This collection contains examples of research evidence about the efficacy of narrative therapy and community work and their application in various settings.
Feel free to suggest sources to add to this collection.
Efficacy and application – some recent publications
Effects of wisdom-enhancement narrative-therapy and empathy-focused interventions on loneliness over 4 weeks among older adults: A randomized controlled trial (Jiang et al., 2025)
Jiang, D., Tang, V. F. Y., Kahlon, M., Chow, E. O., Yeung, D. Y., Aubrey, R., & Chou, K. L. (2025). Effects of wisdom-enhancement narrative-therapy and empathy-focused interventions on loneliness over 4 weeks among older adults: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(1), 18–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2024.07.003
Abstract:
Objective
In this three-armed RCT, we tested the effects of a telephone-delivered wisdom enhancement narrative therapy-based intervention (Tele-NT) and a telephone-delivered empathy-focused intervention (Tele-EP) in reducing loneliness against an active control group that received regular call (ACG) at the 4-week follow-up assessment.
Design, Setting, Intervention, and Participants
To evaluate the effects of the interventions on loneliness, we randomized 287 older adults based in Hong Kong, ages 65 to 90, into Tele-NT (N = 97), Tele-EP (N = 95), or ACG (N = 95).
Measurement
The primary outcome was loneliness, calculated using the De Jong Gierveld Scale and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Secondary outcomes were sleep quality, depressive symptoms, social network engagement, and perceived social support. Assessments were done before training and 4 weeks after the intervention period.
Results
Results from linear mixed models showed significant positive effects of Tele-NT on loneliness measured by the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale compared to ACG. Compared to the ACG, the Tele-NT group significantly reduced loneliness at the 4-week follow-up (mean difference = −0.51, p = 0.019, Cohen’s d = 0.60). However, the difference between Tele-EP and the ACG at the 4-week follow-up was not significant (MD = −0.34, p = 0.179, Cohen’s d = 0.49). Tele-NT and Tele-EP did not show significant effects on the secondary outcomes, compared to the ACG.
Conclusions
In this randomized clinical trial, we found that a 4-week wisdom enhancement narrative therapy program significantly reduced feelings of loneliness. This effective telephone-based, lay-therapist-delivered program is scalable for broader implementation.
Investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience and emotional regulation of cancer patients with low psychological toughness (Banisafar et al., 2024)
Banisafar, A., Ahi, Q., Mansouri, A., & Bahreynian, A. (2024). Investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience and emotional regulation of cancer patients with low psychological toughness. Journal of Psychological Science, 23(133), 183-195. https://doi.org/10.52547/JPS.23.133.183
Abstract:
Background: Considering the importance of resilience and emotional regulation as effective psychological components in cancer, psychological interventions to improve these structures is a fundamental necessity. Aims: This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience and emotional regulation of people with cancer with low psychological toughness. Methods: The research design was semi-experimental and pre-test-post-test with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all cancer patients referred to Tehran hospitals in 2022. The sample consisted of 30 patients who were selected through purposive sampling and randomly replaced in two treatment groups and the control group. Connor and Davidson’s resilience scale and Garnefski and Kraaij emotional cognitive regulation were used. The data were analyzed through Mancova and SPSS-20 software. Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference between the narrative therapy group and the control group in the post-test stage of resilience and cognitive emotional regulation. Conclusion: According to the findings of this research, online narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used as an effective method to improve resilience and emotional regulation of cancer patients, and in this context, online narrative therapy can be more efficient.
Link: https://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-2179-fa.html
Collective resistance as a means to healing. A narrative participatory study with sexual minority refugee and asylum-seeking people (Papadopoulos et a., 2023)
Papadopoulos, S., Castro Romero, M., & Semlyen, J. (2023). Collective resistance as a means to healing. A narrative participatory study with sexual minority refugee and asylum-seeking people. Psychology and Sexuality, 15(3), 318–333. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2023.2268666
Abstract:
The number of people in exile is rising. Sexual and ethnic minority refugee and asylum-seeking people present with special needs. This study utilised a collective narrative participatory design to explore how storying collective ways of resisting the effects of trauma, amongst gay and lesbian forced migrant people of Black African and Asian backgrounds in an urban context (London, UK) can be constitutive of healing. To do this, purposeful sampling procedures were pursued. Data collection was through individual and group format story telling sessions. Both sessions were structured around a co-constructed metaphor ‘Passport of Life’. Narrative analysis was employed to examine the data, co-shaped with participants. Findings indicate that participants’ (collective) storytelling is crafted as a site for resistances to emerge and be re-affirmed. Resistance pathways are inextricably linked to participants’ diverse subjectivities. Healing is constituted as a dynamic process, bound by narrated and physical configurations of spaces of togetherness, which have re-definitional, hope-inducing, and social justice properties. The results support the use of participatory and narrative means for expanding (untold) stories of overcoming and supporting opportunities for healing and redress amongst this population. Implications for policy making, research, and psychological practice are considered.
