Mixed Method Evaluation of ACTS: Advancing Connection Through Storytelling-A Novel Approach to Improve Older Adult Engagement and Staff Interactions in Korean Nursing Homes

BACKGROUND

A culture centered on relationships and communication is necessary to improve the quality of life of older adults living in nursing homes.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effects of a storytelling program by examining the cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial changes in older adults in facilities and explore staff experience of changes in care.

METHODS

This mixed method study delivered a 6-week storytelling program based on relationship-centered care for residents of nursing homes (aged >65 years). Changes in emotional expression, depression, communication skills, social support, interpersonal relationships, nurse-patient interaction, and the person-centered environment as perceived by older adults were quantitatively analyzed using pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys. Qualitative data were collected through weekly stories created by residents, followed by focus group interviews with nursing home staff, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to enhance understanding of the program's outcomes.

RESULTS

The 42 residents reported significant changes in their emotional expression, depression, communication skills, social support, interpersonal relationships, nurse-patient interaction, and person-centered environment scores after the 6-week intervention. Analysis of the residents' stories identified 5 themes. The staff focus group interviews identified 2 themes and 7 subthemes. Intervention group residents were more likely to initiate conversations, express themselves, carefully observe themselves and others, and actively participate in social activities.

CONCLUSIONS

The storytelling program was useful in reducing older adults' negative emotions by allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings and improve their relationships, creating opportunities for social interaction. These effects could help foster relationship- and communication-centered facility cultures.

Identifying the contributors to nursing caring success stories

AIMS

To (a) seek examples of nursing caring success stories and (b) identify the common contributors to these successes. By focusing on the successes of nursing care rather than critically examining failures, this research seeks to provide examples of proven and feasible approaches and processes for improving care.

DESIGN

This study used a narrative inquiry design.

METHODS

Data were collected through group interviews. Four interviews were conducted with a total of 20 nurse participants working in inpatient settings in South Australian hospitals. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

Two dominant themes concerning the contributors to caring success were identified. These contributors were (1) the provision of holistic care and (2) the influence of the caring community, which includes family members and other patients. The findings also indicated that the definition of caring success according to nurses is not aligned with organisational performance indicators but is more closely represented by caring values.

CONCLUSION

Success, according to nurses, is not exclusively defined by patient outcomes but includes the approach to, and process of, care delivery.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Nurses value the caring process while working in an environment that primarily values clinical and systems-level outcomes. Nurses want patients and their families, allied health professionals and hospital executives to be involved and invested in the process of care.

IMPACT

This study addressed a gap in the current literature to identify commonalities in nursing success stories, the contributors informing these successes and how these contributors can facilitate improved patient care. Understanding nursing definitions of caring success provides an opportunity to expand upon current accepted industry definitions and perspectives such as key performance indicators.

REPORTING METHOD

Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No direct patient or public contribution.

Mindfulness Through Storytelling for Mental Health of Primary School Children: Impact on Acceptability and Its Associations with Personality

Purpose

Acceptability of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) in primary school settings seems to represent a critical factor influencing the intervention effects on children's mental health. This study aims at assessing the acceptability of an MBP delivered through the technique of storytelling, as well as identifying which participants' personality characteristics can influence it.

Participants and Methods

Italian children in grades 3-to-5 (n = 147, 47.6% girls) participated in a 24-session MBP, which included 225 minutes of formal mindfulness practices and was delivered by the pupils' school teachers. Children's personality traits were assessed with the junior Temperament and Character Inventory (jTCI), while their subjective experiences and acceptability of the program were investigated using a survey containing open-ended and closed-ended questions.

Results

Program acceptability was 2.9 ± 0.7 on a 0-4 scale. Higher jTCI scores of persistence, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence were related to higher ratings in liking the program, finding it useful and engaging themselves in it. Moreover, 57.8% of the children generalized the mindfulness practices in daily life and 93.9% of them declared they would recommend the program to their friends/parents. Five main themes emerged from children's answers on what they learned: "help for difficulties (emotional, mental, and physical)", "calm, relax, tranquility", "resilience, positiveness, personal growth", "self-exploration, interoception", and "attention, concentration, and here-and-now".

Conclusion

Program acceptability was generally higher than in similar programs in the literature, and children reported personal gains in various areas related to psychological well-being. The study also suggests which children's personality traits should be considered when proposing an MBP in order to improve its acceptability and utility.

Whakawhanaungatanga-Building trust and connections: A qualitative study indigenous Māori patients and whānau (extended family network) hospital experiences

AIMS

Investigated the experiences of Māori (the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, New Zealand) patients and whānau (extended family network) engaging with acute hospital inpatient services and their priorities for a Māori-centred model of relational care.

DESIGN

A qualitative Māori-centred research design using a Thought Space Wānanga (learning through in-depth group discussion, deliberation and consideration) approach.

METHODS

Two wānanga were conducted between May 2022 and June 2022, with 13 Māori patients who had been acutely hospitalized within the past 12 months and their whānau members. The first wānanga utilized storytelling and journey mapping to collect data. The second wānanga refined the initial themes. Wānanga were audio-recorded and then inductively coded and developed into themes.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients and whānau attended the first wānanga, while 10 patients and whānau participated in the second wānanga). Four themes were developed: (1) Whakawhanaungatanga (establishing connections and relationships), (2) Whakamana (uplifting the status and esteem of Māori), (3) Whakawhitiwhiti kōrero (the importance of communicating, discussing and deliberating) and (4) Kotahitanga (working together with purpose) all provide insights into the importance of effectively engaging and connecting with Māori patients and whānau when acutely hospitalized.

