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All Outputs (18)

Delivering remote arts on prescription in a pandemic: An evaluation of its impact on subjective mood, wellbeing and loneliness (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N., & Baber, D. (2022, March). Delivering remote arts on prescription in a pandemic: An evaluation of its impact on subjective mood, wellbeing and loneliness. Presented at 4th International Social Prescribing Network Conference, Salford and Online

The study evaluated the impact of the remote delivery of art-on-prescription for people in both primary and secondary care, as part of an Arts Council funded project run by Fresh Arts at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. Programmes ran between March 2020... Read More about Delivering remote arts on prescription in a pandemic: An evaluation of its impact on subjective mood, wellbeing and loneliness.

Drawing in healthcare (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. (2021, December). Drawing in healthcare. Paper presented at Drawing in Hospitals – what is the role of mark making in contemporary healthcare?‘, Online

Nicola Holt, a psychologist for the Health Department at the University of the West of England (UWE). Nicola discussed the impact of art on patients suffering from chronic pain, anxiety and their general wellbeing, in addition to experiments proving... Read More about Drawing in healthcare.

Surviving to thriving: The impact of an arts intervention on the wellbeing of women who have experienced sexual violence (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Grace, P., Holt, N., & Halliwell, E. (2021, November). Surviving to thriving: The impact of an arts intervention on the wellbeing of women who have experienced sexual violence. Poster presented at Sexual Violence and Health Research Day, Engineers House, Bristol

The study evaluated the impact of a programme of creative workshop on the well-being and mood of 25 women (average age = 41, range = 20-57) who had experienced sexual violence, run through SARSAS (www.sarsas.org.uk). A pre-post evaluation was conduct... Read More about Surviving to thriving: The impact of an arts intervention on the wellbeing of women who have experienced sexual violence.

Postcards from researchers (2019)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J., Jenkinson, E., & Clarke, V. (2019, July). Postcards from researchers. Presented at Exploring the potential for creative and arts-based methods for applied psychological research, UWE, Bristol

A workshop, drawing on guerrilla kindness craftivism, to share inspiration and research ideas gained from the BPS creative methods seminar.

Can colouring improve the mood and concentration of older adults? Developing a research study (2019)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J., Christopher, G., & McClean, S. (2019, July). Can colouring improve the mood and concentration of older adults? Developing a research study. Paper presented at Ageing Better Conference, UWE, Bristol

Colouring has been advocated as a wellbeing activity for older adults (e.g., Alzheimer’s Society, 2018) and colouring books and activity packs specific to this population abound (e.g., Active Minds, 2018). Despite this, no research has examined the e... Read More about Can colouring improve the mood and concentration of older adults? Developing a research study.

Does ‘altered consciousness’ mediate the relationship between art-making and wellbeing? An experience sampling study (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J. (2018, September). Does ‘altered consciousness’ mediate the relationship between art-making and wellbeing? An experience sampling study. Paper presented at Annual Conference of the BPS Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section, Regents University, London

Objectives: Previous research suggests that creativity, in the arts in particular, is associated with altered states of consciousness (ASCs) (Holt, 2007). To further understanding of the phenomenology of this, the current study used the experience sa... Read More about Does ‘altered consciousness’ mediate the relationship between art-making and wellbeing? An experience sampling study.

Tracking momentary experience in the evaluation of arts on prescription services: A pilot study (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J., Matthews, J., & Disney, B. (2018, June). Tracking momentary experience in the evaluation of arts on prescription services: A pilot study. Poster presented at 1st International Social Prescribing Network Research Conference, Salford, Manchester

Aim of project: Although there is increasing impetus to explore the use arts on prescription, as advocated by a recent All Party Enquiry on the Arts and Health (2017), there is a limited evidence base for its efficacy. Nevertheless, arts on prescript... Read More about Tracking momentary experience in the evaluation of arts on prescription services: A pilot study.

The therapeutic use of art-making amongst positive schizotypes: An experience sampling study (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J. (2018, May). The therapeutic use of art-making amongst positive schizotypes: An experience sampling study. Paper presented at British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Nottingham, England

A considerable amount of research has tested the relationship between creativity and schizotypy, collectively suggesting that positive schizotypy (cognitive and perceptual aberrations, such as pseudo-hallucinations and déjà vu) is associated with cre... Read More about The therapeutic use of art-making amongst positive schizotypes: An experience sampling study.

Two randomised controlled crossover studies to evaluate the effect of colouring on both self-report and performance measures of well-being (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J., Stankova, K., Simmons, K., Bailey, K., Furbert, L., & Sweetingham, E. (2018, May). Two randomised controlled crossover studies to evaluate the effect of colouring on both self-report and performance measures of well-being. Poster presented at British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Nottingham, England

Objectives: Previous research has reported that colouring can significantly reduce stress. Two studies sought to improve upon previous methodology by introducing an active control condition, and testing the impact of colouring upon cognitive factors:... Read More about Two randomised controlled crossover studies to evaluate the effect of colouring on both self-report and performance measures of well-being.

Taking snapshots of immediate experience in the evaluation of arts for health interventions: Challenges and possibilities (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. (2017, November). Taking snapshots of immediate experience in the evaluation of arts for health interventions: Challenges and possibilities. Paper presented at Arts and Health South West Annual Conference, Bristol, England

Methods used in health and social sciences that assess momentary changes in immediate experience, such as experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment may be usefully applied to the arts and health. This provocation will explore the advant... Read More about Taking snapshots of immediate experience in the evaluation of arts for health interventions: Challenges and possibilities.

Museums, creativity and wellbeing: Community art groups as a route to health (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J., Campion, L., & White, F. (2017, September). Museums, creativity and wellbeing: Community art groups as a route to health. Presented at Museums, creativity and wellbeing: Community art groups as a route to health, Bristol, England

The use of art in the community to promote health and happiness is both an ancient and flourishing practice. An example of this in practice is demonstrated by the Bristol Arts on Referral Alliance, where general practitioners in the local area can pr... Read More about Museums, creativity and wellbeing: Community art groups as a route to health.

Using the experience sampling method to evaluate the impact of art-making on well-being in everyday life (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. J. (2017, June). Using the experience sampling method to evaluate the impact of art-making on well-being in everyday life. Paper presented at Culture, Health and Wellbeing Conference, Bristol, England

That involvement in the arts promotes well-being is well-documented (Camic, 2008). The current study aimed to contribute to burgeoning theoretical work on the psychological mechanisms by which artistic involvement might lead to well-being, by examini... Read More about Using the experience sampling method to evaluate the impact of art-making on well-being in everyday life.

Does psi operate like latent inhibition? (2010)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N., & Simmonds-Moore, C. (2010, July). Does psi operate like latent inhibition?. Poster presented at Parapsychological Association Annual Convention, Paris, France

Creativity, anomalous experiences and mental health (2009)
Presentation / Conference
Holt, N. (2009, September). Creativity, anomalous experiences and mental health. Paper presented at Exceptional Experiences, Health and Mental Health, Liverpool Hope University, UK