Systematic review of narrative therapy publications in Hong Kong (Chan et al., 2023)
Chan, T. M. S., Lau, C. Y. V., & Yu, H. W. C. (2023). Systematic review of narrative therapy publications in Hong Kong. Research on Social Work Practice, 33(8), 875–886. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315221125242
Abstract:
Purpose: This article reviews narrative therapy (NT) publications specific to Hong Kong over a period of 20 years.
Methods: Three search strategies are adopted: using the Hong Kong Baptist University OneSearch database and Google Books index, and sending soliciting emails to local scholars and practitioners. Four research questions are asked: (a) how many related publications? (b) who are the targets? (c) who are the authors? (d) what is the type of publication?
Results: In total, there are 127 publications identified. The first NT publication is dated 1996. The most common target group is “People with Problem” (48.8%). Most authors are academics (78.7%). The publications are mostly Journal Articles (68.5%).
Conclusions: Co-construction between academics and practitioners, co-researching as the landscape for co-constructing an NT community, and finally, the co-deconstruction process of local narratives are recommended as future tasks for Hong Kong related NT publications.
The use of narrative therapy on paranoid schizophrenia (Fernandez et al., 2023)
Fernandez, K. T. G., Martin, A. T. M. B., & Ledesma, D. A. S. (2023). The use of narrative therapy on paranoid schizophrenia. Psychological Studies, 68, 273–280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-022-00709-z
Abstract:
Research suggests that a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia is strongly linked with experiencing negative stereotypes and an inability to recover. In challenging the scientific-logical practice of diagnostic labeling, which totalizes the person’s experience around the illness, Narrative therapy offers a unique approach to treating schizophrenia by putting the spotlight on the client’s values, strengths, and beliefs. This allows the client to discover an alternative life narrative beyond their diagnosis. This study presents a case of a 40-year-old woman with paranoid schizophrenia. She felt that the people in her workplace were out to harm her so she would never work in her field again. At home, she had also begun to question herself as a mother. Narrative therapy techniques such as externalization, thickening the landscape of action and identity, and re-membering were used to aid the client’s recovery and helped her to shift from a problematic view of her identity. The present case focuses on providing steps to guide practitioners in using Narrative therapy for a case where the client has internalized their diagnosis as their identity.
Using narrative therapy with children experiencing developmental disabilities and their families in India: A qualitative study (Baldiwala & Kanakia, 2022)
Baldiwala, J., & Kanakia, T. (2022). Using narrative therapy with children experiencing developmental disabilities and their families in India: A qualitative study. Journal of Child Health Care, 26(2), 307–318. https://doi.org/10.1177/13674935211014
Abstract:
Narrative therapy is a respectful and culturally relevant form of psychotherapy. Internationally, there is an increasing use of narrative therapy with diverse populations; however, there is limited documentation within the Indian context. The intention of the study was to understand experiences of children and their families during their participation in narrative therapy at Ummeed Child Development Center in Mumbai, India. Twelve participants were recruited for individual interviews: four children, who received counseling at Ummeed Child Development Center for a minimum of 6 months, and eight family members. Thematic analysis of data revealed three themes: Working In Partnership reflected the value of therapy being a collaborative process; Practices That Open Up Possibilities highlighted skills of children and their families that became visible through counseling; and Taking Control And Advocacy revealed how families experienced a sense of control over their own lives and an interest in advocating for others with similar lived experiences. The study has brought to light how narrative therapy can make possible change in lives of children and their families and wider society. In an international context, these findings serve to document narrative therapy as a beneficial modality for mental health practitioners to use with children experiencing developmental disabilities and their families.
The effects of group counseling utilizing narrative therapy on self-esteem, stress response, and insight for individuals with alcohol dependency (Park & Kim, 2021)
Park, J. W., & Kim, H. S. (2021). The Effects of Group Counseling Utilizing Narrative Therapy on Self-esteem, Stress Response, and Insight for Individuals with Alcohol Dependency. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 18(2), 219–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2021.1972885
Abstract:
Alcoholism is a serious problem that is difficult to treat. This study investigated the effects of group counseling utilizing narrative therapy on self-esteem, stress response, and insight for alcoholism. We utilized a nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized design. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact test, Chi-squared test, independent and paired t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA. The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-esteem (F = 14.03, p < .001), stress response (F = 4.31, p <.05), and insight (F = 21.27, p < .001) after the intervention compared with the control group. Additionally, there were significant improvements in self-esteem (t = −6.32, p < .05), stress response (t = 4.93, p < .05), and insight (t = −5.02, p <. 05) within the experimental group after the intervention. Thus, narrative therapy is recommended as an autonomous regulation approach for developing strengths necessary to refrain from alcoholism.