CONCLUSIONS

The experiences and priorities of Māori patients and whānau affirm the international literature, suggesting that Indigenous relational concepts are critical to building relationships, connections and trust. Despite existing healthcare models for working with Indigenous peoples, their poor application contributes to sub-optimal healthcare experiences at all points of their healthcare journey. A relational mode of practice focused on engagement and forming connections better meets the needs of Indigenous peoples engaging with inpatient health services.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Despite the existence of Indigenous models of care, Indigenous peoples consistently report a lack of engagement and connection when accessing inpatient health services. Without establishing relationships, applying models of care is challenging.

IMPACT (ADDRESSING)

What problem did the study address? Internationally, healthcare systems are consistently ill-equipped to deliver culturally safe care for Indigenous and marginalized peoples, evident in ongoing health inequities. Like other reports of Indigenous experiences of health services, Māori express dissatisfaction with care delivery in an acute inpatient setting. This study investigated Māori patients and whānau experiences engaging with acute hospital inpatient services and their priorities for a Māori-centred model of relational care. What were the main findings? Māori patients and whānau recounted negative experiences with healthcare professionals lacking effective relationships and trust. Satisfaction occurred when engagement with health care professionals resembled Indigenous cultural rituals of encounter that considered their holistic, collective and dynamic worldviews. Previous models of relational care, while helpful, are not Indigenous and so do not address their needs, such as engagement as a mode of practice (how) to achieve this. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? This research impacts Indigenous peoples' health outcomes, particularly Māori, and nurses and clinicians working and interacting within acute inpatient and other hospital settings. Indigenous research methods support co-constructing knowledge for translation into practical outcomes through transformational practices, policies and theory development.

REPORTING METHOD

We used the Consolidated Criteria for Strengthening the Reporting of Health Research Involving Indigenous Peoples (CONSIDER) statement (see File S2-CONSIDER Checklist) and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines (see File S3-COREQ Checklist).

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Māori patients and their whānau interviewed about their experiences were involved in data interpretation.

Risking at the Rocks

This article uses storytelling and poetry to emphasize the core concepts of taking a risk while highlighting the mystique of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Perspectives From Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors for a Planned Nurse-Patient Dyadic Storytelling Intervention

Purpose: This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of adolescents and young adults (AYA) on a planned nurse-patient dyadic storytelling intervention. Background: Cancer is a highly distressful event for AYA. AYA with cancer experience multidimensional suffering while dealing with their developmental transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Their unique needs require appropriate, well-tailored psychosocial support. Nurses can provide such support through storytelling approaches.

METHOD

AYA cancer survivors participated in cross-sectional qualitative interviews to provide feedback on the nurse-patient storytelling intervention model.

ANALYSIS

Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret and categorize the data.

FINDINGS

Barriers and facilitators of the intervention emerged. Themes related to barriers included (a) the disadvantages of an online program, (b) the limitations of the in-person program, (c) interacting with nurses, (d) sharing personal stories with others, and (e) the timing of the program. Themes regarding facilitators included (a) benefits to AYA with cancer, (b) benefits to nurses, (c) benefits of online/in-person programs, and (d) willingness to participate. Conclusions: AYA with cancer may benefit from the nurse-patient dyadic storytelling intervention. Developing innovative methods to optimize and customize interventions based on preferences is essential. Future research should involve nurse feedback and tailored approaches for AYA with cancer.

Shame in social interaction: Descriptions of experiences of shame by participants with high or low levels of narcissistic traits

In this study, we investigate how personal experiences about shameful events are described in face-to-face social interaction, and how these stories differ between participants who have either high or low levels of narcissistic personality traits. The dataset consists of 22 dyadic conversations where the participants describe events where they felt ashamed of themselves. We found the narratives to vary in terms of five dimensions. With narcissistic individuals, the default narrative tended to exhibit a cluster of characteristics that gather at one end of these dimensions: (1) weak expressions of shame; (2) located in the story-world; (3) low level of reflexivity as well as; (4) responsibility of the described event; and (5) a general level of description. We discuss the findings in relation to sociological and psychological theories of shame and suggest that individuals with narcissistic personality traits are more inclined to use suppressive conversational practices in their treatment of shame, thus providing a "window" to these interactional practices.

Honoring our teachings: children's storybooks as indigenous public health practice

Introduction

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities continue to flourish and innovate in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Storytelling is an important tradition for AIAN communities that can function as an intervention modality. To support the needs of AIAN children and caregivers, we (a collaborative workgroup of Indigenous health researchers) developed a culturally grounded storybook that provides pandemic-related public health guidance and mental health coping strategies woven with Inter-Tribal values and teachings.

Methods

A collaborative workgroup, representing diverse tribal affiliations, met via four virtual meetings in early 2021 to discuss evolving COVID-19 pandemic public health guidance, community experiences and responses to emerging challenges, and how to ground the story in shared AIAN cultural strengths. We developed and distributed a brief survey for caregivers to evaluate the resulting book.

Results

The workgroup iteratively reviewed versions of the storyline until reaching a consensus on the final text. An AI artist from the workgroup created illustrations to accompany the text. The resulting book, titled Our Smallest Warriors, Our Strongest Medicine: Honoring Our Teachings during COVID-19 contains 46 pages of text and full-color illustrations. An online toolkit including coloring pages, traditional language activities, and caregiver resources accompanies the book. We printed and distributed 50,024 physical copies of the book and a free online version remains available. An online survey completed by N = 34 caregivers who read the book with their child(ren) showed strong satisfaction with the book and interest in future books.

