Narrative Therapy Group Research Articles

The Effect of a Narrative Therapy Group Program on the Ego-Integrity and Parenting Efficacy of Custodial Grandmother

The Effect of a Narrative Therapy Group Program on the Ego-Integrity and Parenting Efficacy of Custodial Grandmother

Connecting to Resilience, Hope, and Spirituality through a Narrative Therapy and Narrative Medicine Creative Writing Group for People Affected by Cancer

In this article, the authors will describe a creative writing therapeutic group program they developed based on narrative therapy and narrative medicine principles. This was a Social Science and Humanities Research Council—Partnership Engagement Grant funded project, the aim of which was to develop a facilitator’s manual for people interested in offering this group, titled “Journey through Words”. The link to the agency partner’s website, where the manual is available, is provided. The group program is structured over 6 weeks and includes a writing prompt each week, focusing on the storyline of resilience rather than the storyline of diagnosis or disease. Using a narrative inquiry approach, the facilitators kept brief field notes following group meetings. These field notes indicate that although spirituality was not planned as an identified focus of the program, due to the space narrative therapy provides for people to describe their values, preferences, and hopes during hardship, the experience of the group was that members shared reflections which were deeply spiritual in nature.

Constructing and Preliminary Testing a Narrative Therapy Programme for Posttraumatic Growth in Chinese Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease-A Pilot Study.

The research on posttraumatic growth (PTG) promotion programmes, particularly narrative therapy (NT), for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains limited. This pilot study aims to develop an NT programme to promote PTG and evaluate its feasibility, preliminary effectiveness, participants' experiences and improvement suggestions. The NT programme was initially developed through literature review, interviews with IBD patients and expert panel discussions. A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the programme. Participants in the NT group received five consecutive weekly sessions of the programme, while the control group received standard care. Outcomes including PTG, anxiety, depression and quality of life were measured. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore participants' experiences and suggestions for programme modifications. The NT programme was developed with scientific rigour. The recruitment rate and retention rate were 62.5% and 96.7%, respectively. A significant reduction in anxiety levels was observed, and manifestations of PTG were reported in the NT group. Suggestions for improvement of the NT programme were received from the participants. The NT programme was constructed to promote PTG in IBD patients in this study, further offering preliminary evidence for its feasibility and potential positive psychological change. However, large-scale research is needed to validate its effectiveness for broader applications.

A Systematic Review of Narrative Therapy

The aim of this study is to review the experimental studies conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the narrative therapy approach. In order to investigate the effectiveness of Narrative Therapy, Turkish and English studies published between 2006-2022 (December) in the databases of DergiPark, YÖK Thesis Center, Web Of Science, Sobiad, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library were searched. The keywords “narrative therapy” “collective narrative practice” “narrative therapy groups” were used in the search. As a result of the scanning, a total of 19 articles suitable for the purpose of the research were reviewed. These articles are presented in terms of research methods, study findings and therapy characteristics. The study findings show that narrative therapy is effective on dependent variables. The results show that narrative therapy has a preventive and remedial effect in group therapies with children, adolescents and adults.

Mental health Narrative Community-Based Group Therapy in violence-displaced Afro-Colombians: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT This study aims to evaluate the effect of a mental health Narrative Community-Based Group Therapy (NCGT) in Afro-Colombian violence survivors. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Buenaventura and Quibdó, Colombia. Afro-Colombian adults (n=521) were randomly allocated to a NCGT (n1=175), a wait-control group (n2=171) or a Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA, n3=175). The CETA was described separately given conceptual/methodological differences. Lay psychosocial community workers delivered the NCGT. Symptoms were assessed before and after intervention/wait with culturally adapted mental health symptoms and gender-specific functionality scales. Intent to treat analysis and mean difference of differences were used for comparisons. In Buenaventura, a significant reduction in functional impairment (mean difference: −0.30, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]: −0.55, -0.05) and depression (mean difference: −0.24, 95% CI: −0.42, −0.07) were found, with small and moderate effect size, respectively. In Quibdó, functionality improved significantly (mean difference: −0.29, 95% CI: −0.54, −0.04, small effect size). Even though differences in depression and anxiety were not significant, there were reductions in symptoms. The NCGT is effective in improving daily functioning among violence victims in the Colombian Pacific and has the potential to reduce symptoms of depression. Further exploration is required to understand the effects of a narrative group therapy for mental health in Afro-Colombian populations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01856673 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01856673)

