Hannah Blair

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology (1st class) from the University of Stirling in 2005.  My undergraduate dissertation was in the effects of using memory books with people with dementia on their communication and quality of life.

After graduating I worked at the Centre for Addiction Research and Education (CARES) in the Department of Psychiatry at Dundee University. I worked with Dr Baldacchino as a research assistant on a project looking at drug use and psychosis.

I currently have funding from the ESRC for a 1+3 PhD into quality of life following traumatic brain injury, supervised by Prof. Lindsay Wilson and Prof. David Donaldson.  I completed my MSc in psychological research methods in 2008.  My MSc dissertation was entitled "Investigating Changes in Quality of Life:  A Pilot Study".  As part of my MSc I also completed a placement at the Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation (CBIR) at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee which provided me with a valuable insight into the experience of recovering from a brain injury.

My research interests lie in identifying what is important to a person when they are making a subjective assessment of quality of life and how this might change following a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  The theory of response shift suggests that a person's perception of quality of life will change when there is a significant change to their life or circumstances. This means that a judgement of quality of life will differ depending on both who makes it, and when they make it.  I am currently investigating what might influence changes in a person's QoL judgement following TBI.  For example; cognitive impairment, awareness of deficits, social comparison, social support, grieving processes or coping styles.

Have you received information about one of my studies?  Please click here

To access online survey about quality of life after head injury:  click here , or for further information click here

I have been involved in the undergraduate courses 'developmental psychology' and 'brain and behaviour', and most recently have been a tutor on the 'introductory psychology' and 'clinical and health psychology' courses.

Blair H, Wilson L, Gouick G, Gentleman D.  (2010)  Individualised versus global assessments of quality of life after head injury and their susceptibility to response shift.  Brain Injury. 24 (6). 833-843.

Baldacchino A, Blair H, Scherbaum N, Grosse-Vehne E, Riglietta M, Tidone L, Criaco C, Marelli M-C, Sommer B, Little H, Ghodse H.  (2009).   Drugs and Psychosis Project: A multi-centre European study on comorbidity.  Drug and Alcohol Review.  28.  379-389.

Presentations

10/06/2010 - Quality of life, response shift, and adjustment following TBI.  British Psychological Society Division of Neuropsychology (Scotland) Research Morning.  Psychology, University of Edinburgh.