Discussion

The development of this storybook provides insights for creative dissemination of future public health initiatives, especially those geared toward AIAN communities. The positive reception and widespread interest in the storybook illustrate how braiding AIAN cultural teachings with public health guidance can be an effective way to disseminate health information. This storybook highlights the importance of storytelling as an immersive learning experience through which caregivers and children connect to family, community, culture, and public health guidance. Culturally grounded public health interventions can be effective and powerful in uplifting AIAN cultural values and promoting health and well-being for present and future generations.

Interactive Narrative-Based Digital Health Interventions for Vaccine Communication: Protocol for a Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Interactive narrative-based digital health interventions hold promise for effectively addressing the complex determinants of vaccine hesitancy and promoting effective communication across a wide range of settings and vaccine types. Synthesizing evidence related to the implementation and evaluation of these interventions could offer valuable perspectives for shaping future strategies in vaccine communication. Prior systematic and scoping reviews have examined narrative-based vaccine communication interventions but not the inclusion of interactivity in such interventions.

OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of the scoping review is to summarize the evidence on the use of interactive narrative-based digital health interventions for vaccine communication. Specific research questions focus on describing the use of interactive narrative-based digital health interventions (RQ1), describing evaluations of the impact of interactive narrative-based digital health interventions on promoting vaccine uptake (RQ2), and factors associated with their implementation (RQ3).

METHODS

A detailed search string will be used to search the following databases for records that are relevant to the review questions: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts of identified records against the predefined eligibility criteria. Subsequently, eligible records will undergo comprehensive full-text screening by 2 independent reviewers to assess their relevance to review questions. A data charting tool will be developed and used to extract relevant information from the included articles. The extracted information will be analyzed following the review questions and presented as a narrative summary. Tabular or graphical representations will be used to display review findings, as relevant.

RESULTS

Public health informationists were consulted to develop the detailed search strategy. The final search string comprised terms related to narrative communication, digital health, and vaccines. The search string was customized to each proposed publication database and implemented on April 18, 2023. A total of 4474 unique records were identified using the search strategy and imported into the Covidence (Veritas Health Innovation Ltd) review management software for title and abstract screening. Title and abstract screening of identified records are ongoing as of December 29, 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to investigate the features of interactive narrative-based digital health interventions and their role in vaccine communication. The goal of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape and identify prevailing gaps in knowledge. The findings will provide insights for future research and development of novel applications of interactive narrative-based digital health vaccine communication interventions.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/51137.

Erasing stigmas through storytelling: why interactive storytelling environments could reduce health-related stigmas

In this article we describe how designers can apply storytelling to reduce health-related stigmas. Stigma is a pervasive problem for people with illnesses, such as obesity, and it can persistently hinder coping, treatment, recovery, and prevention. Reducing health-related stigma is complex because it is multi-layered and self-perpetuating, leading to intertwined vicious circles. Interactive storytelling environments can break these vicious circles by delimiting the narrative freedom of stigma actors. We theoretically explain the potential of interactive storytelling environments to reduce stigma through the following seven functions: 1) expose participants to other perspectives, 2) provide a protective frame, 3) intervene in daily conversations, 4) persuade all stigma actors, 5) exchange alternative understandings, 6) elicit understanding and support for stigma victims, and 7) support stigma victims to cope with stigmatization. We elaborate on these functions through a demonstration of an interactive storytelling environment against weight stigma. In conclusion, this article is a call on designers for health and wellbeing, scientists, and practitioners from various disciplines to be sensitive to the pervasiveness of stigma and to collaboratively create destigmatizing storytelling environments.

Digital Storytelling for Bereaved Individuals in a Virtual Setting

An emerging body literature exists highlighting the use of Digital Storytelling as an educational, and/or therapeutic intervention. Authors of this manuscript have studied Digital Storytelling as a narrative bereavement intervention designed to help individuals make meaning of adverse life events, like the death of a family member. Until recently, Digital Storytelling is typically delivered in person. The purpose of this article is to describe the steps to implementing Digital Storytelling as a bereavement intervention in a completely virtual setting, using Zoom technology. Best practices and lessons learned for the virtual delivery of Digital Storytelling are provided.

Counter-Stories in the way of caste: towards an anti-casteist public health praxis in contemporary India

How can ethnographic methods track implicit & explicit forms of structural casteism in Indian public health policy and praxis? How can a critical attention to ordinary stories and subjectivities of casted lives reveal the underlying Brahmanical moralities, assumptions and imaginations of public health but equally also unravel anti-caste counter-framings/counter-theorizations of symptoms, afflictions, injuries and chronic wounds wrought by caste? How, in other words, can the horizons of anti-colonial theory-making be expanded to capaciously conceptualize casteism as a core determinant of community health outcomes and life-chances in India? By mobilizing 'counter-storytelling' as a concept and method for critical medical anthropology from the Global South, and case studies from longitudinal ethnography in northern India, this paper provides a dual critique of: 1. Public health praxis in relation to questions of caste, addiction, respiratory debilitation, air pollution and TB. And, 2. Epistemologies of health policy making pertaining to wellness for 'the poor' and the gendered and casted labour of community care workers like ASHAs and non-institutionalized health actors.