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Online Narrative Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Mental Health and Adherence to Treatment in Cancer Patients with Low Psychological Hardiness

Objective: Cancer is among the diseases that can cause various psychological issues for its sufferers, necessitating the discovery of effective methods to assist these individuals. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of online narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy on mental health and adherence to treatment in cancer patients with low psychological hardiness. Methods and Materials: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted using a pre-test-post-test design with two experimental groups and one control group. The study population comprised all cancer patients attending hospitals in Tehran in 2022. The sample consisted of 45 patients selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: online narrative therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and a control group. Data were collected using the General Health Questionnaire by Goldberg and Hiller (1972) and the Treatment Adherence Scale by Madanloo (2018). Data were analyzed using MANCOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests with SPSS software version 22. Findings: Results indicated significant differences between the online narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy groups in terms of general health dimensions (physical health, anxiety, and social functioning disturbance) (P<0.01), with online narrative therapy showing greater effectiveness in these dimensions. However, no significant difference was found in treatment adherence between the online narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy groups. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, both narrative and cognitive-behavioral therapies can be effective methods for improving mental health and treatment adherence in cancer patients. In this context, online narrative therapy may be more efficient.

The Effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy on Pregnancy Concerns, Schemas Coping with Stress and Interpersonal Sensitivity in Pregnant Women with Pregnancy Anxiety

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of narrative exposure therapy on pregnancy concerns, stress coping schemas and interpersonal sensitivity in pregnant women with pregnancy anxiety. The statistical population of the present study was all pregnant women with pregnancy anxiety in Shahid Beheshti Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Nowshahr that their scores were one standard deviation above the mean and were willing to participate in treatment sessions. Using purposeful sampling method, a sample size of 75 people (for each group at least 25 people) was calculated and then these 50 people were randomly assigned to 25 persons (experimental group of narrative exposure therapy, 25 patients and control group 25) and Parker Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire (1989), Wong & et al.'s Stress Coping Schemas (2006) and Alderdsey's Pregnancy Concerns, and Lane (2011) was distributed among them. In this study, after collecting data from the prototype, the data were entered into SPSS software version 26. The findings showed that the mean difference in the interpersonal sensitivity dimensions of subjects in the control group and the mean score of the experimental group was significant (P >0.05), the difference in the mean score in the dimensions of pregnancy concerns in the control group was >significant (P In fact, it can be said that narrative exposure therapy method was effective on the dimensions of coping with stress schemas of subjects.

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience of orphaned and abandoned children fostered in SOS children’s village

ABSTRACT Background: Narrative Therapy is an efficacious treatment approach widely practiced for various psychological conditions. However, few studies have examined its effectiveness on resilience, a robust determinant of one’s mental health, and there has been no randomized controlled trial in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of narrative therapy for the resilience of orphaned and abandoned children in Rwanda. Method: This study was a ‘parallel randomized controlled trial’ in which participants (n = 72) were recruited from SOS Children’s Village. Half of the participants (n = 36) were randomly allocated to the intervention group and the rest to the delayed narrative therapy group. For the intervention group, children attended ten sessions (55 min each) over 2.5 months. Data were collected using the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM) and analyzed using mixed ANOVA within SPSS version 28. Result: The results from ANOVA indicated a significant main effect of time and group for resilience total scores. Of interest, there was a significant time by group interaction effect for resilience. Pairwise comparison analyses within-group showed a significant increase in resilience in the intervention group, and the effect size was relatively large in this group. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the notable efficacy of narrative therapy for children’s resilience in the intervention group. Therefore, health professionals and organizations working with orphaned and abandoned children will apply narrative therapy to strengthen their resilience and improve mental health. Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry identifier: PACTR202107499406828..