An unexpected visitor and a sword play: A randomized controlled trial of collective narrative therapy groups for primary carers of people with schizophrenia (Zhou et al., 2020)
Zhou, D. H. R., Chiu, Y. L. M., Lo, T. L. W., Lo, W. F. A., Wong, S. S., Leung, C. H. T., … Luk, K. L. (2020). An unexpected visitor and a sword play: A randomized controlled trial of collective narrative therapy groups for primary carers of people with schizophrenia. Journal of Mental Health, 32(1), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2020.1793123
Abstract:
Background: Most family carer support programs focus on supporting carers with caregiving-related knowledge and skills to help their family members who suffer from schizophrenia in their recovery process while carers’ inner resources and preferred identities are less emphasized in the existing studies.
Aims: The present study uses collective narrative therapy groups (CNTG) to promote the inner strengths and agency of family carers and help them to explore their preferred identities while caring for family members with schizophrenia.
Method: To ensure an evidence-based intervention, 89 Chinese family carers of people with schizophrenia took part in this three-wave longitudinal program evaluation study using a randomized controlled trial design.
Results: Compared with the control group, family carers in CNTG reported better family relationships, a lesser caregiving burden, and more perceived inner resources. Repeated one-way ANOVA revealed that CNTG improved family relationships, the caregiving burden, the level of hope and inner resources in the posttest, and a statistically significantly better mental health condition in the follow-up.
Conclusion: This study shows that collective narrative psychotherapy is effective in supporting family carers of people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Based on the research findings, we discuss the strengths of the program and its implications for practitioners.
Effectiveness of narrative therapy in groups on psychological well-being and distress of Iranian women with addicted husbands (Khodayarifard & Sohrabpour, 2018)
Khodayarifard, M., & Sohrabpour, G. (2018). Effectiveness of narrative therapy in groups on psychological well-being and distress of Iranian women with addicted husbands. Addiction and Health, 10(1), 1–10.
Abstract:
Background: This paper investigated the effectiveness of narrative therapy in groups on psychological well-being and distress among Iranian women with addicted husbands. Methods: The research was an experimental study with pretest-posttest control group design along with follow-ups of one month and three months. The statistical population consisted of all the women with addicted husbands who referred to welfare and social service houses of district 10 in Tehran, Iran. Participants were forty-four persons who had mental health score lower than the mean of statistical society. They were selected using the voluntary sampling method, and were also randomly assigned to two groups, experimental and control. After the early loss, each group included twenty persons and was evaluated by Mental Health Inventory (MHI-28). The experimental group received 10 sessions of the group counseling. Data were analyzed with repeated measure ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test. Findings: The results showed that psychological well-being of women who received the sessions of group counseling “narrative therapy” was improved significantly rather than those who did not received that (P < 0.001), and psychological distress of them was reduced significantly in comparison to the women who did not participated in the sessions (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Based on these findings, it seems that narrative therapy in groups is effective in the promotion of psychological well-being of women with addicted husbands, and also could be effective in reducing their psychological distress. Therefore, it can be concluded that narrative therapy group interventions improve mental health of women with addicted husbands.
Narrative therapy vs. cognitive-behavioral therapy for moderate depression: Empirical evidence from a controlled clinical trial (Lopes et al., 2014)
Lopes, R. T., Gonçalves, M. M., Machado, P. P. P., Sinai, D., Bento, T., & Salgado, J. (2014). Narrative therapy vs. cognitive-behavioral therapy for moderate depression: Empirical evidence from a controlled clinical trial. Psychotherapy Research, 24(6), 662–674. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2013.874052
Abstract:
Background: Systematic studies of the efficacy of Narrative Therapy (NT) for depression are sparse. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of individual NT for moderate depression in adults compared to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Method: Sixty-three depressed clients were assigned to either NT or CBT. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ-45.2) were used as outcome measures. Results: We found a significant symptomatic reduction in both treatments. Group differences favoring CBT were found on the BDI-II, but not on the OQ-45.2.
Conclusions: Pre- to post-treatment effect sizes for completers in both groups were superior to benchmarked waiting-list control groups.