Early Literacy Developmental Activities and Pre-Kindergarten Learning Skills in the Context of Childhood Adversity

OBJECTIVE

School readiness (SR) encompasses a wide range of skills that affect children's ability to succeed in school and later in life. Shared reading is an important strategy that assists children in gaining SR skills, whereas adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) negatively affect a child's SR. This study assessed if early literacy developmental activities (shared reading, singing, or storytelling) were associated with improved SR among children with and without ACEs.

METHODS

2020-2021 National Survey of Children's Health data were used for analysis. We identified children aged 3-5 years to assess their exposure to ACEs, participation in reading/storytelling/singing, and overall SR.

RESULTS

In a sample of 17,545 children, 29% of children were exposed to one or more ACEs. Seventy-seven percent of children with no ACEs received daily early literacy developmental activities compared to 23% of children who experienced any ACE. On ordinal logistic regression, daily early literacy developmental activities were associated with 56% greater odds of higher SR among children not exposed to ACEs (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.88; P < .01). Among children exposed to ACEs, daily early literacy developmental activities were also associated with higher SR (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.13; P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Shared reading, storytelling, and singing are associated with improved SR in both children who have and have not been exposed to ACEs. However, children exposed to ACEs had fewer experiences with early literacy developmental activities. Future efforts should address the barriers that limit shared reading, singing, or storytelling for children exposed to ACEs.

A Two-Phase Qualitative Enquiry Into Storytelling's Potential to Support Palliative Care Patient-Led Change, Using a Systematic Review Approach

A terminal diagnosis can diminish an individual's sense of agency and identity. Leading change appears to restore a sense of agential self. The first phase of this literature review explores factors influencing patient-led change across the palliative care ecosystem. The second phase illuminates how storytelling can support palliative care patients in leading ecosystem-wide change. 35 studies were identified in Phase 1 and 36 in Phase 2. This research highlights the need to situate patient leadership activity within a palliative care ecosystem to understand factors likely to support or hinder patient leadership activity within it. The evidence indicates the potential use of storytelling to support patients with a life-limiting illness to lead change across the palliative care ecosystem. This challenges current conceptualisations of such patients and offers them instead as an additional source of palliative care support.

Dental students' perceptions of instructor storytelling for clinical learning: A qualitative description study

OBJECTIVE

Storytelling has been infrequently used in dental education to link clinical knowledge and practice. Our study aimed to explore dental students' views of instructor storytelling with an emphasis on clinical reasoning within a case-based oral pathology seminar.

METHODS

Qualitative description guided the study design. Participants were third- and fourth-year undergraduate dental students who participated in the seminar. Data were collected through semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. Data analysis was approached using inductive, manifest thematic analysis. Verification strategies were employed to ensure methodological rigor throughout the analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 21 students participated in the study ranging in age from 22 to 29 years. Three interrelated themes were identified, which were related to storytelling authenticity, benefits, and recommendations for improvement. Specifically, students reported that instructor stories effectively conveyed genuine cases and clinical reasoning; were beneficial in terms of engagement, awareness, knowledge acquisition, and skill development; and needed to be educationally and clinically relevant to bridge the knowledge-practice gap.

CONCLUSIONS

Instructor storytelling was regarded by dental students as both positive and beneficial. Research is needed to further demonstrate the effectiveness of instructor storytelling in fostering clinical learning and reasoning using indirect and direct outcome measures.

Adding online storytelling-based acceptance and commitment therapy to antidepressant treatment for primary care patients: a randomized clinical trial

Depression is most often treated in primary care, where the prevailing treatment is antidepressant medication. Primary care patients with depression are less likely to be exposed to psychosocial interventions, despite evidence suggesting many of these treatments are effective. An example is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a behavioral treatment for depression with a growing evidence base. A self-guided ACT intervention with a peer narrative (i.e. storytelling) format was developed with the intention of creating a treatment option for primary care patients that was more accessible than traditional psychotherapy. Titled LifeStories, the online program features videos of real individuals sharing coping skills for depression based on lived experiences and key ACT principles. A total of 93 primary care patients taking antidepressants were randomized to either continued antidepressant treatment alone or antidepressant treatment plus LifeStories for 4 weeks. There were no differences over time on depression severity and psychological inflexibility. However, LifeStories led to greater improvements in quality of life and increased patients' interest in additional treatment compared to antidepressant medication alone.Clinical trial pre-registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04757961).

Narrative Approach and Mentalization

The core focus of this research centered on the intricate relationship between mentalization, the fundamental mental process underlying social interactions, and the narrative approach proposed by Bruner. Mentalization, encompassing both implicit and explicit interpretations of one's and others' actions, plays a pivotal role in shaping the complexity of social interactions. Concurrently, the narrative approach, as elucidated by Bruner, serves as the primary interpretative and cognitive tool through which individuals derive meaning from their experiences. Narrative, in essence, empowers individuals to imbue their experiences with significance, constructing knowledge and enabling a reinterpretation of their lives by reconstructing the meanings attached to events. This intertwining of mentalization and the narrative approach is particularly salient, given their shared reliance on autobiographical narratives and the inference of mental states. In the context of this study, our primary objective was to explore how practical and theoretical activities, rooted in the re-elaboration of personal life information and events, could serve as a catalyst for enhancing mentalization skills. By engaging students in activities specifically designed to encourage the reinterpretation of their life experiences, we aimed to bolster their ability to infer mental states effectively. These enhanced mentalization skills, we hypothesized, form the foundational basis for executing complex educational tasks rooted in constructed teaching methodologies. In summary, this research serves as a pioneering exploration into the synergistic interrelation of mentalization and the narrative approach, offering valuable insights for educators and practitioners aiming to foster enhanced social cognition and enriched educational experiences.