Actor–partner effects of wellbeing, hope and self-esteem on depression in stroke survivor–caregiver dyads: A randomized controlled trial

Background Stroke is a disabling, long-term condition that challenges the mental and physical health of stroke-survivors concurrently with their primary family-caregivers (dyad). However, there has been a lack of emphasis on this dyadic need. Thus, this study aims to investigate the impacts of two interventions on hope, self-esteem and hedonic wellbeing on depression among the stroke-survivor–caregiver dyad. Methods This randomized-controlled-trial applied the actor–partner interdependence model to 100 randomly-selected dyads (N = 200) of stroke-survivors, mean (SD) age was 73.63(7.22) and family-caregivers, mean (SD) age was 62.49(14.44) years, recruited from Hong Kong hospitals and rehabilitation centres. The intervention was eight-weekly two-hour narrative therapy group sessions (n = 54 dyads), compared with the current model of psychoeducational group to each dyad as needed. Outcomes were collected via questionnaires and interviews, at four time-points: baseline (T1), during-intervention (T2) (1-month), immediately post-intervention (T3) (2-months) and follow-up (T4) (6-months). Results The results demonstrated that there are actor effects on stroke-survivors (β = −0.353, p < 0.05) and caregivers (β = −0.383, p < 0.05), where higher levels of hedonic wellbeing were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Partner effects were observed as caregivers’ depressive symptoms were possessing a significant negative relationship with stroke survivors’ wellbeing (β = −0.387, p < 0.05). Those stroke survivors in the intervention group had a significantly higher level of self-esteem associated with lower levels of depression (β = −0.314, p < 0.05). Conclusions Improving hope, self-esteem and wellbeing through narrative therapy significantly mediates depressive symptoms, strengthening the dyadic support of stroke survivors and family caregivers.

Efficacy of narrative therapy for orphan and abandoned children with anxiety and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in Rwanda: A randomized controlled trial

Background and objectiveAlthough narrative therapy (NT) is globally practiced for alleviating psychological disorders, studies of its efficacy for vulnerable children are still scarce, especially in African post-conflict settings. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the efficacy of NT for Rwandan Orphans and abandoned children (OAC) with ADHD and anxiety disorders. MethodThis study was a parallel randomized controlled trial in which participants (n = 72) were recruited from SOS Children's Villages. A half of participants (n = 36) were randomly allocated to either the NT group or the waitlist control group (WCG). Outcomes were collected at baseline before randomization and 10 weeks post-randomization. ResultsANOVA results indicated a significant main effect of time for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.176), and the main effects of group were significant for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.254) and ADHD disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.260). There was a significant time by group interaction effect for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.328) and for ADHD (p < .001, ηp2= 0.193). Between group analyses showed that the difference in symptoms was significant for anxiety disorders (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.28) and for ADHD (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.6) during the posttest, and the effect sizes were large. LimitationThe long-term effects of the intervention for the current sample were not assessed in this study. ConclusionDespite its limitations, this study provides initial support for the safety, efficacy, and usefulness of NT among Rwandan OAC with ADHD and anxiety disorders. Health professionals must implement the new intervention as an everyday tool.

Development and Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy Group Counseling Program Using a Cartoon Drawing: Focusing on Self-Esteem and Learned Helplessness of Early Adolescents

Development and Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy Group Counseling Program Using a Cartoon Drawing: Focusing on Self-Esteem and Learned Helplessness of Early Adolescents

Effects of Group Narrative Therapy on Feeling of Inferiority and Attachment Styles in Married Women Experienced Marital Infidelity

Background: Marital infidelity damages marriage and increases the tensions between couples. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of group narrative therapy on feeling of inferiority and attachment styles in married women experienced marital infidelity. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest/posttest design using a control group. The study population consists of all women experienced marital infidelity referred to Peidayesh Counseling Center in Mashhad, Iran. Of these, 40 eligible women were selected using a convenience sampling method and assigned into intervention (n=20) and control (n=20) groups. Data collection tools were Hazan and Shaver (1986)’s Adult Attachment Questionnaire and Eysenck (1988)’s Inferiority Questionnaire. Group narrative therapy was performed in the intervention group at 7 sessions while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data analysis was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS software, v. 22. Results: Group narrative therapy had significant effects on feeling of inferiority and all three secure, avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles (P=0.001). Conclusion: Group narrative therapy can reduce feelings of inferiority and avoidant and ambivalent attachments and increase secure attachment in women experienced marital infidelity. This method can be used to improve psychological problems of these women.

The effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test–post-test design with a control group. Among married women with skin cancer in Mashhad (Iran), 30 available individuals were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Narrative therapy was performed in a group of 15 people in nine sessions (experimental group). The Female Sexual Function Index and Couple Burnout Measure were used to collect pre-test and post-test data. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results: Group narrative therapy significantly improved reported sexual function (F = 40.90; p = .001) and decreased couple burnout (F = 59.03; p = .001) in women with skin cancer. Conclusions: Narrative therapy seems to effectively improve sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer.

The effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of narrative therapy on sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test–post-test design with a control group. Among married women with skin cancer in Mashhad (Iran), 30 available individuals were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Narrative therapy was performed in a group of 15 people in nine sessions (experimental group). The Female Sexual Function Index and Couple Burnout Measure were used to collect pre-test and post-test data. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results: Group narrative therapy significantly improved reported sexual function (F = 40.90; p = .001) and decreased couple burnout (F = 59.03; p = .001) in women with skin cancer. Conclusions: Narrative therapy seems to effectively improve sexual function and couple burnout in women with skin cancer.

A Study on the Effects of Online Narrative Therapy Group Counseling Programs on the Self-Identity and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy of College Students

본 연구는 대학생의 자아정체감을 확립하고 진로결정 어려움을 해소할 수 있도록 이야기치료 기반의 집단상담 프로그램을 구성하고 실시하여 그 효과를 살펴보는 데 목적이 있다. 이러한 목적을 위해 본 연구에서는 전국의 대학생 16명을 모집하여 실험집단과 통제집단에 각각 8명씩 무선배치한 후 실험집단에만 Zoom을 활용하여 주 2회 2시간씩 총 10회기의 이야기치료 집단상담 프로그램을 실시하였다. 연구결과, 프로그램에 참여한 실험집단의 자아정체감과 진로결정 자기효능감의 사후검사결과는 사전검사결과에 비해 유의미한 향상을 나타냈으며 효과크기는 자아정체감 0.86, 진로결정 자기효능감 2.10으로 높게 나타났다. 반면 통제집단의 사후검사점수는 사전검사결과에 비해 유의미한 향상을 나타내지 않았다. 또한 사전검사에서 동질적이었던 실험집단과 통제집단의 자아정체감과 진로결정 자기효능감 점수는 사후검사에서 실험집단이 통제집단에 비해 유의미하게 높게 나타났다. 이상의 양적효과검증 결과 본 프로그램은 대학생들의 자아정체감과 진로결정 자기효능감 향상에 효과적임을 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구결과는 대학생을 대상으로 한 온라인기반의 이야기치료 집단상담 프로그램의 효과 및 활용가능성을 확인하였다는데 의의를 지닌다.

Narrative Group Intervention to Rediscover Life Wisdom Among Hong Kong Chinese Older Adults: A Single-Blind Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial.

Background and ObjectivesWe developed a new group practice using strength- and meaning-based narrative therapy (NT) for older Chinese living in Hong Kong (HK), to enhance their life wisdom. This paper reports on the intervention and its short- and longer-term effectiveness.Research Design and MethodsA randomized waitlist-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 157 older adults were randomly recruited, of whom 75 were randomly assigned to the intervention group which received four 2-hr biweekly NT sessions using the “Tree of Life” metaphor. The others were placed on a waitlist. Perceived wisdom was assessed using the Brief Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale. Assessment occurred at baseline (T0), end of treatment (T1), and 4 (T2) and 8 months later (T3). Overtime effects of NT on wisdom scores were assessed using latent growth curve models with time-invariant covariates for impact.ResultsThe intervention (NT) group showed significant, sustainable overtime within-group improvement in perceived wisdom. Furthermore, when compared to the control group, the NT group showed significant immediate improvements in perceived wisdom [F(2.726, p = .041)], which were maintained at all follow-up points. This effect remained after controlling for age, gender, and educational level (TML(11) = 17.306, p = .098, root mean square error of approximation = 0.079, comparative fit index = 0.960). No adverse reaction was recorded.Discussion and ImplicationsNT underpinned by a ToL methodology offers a new theory to understand, promote, and appreciate perceived wisdom in older Chinese living in HK. It contributes to psychotherapy and professional social work practice for older Chinese.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Narrative, Group Therapy on Improving the Cognitive Outcomes in Students with Depressive Symptoms

