main Results:
- Three primary models of healing emerged: external forces (e.g., sun), healing from others (professionals, healers), and self-healing from within.
- Participants' drawings and interviews revealed nuanced and complex understandings of healing, often interlinking these models.
- Some participants focused on the outcome of healing (wholeness) rather than the process itself.
Conclusions:
- The arts-based approach effectively captured intuitive and often ineffable concepts of healing.
- Public conceptualizations of healing are complex and align with historical and contemporary healthcare ideas.
- The identified interlinking models suggest a potential overarching framework for understanding public perceptions of healing, valuable for research and practice.
Related Concept Videos
03:46Qualitative Analysis
23.8K
For solutions containing mixtures of different cations, the identity of each cation can be determined by qualitative analysis. This technique involves a series of selective precipitations with different chemical reagents, each reaction producing a characteristic precipitate for a specific group of cations. Metal ions within a group are further separated by varying the pH, heating the mixture to redissolve a precipitate, or adding other reagents to form complex ions.
For instance, group IV...
For instance, group IV...
23.8K
01:10Qualitative Analysis
1.3K
Qualitative analysis is the process of identifying elements, ions, or compounds in an unknown sample. It is the first and most fundamental type of analysis based on the hierarchy of analytical goals. This hierarchy is significant as it provides a structured approach to scientific research, with qualitative analysis serving as the initial step, providing essential information before moving on to quantitative or other forms of analysis.
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
1.3K
01:15Subliminal Perception
770
Subliminal perception refers to the processing of sensory information that occurs below the level of conscious awareness. Researchers study subliminal perception by presenting a stimulus, such as a word or image, very quickly, typically around 50 milliseconds. This rapid presentation is often followed by another stimulus, such as a pattern of dots or lines, which blocks further mental processing of the initial stimulus. As a result, if participants cannot identify the initial stimulus better...
770
01:25Factors Affecting Perception
2.7K
Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
2.7K
01:28Understanding the Self
248
The self is a central aspect of human identity, encompassing an individual’s beliefs, emotions, perceptions, and experiences. It is a cognitive and psychological construct that enables individuals to interpret their traits and behaviors, influencing how they perceive themselves and interact with the world. While personality consists of stable and enduring characteristics, the self is shaped by self-perception and social experiences. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of the...
248
01:28Perception
1.0K
Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
1.0K