Storytelling: Manifesting Integral Interconnectedness in Holistic Nursing Education

This paper presents a middle-range theory of storytelling in nursing education. Both explanatory and predictive, the theory further develops the existing conceptual work on the topic of storytelling. It places storytelling as a pedagogical technique within the realm of holistic nursing theory and philosophy. Storytelling is seen as a manifestation of the process of integral interconnectedness. The theory suggests a mechanism by which storytelling, as mediated by narrative transportation and neuroplasticity, can be effective in promoting desirable outcomes for holistic nursing students, including the achievement of affective and cognitive educational objectives. The theory describes the relationship of storytelling to narrative transportation and neuroplasticity. Within the concept of storytelling, the Temporal Bidirectionality of Story and Experience and the Story Creation-Interpretation-Recreation Cycle of telling and listening are explained. This theory was developed using deductive reasoning combining existing nursing and non-nursing theories. Recommendations for research and application are included.

Evaluation of a culturally adapted reminiscence therapy intervention: Improving mood, family and community connectedness in Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking older adults

Reminiscence therapy (RT) is an evidence-based treatment for alleviating depression and improving life satisfaction among elders, yet less is known about its efficacy in diverse ethnic groups. We report on the evaluation of a cultural adaptation of the RT intervention that combines reminiscence with three innovative elements: including family members in RT; conducting community events for participants to present their artwork and life-story books created during the intervention; and using ethnically matched bilingual community workers. The 12-week intervention with pre- and post-test assessments was completed by 73 Hispanic and 92 Vietnamese elders (mean age  =  75 years; 62% female; mostly foreign-born, with limited English proficiency). Paired t-tests indicated statistically significant improvement in depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Sixty-two percent of participants noted improved relationships with family/friends through improved communication and shared understanding of the participant's life story. Fifty percent of respondents participated in a community event and the qualitative comments noted improved connection with their community through listening to others' life experiences and sharing their own. Participant perceptions of ethnically matched community workers were positive, but several indicated they could work with someone from a different ethnic background. Similar to general RT findings, the culturally adapted RT intervention demonstrated improvement in depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction among elders from two different ethnic backgrounds. Implications for future projects are discussed based on the findings and experience of conducting this intervention.

Tales of me: storytelling identity work, authenticity, and impression management during new CEOs' work role transitions

Introduction

This study aims to understand how new CEOs construct, revise, and maintain in their narrative, repertoire stories that represent their identity as it is associated with their new occupational role.

Methods

For this purpose, we conducted a qualitative study using the Grounded Theory method, involving 47 CEOs from different sectors residing in Brazil.

Results

Our results allowed for the construction of a central category called Storytelling Identity Work, which refers to stories that individuals tell about themselves, and enable them to propose and redefine who they are during major life transitions. This paper seeks to explain: (a) under what conditions this phenomenon tends to occur; (b) what characterizes the success of Storytelling Identity Work and; (c) what leads to the revision or retention of stories in the self. Our results show that storytelling identity work tends to be used by new CEOs during their transition period into the role, and when their new position involves higher levels of visibility and alteration of prestige levels in comparison to their previous position. They also suggest that storytelling identity work tends to be more successful when the stories are co-constructed and validated with other significant individuals and when they enable new CEOs to feel "sufficiently authentic" and "sufficiently impressive." Finally, we theorize that such feelings, along with a sense of coherence between the story being told and other narratives consciously or unconsciously being narrated by the interviewees throughout their lives, lead to the retention of the story within the individual's self.

Discussion

This article innovates by connecting the literature on personal storytelling with identity work and exploring processes that are not only useful during the process of transitioning into the role of new CEOs but also influence the constitution of the narrative repertoire and, consequently, the identity of these individuals.

Writing to Heal: The Arts as a Learning Methodology in Psychiatry

This piece explores how poetry and prose can be used as an adjunct to medical education and patient care, especially in the field of psychiatry. It details the author's personal experience with spoken word poetry as a medium of communication about their own story and how this may be harnessed to tell the stories of patients as well. The piece touches on how mental health can be explored through creative writing and how this may be a useful tool for working with patients.

Evaluating an intergenerational art and storytelling program with older adults and medical students

Older adults in residential communities face loneliness and isolation, challenges exacerbated by COVID-19, leading to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Intergenerational arts and humanities programs have been successful in addressing these challenges while also enabling medical learners to better understand aging populations. Draw YOUR Story, a program at a Houston residential senior living community, connects premedical and medical student volunteers with older adults through an art and storytelling activity. To evaluate the program, we conducted a focus group with older adults and pre and post-volunteering student surveys with questions about attitudes towards older adults and an Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Student surveys (n = 18) showed increased comfort working with older adults after volunteering (p = 0.02). Students who spent less time volunteering reported a decline in their perceptions of older adult quality of life, when compared to more frequent volunteers (p = 0.02). Older adults shared that the program encouraged learning new skills, offered time for reflection, connected them to medicine, and furthered desire for community. Draw YOUR Story benefitted students and older adults, increasing student comfort with older adults, providing aging adults opportunities to learn new skills and reflect, and building intergenerational connections.