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based mindfulness intervention in group therapy on improving cognitive performance in students with depressive syndrome. The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design with an experimental and control group. The statistical population of the study was all students with symptoms of depression, Tabriz in 1398, who had no other psychological disorders and use of antidepressants, of which 20 for The experimental group and 20 people were selected for the control group by available sampling method. Young's plan questionnaire (short form, third edition, 90 items) and Snyder et al.'s (1991) adult hope questionnaire were used to collect information. The experimental group underwent mindfulness intervention based on group narrative therapy for 16 sessions and during this period the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS software. The results showed that the process of mindfulness intervention sessions based on group narrative therapy led to a decrease in the mean scores of cognitive performance in students with depressive syndrome in the experimental group compared to the control group. (P≤ 0/01). According to the results, it can be argued that mindfulness intervention based on group narrative therapy has a positive effect on improving cognitive performance in students with depressive symptoms

Narrative Group Interventions to Rediscover Life Wisdom Among Hong Kong Chinese Older Adults: A Waitlist RCT Study

Objectives: To recognize, and rejuvenate the life wisdom of Hong Kong Chinese older adults, a new strength- and meaning-based Narrative Therapy (NT) in practice is developed, with two objectives: to examine its effectiveness in enhancing wisdom; and to test the longer-term effects at 2 and 8 months respectively. Method: A waitlist randomised controlled trial (RCT) design was used. A total of 157 older adults were recruited, 82 of which was randomly assigned to 12 intervention groups to receive four 2-hour NT sessions using the ‘Tree of Life’ metaphor, to assess perceived wisdom at baseline (T1), at the end of treatment (T2), and at two (T3) and 8 months after treatment (T4). Results: Participants in the NT group showed significant improvements in the wisdom outcome measure [F(2.726, p = 0.041)]. As such, the results of latent growth curve models with time-invariant covariates for impact of NT on wisdom scores suggested significant effects two months after treatment (T3) with controlled the effects of age, gender and educational level [TML(11) = 17.306, p = 0.098, RMSEA = 0.079, CFI = 0.960]. Most improvements were sustained at 2- and 8-months post intervention. No adverse reaction was recorded in any of the cases mentioned at all study sites. Conclusion: The findings have significant theoretical contributions for professional social work practice to ground a new theory in understanding wisdom in older adulthood, develop a new clinical practice that appreciate and celebrate life wisdom, and a practice guide to be disseminated among health and social care practitioners.

A narrative-informed evaluation of tree of life for parents of children with physical health conditions.

Parents of children with chronic health conditions can face many challenges. The Tree of Life narrative therapy group intervention aims to connect parents with their skills and resources before collectively exploring the 'storms' (challenges) they face. A narrative-informed evaluation aimed to story the parents' experiences of attending the group. Seven parents attended a Tree of Life group intervention and then participated in a narrative-informed group interview to generate stories regarding their experience of the group. The interview was recorded with consent and later transcribed. A thematic analysis was undertaken and highlighted that the group offered parents a 'safe place to stand' to talk about difficulties; a different perspective on their situation; connection with the skills of other parents; new ideas to introduce more independence to their child; and togetherness within the 'storms' (challenges). The narrative-informed evaluation offered opportunities to further thicken parents' preferred identity stories whilst also contributing to the evidence base of narrative-informed group interventions for parents.

Are narrative therapy groups effective for people with intellectual disabilities? A critical review of the literature

PurposeNarrative therapy has been suggested as particularly relevant to people with intellectual disability (ID), with group formats potentially offering additional benefits. This paper aims to critically review studies which evaluated narrative group interventions for people with ID.Design/methodology/approachThe seven papers identified for review were critically appraised for their quality using a quality appraisal tool appropriate to their design, along with additional factors including adaptations made to improve accessibility.FindingsThe studies suggest that there may be some small benefits of narrative group therapy for those with ID. However, alongside issues limiting the studies’ evaluations, it is noted that the research paradigms used in the studies conflict with narrative approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThe limited evidence base suggests the need for further research. The randomised controlled trial would ordinarily be seen as the gold standard for such research. However, narrative interventions may require a different approach to evaluation.Originality/valueThis is the first review of published literature on the evaluation of narrative therapy groups for people with ID.