Using storytelling in undergraduate dental education: Students' experiences of emotional competence training

AIM

The aim of the study was to explore the use of storytelling as a teaching method for emotional competence interventions within undergraduate dental curriculum (dental and dental hygiene students).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Students participated in five sessions related to emotional competence: one theoretical and four practical. During the latter, divided in small groups, students told individually two stories: a story about a clinical situation in which they had an emotional experience and a story concerning a patient's experience of the same emotion. Each session focused on a single emotion: happiness, fear, anger and shame. A questionnaire was used to collect perceptions about enjoyment, how stories were chosen, what was learned and if the sessions were stimulating in any way. A focus group was organised to collect reflections about the learning environment, process of learning and specific skill set developed during these sessions.

RESULTS

The majority of the students enjoyed listening, telling and preparing the stories. They reported to experience social support and feeling a sense of community during the sessions. The students believed that stories helped them to reflect on their clinical work and to regulate their emotional experiences more efficiently in clinical situations. Regarding the learning environment, the dental students pointed out the distinctiveness and dissimilarities between the dental and dental hygiene students, but also expressed that they had a desire to learn more about the other student group.

CONCLUSION

Storytelling used as part of an emotional competence course appears to have benefits for students' reflection about their role as dental health professionals. This teaching method was well-perceived by the students included in this study.

"It's not often that people want to hear me talk about my life": Storytelling experiences of people with aphasia in an interdisciplinary songwriting project

PURPOSE

Storytelling is an integral part of human life, providing opportunities for social closeness, relationship development, and identity exploration. Having aphasia can disrupt the ability to convey stories across a variety of settings. Structured songwriting frameworks may provide people with aphasia an opportunity to successfully engage in this medium for storytelling.

METHOD

Three individuals with aphasia participated in a structured songwriting intervention modified to support individuals with aphasia. Each participant-songwriter co-constructed three songs about their life in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team. Data about the songwriting process were collected via individual semi-structured qualitative interview and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify superordinate themes and subthemes.

RESULT

The overarching superordinate theme related to the process itself as a catalyst that occurred as a result of participating in a songwriting intervention modified for individuals with aphasia. Three subthemes were identified: (a) relationship-centred experience, (b) engagement in meaningful activities, and (c) identity exploration.

CONCLUSION

Songwriting may provide meaningful opportunities for people with aphasia to experience the power of sharing stories about themselves. Key components of this experience aligned with the core elements of the positive psychology PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments) framework. Findings support incorporating storytelling through songwriting into the rehabilitation journey for individuals with aphasia.

'A Story of Being Invisible': A Single Case Study on the Significance of Being Recognised When Needing Acute Healthcare in the Early COVID-19 Pandemic

Severe illness is often an existential threat that triggers emotions like fear, stress, and anxiousness. Such emotions can affect ill patients' encounters with healthcare personnel. We present a single case study of an older woman who contracted COVID-19 and her challenge to be recognised by healthcare personnel in the early pandemic. Storytelling is vital to understand how patients can create meaning in illness as it gives them the opportunity to reshape and restore their past and to project a future. We used Arthur Frank's dialogical narrative analysis to explore how one patient experienced her encounters with healthcare personnel. Although she felt very ill from COVID-19, she experienced being almost invisible and not being believed by healthcare personnel in a system marked by high stress levels and uncertainty. Despite rejections and illness, she managed to mobilise her resources, even though she depended on significant others. Her story brings forward altered self-understanding and growth. The importance of facilitating dialogical settings for healthcare professionals through patient storytelling also contributes to a broader societal understanding of illness beyond a biological perspective.

Food access narratives as told by consumers and retailers engaging in a COVID-19-stricken urban food system: A brief report

Small food retail ("corner") stores in many underserved urban settings face challenges to stocking healthy, affordable foods. The food supply chain is considered one of the most important sectors of the economy and has suffered recent negative impacts due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, from farm to consumer. As part of the larger Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) Study, we examine corner store owner and consumer perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on navigating an urban food environment using a brief, reflective, semi-structured oral interview framed as "storytelling." Open-ended responses are documented, transcribed, and analyzed for key themes. Presently, we discuss initial key findings in hopes of helping to ensure sufficient value added for corner store owners and consumers who will interact with the BUD mobile application as part of a full-scale trial being implemented in Baltimore, Maryland.

Play therapy and storytelling intervention on children's social skills with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neuro-behavioral disorder that negatively affects educational, relational, and occupational aspects of one's life. Although many children diagnosed with this disorder can benefit from taking medication, particularly for core symptoms, play therapy and storytelling can be seen as engaging, stimulating, and more compatible with children's developmental needs. The social skills of these children are as vital as other symptoms and can be better addressed with cognitive-based art therapy interventions. Because little research has been focused on the combination of play therapy and storytelling and the social interactions of children with ADHD are highly important in academic settings, this study aimed to determine the effects of this combination on children's social skills with ADHD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This survey was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. Participants were 7-11-year-old girls and boys with ADHD based on DSM-V referred to child and adolescent psychiatrists' clinics. Selected children were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received an individual combined intervention of play therapy and storytelling, whereas the control group did not receive any therapeutic intervention for social skills at that time and was on the waiting list. The research tool was the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS), and data were computer-analyzed using SPSS-20 and a couple of descriptive and analytic tests including ANCOVA.

RESULTS

In this study, 30 children with ADHD were included. The combined intervention of play therapy and storytelling has had a significant effect on post-test results of ADHD patients in terms of social skills as well as all test subscales (P < 0/05). There was a significant improvement in the subscales of self-expression, self-control, responsibility, and cooperation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Results show promise for combined play therapy and storytelling intervention to enhance the social skills of elementary school children diagnosed with ADHD.

Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution from Fall 2019 to Spring 2023

Background and purpose

Responding to COVID-19-induced disruptions to traditional teaching methodologies, and considering the relevance of narratives among indigenous populations, "storytelling as pedagogy" was developed and implemented in the undergraduate Global Health course in a Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI) in Colorado.

Methods

We describe the evolving pedagogic adjustments and storytelling strategies incorporated into the global health course from Fall 2019 to Spring 2023. This entailed before the COVID-19 in-person format, online digital storytelling during the pandemic emergency, the HyFlex and hybrid classes with the emergence of "new normals," and finally the gradual move to in-person classes. The story arc in the course included the following: (1) Course learning outcomes revisited and the course syllabus language framed based on the native philosophies of empowerment education and experiential learning, (2) students' inputs sought to incorporate socioculturally responsive topics in the course syllabus (e.g., dental health disparities among indigenous populations), (3) strategic and non-threatening shifts such as "no textbooks" and "no finals" introduced, (4) global health thought partners invited by the course instructor and coached to use story-based teaching methods, (5) use of first-person trauma-informed storytelling methods to teach specific global health topics, and (6) students undertook gratitude journaling, a scaffolding exercise of writing letters on global health topics to global health thought partners.

Results

Storytelling as pedagogy was most effective in the in-person format, while digital storytelling during the COVID-19-induced online classes was extremely challenging considering the stark digital divide in the Navajo Nation. First-person, trauma-informed storytelling is a helpful approach to discuss insider-outsider perspectives and can potentially establish sustainable trustworthy relationships among the students, instructor, and global health thought leaders. Gratitude journaling and photovoice can be tweaked as powerful storytelling methods to build students' interaction-based critical thinking, intercultural humility, and professional networking.

Conclusion

Mapping storytelling pedagogies' best practices can be useful in developing a granulated understanding of this strategy and utilizing them across diverse disciplines in higher education. Faculty capacity building is recommended to enable the former to conceptualize culturally responsive storytelling pedagogies and create assessment plans to assess students' learning outcomes through the utilization of this method.

Uses and Considerations for Cinematic Virtual Reality in Health Care

BACKGROUND

Through the combination of virtual reality (VR) technology with techniques from theater, filmmaking, and gaming, individuals from the Game Research and Immersive Design Laboratory (GRID Lab) at Ohio University have developed an approach to train soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and interpersonal skills which shows great promise.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of VR and cinematic-VR (cine-VR). This article serves as a preface to the VR research included in this special issue.

METHODS

In this article, we define VR, review key terminology, present a case study, and offer future directions.

RESULTS

Prior research with cine-VR has demonstrated the effectiveness in improving provider attitudes and cultural self-efficacy. While cine-VR may differ from other types of VR applications, we have been able to leverage the strengths of cine-VR to create training programs which are user friendly and highly effective. Early projects on diabetes care and opioid use disorder were sufficiently successful that the team received additional funding to pursue series addressing elder abuse/neglect and intimate partner violence. Their work has gone beyond health care and is currently being leveraged for law enforcement training as well. While this article will explore Ohio University's approach to cine-VR training, details of their research including efficacy can be found in McCalla et al, Wardian et al, and Beverly et al.

CONCLUSION

When produced correctly, cine-VR has the potential to become a mainstay component of training for soft skill applications across a multitude of industries.

Effects of Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity on Preschool Children's Cognitive Outcomes

Research combining physical activity with the training of cognitive skills such as executive functions is emerging as a novel and fruitful intervention approach for children. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of an intervention program including cognitively engaging physical activity on preschool children's cognitive outcomes and physical activity. Methods: Children (N = 144, 65 female; Mage = 4.41 years, SD = 0.61), randomly assigned to one of three groups: cognitively engaging physical activity (CPA; i.e., storytelling, cognitive activities, and motor tasks, n = 55), cognition (i.e., storytelling and cognitive activities without motor tasks, n = 48), or control (i.e., traditional storytelling, n = 41). Sessions lasted approximately 17 minutes, conducted twice a week, for 6 weeks. Children's executive function, self-regulation, and related outcomes (i.e., numeracy) were assessed at baseline and again-along with perceived enjoyment-at the end of the program. Accelerometers measured children's physical activity during each session. Teachers completed a logbook for each session, and two fidelity checks per preschool took place by the researcher. Main analyses used linear mixed models adjusted for covariates (age, sex) and clustering at the preschool level. Results: Results showed no significant group by time interaction for executive function, self-regulation, numeracy, enjoyment. During the sessions, children in the CPA group were more physically active than children in the cognition and control groups. Conclusion: While we did not find the expected amplified cognitive benefits, making storytelling more active has the potential to meet two needs (increase cognitive stimulation and physical activity levels) in one deed.

Stories of a long life with HIV: A qualitative study of a narrative intervention

BACKGROUND

The dominant story of HIV in Denmark portrays HIV as compatible with a nearly normal life. International research on the experiences of elderly people diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the 1980s to mid-1990s challenges this narrative.

AIMS

To gain knowledge on the experiences of elderly long-term survivors of HIV in Denmark and to evaluate if a narrative intervention 'giving voice' to this specific group was experienced as improving their quality of life.

METHODS

In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, we developed a narrative intervention at REHPA, the Danish Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care focusing on the experiences and stories of people having lived a long life with HIV. Nineteen women and men living with HIV were included in the study. The intervention's evaluation design was based on ethnographic fieldwork that included participant observation and focus group interviews. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

The findings show that the dominant story on HIV does not adequately cover the experiences of elderly Danes who have lived a long life with HIV. The participants continue to suffer from late complications and physical, existential, emotional and social challenges. The narrative intervention helped improve how participants experienced their quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Long-term elderly Danish survivors diagnosed with HIV in the 1980s to mid-1990s suffer from complex symptoms and problems related to living their lives with HIV and treatment. They found that telling and sharing their life stories with other people with HIV gave them a sense of coherence, meaning and direction in life.

RELEVANCE

The study documents the experiences of a group of long-term survivors of HIV in Denmark, making it relevant for organisations supporting people with HIV and for health care professionals working with this group. Furthermore, the study adds to the knowledge base on the use of narrative methods in rehabilitation.

Expanding Nature's storytelling: extended reality and debiasing strategies for an eco-agency

Communication in sustainability and environmental sciences is primed to be substantially changed with extended reality technology, as the emergent Metaverse gives momentum to building an urgent pro-environmental mindset. Our work focuses on immersive econarratives, supported by virtual and augmented realities, and their potential to favor an improved relationship with the environment. Considering social aggregation dynamics and cognitive bias, this article intends to (1) make the case for a new environmental narrative; (2) position extended reality as privileged settings to sustain this narrative; and (3) suggest that this storytelling should be informed by Nature's empirical evidence, i.e., ecosystem data. We see this as a chance to think this Metaverse with an embedded environmental consciousness, informed by behavior-change research.

'Touching' Stories: Towards the Development of Tangible User Interfaces Story-Building Authoring Tool for Inclusive Education

Tangible User Interfaces (hereafter, TUIs) are novel forms of human-computer interactions based on the physical manipulation of any kind of object/artifact. A great potential of TUIs technologies is the possibility to personalize objects and interaction between the user and the system. The high level of platform flexibility allows, for example, a multisensory approach, that is crucial for children that have sensory limitations and disabilities. This contribution aims at presenting and discussing the development of an authoring tool for creating TUI-supported activities for inclusive digital storytelling. The authoring tool is a product of collaboration and consultation with researchers and teachers involved in the ERASMUS+ project I'M IN TALES. A preliminary usability validation study using a mixed-method approach has been conducted involving 50 educators and assistive technology professionals. The results indicate an overall acceptance of the system. The feedback provided by the participants involved will be used for the future refinement of the tool.

Protocol for a Scalable StoryListening Intervention for Grief-Related Loneliness During COVID-19

Background

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic limited how family, friends, and clinicians physically interacted with people who were dying and decreased communal opportunities for processing grief. These barriers can cause or exacerbate suffering due to loneliness while grieving.

Purpose

In this article, we describe the protocol for a brief storytelling intervention designed to reduce loneliness among families, friends, and clinicians grieving the death of a person during the time of COVID-19.

Methods

We trained four StoryListening doulas (SLDs) to hold a welcoming space and listen to stories with curiosity and openness. The intervention included a video StoryListening session and two brief questionnaires, filled out before and two weeks after the encounter, assessing loneliness and quality of life. During sessions, SLDs invited participants to share their story of loss in their own words and in as much detail as preferred. When participants felt a sense of story completion, SLDs shared validating statements and expressed gratitude to the participant for sharing. The video and audio for each participant's StoryListening encounter were recorded and the participant was offered an audio copy of their session.

The Reflection Room®: Moving from Death-Avoiding to Death-Discussing

We developed, implemented, and evaluated a participatory arts-based storytelling initiative called the Reflection Room project. Our aim was to investigate if visiting a Reflection Room, (1) creates opportunities for disclosing emotions and processing thoughts, (2) increases comfort discussing dying and death, and (3) supports advance care planning (ACP), conversations. In the pilot phase of the Reflection Room project, a Reflection Room was installed in 25 sites across Canada from 2016-2017. Data collection included reflection cards (n = 463), and surveys completed by visitors upon exiting a room (n = 271) and 3 months later (n = 50). Analysis involved theoretically driven coding, inductive content analysis, and descriptive statistics. We found reflections contained both emotional disclosures and reflective processing. Survey data indicated visiting a Reflection Room increased comfort in thinking and talking about dying and death as well as the likelihood of engaging in ACP. In the future, we will explore the extent to which the project fosters social connections and well-being.

Using Patient Blogs on Social Media to Assess the Content Validity of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Qualitative Analysis of Patient-Written Blogs

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are questionnaires that measure patient outcomes related to quality of life, health, and functioning, and are increasingly used to assess important outcomes from the patient's perspective. For PROMs to contribute to better health and better care, it is vital that their content validity be adequate. This requires patient involvement in various steps of PROM development. PROM developers not only recognize the benefits of patient involvement but also report difficulties in recruiting patients and experience patient involvement as time-consuming, logistically challenging, and expensive.

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to explore different strategies for disclosing the experiential knowledge of patients, namely through analyzing patient stories on the web and social media. The research questions are as follows: (1) how do bloggers living with a disease experience their health-related quality of life? (2) How are these experiences reflected in the domains and items of PROMs related to their disease?

METHODS

First, a qualitative analysis of blogs written by patients was performed. Second, subthemes and underlying codes resulting from this qualitative analysis were systematically compared with the domains and items in PROMs for the respective diseases that the bloggers write about. Blogs were identified via the Google search engine between December 2019 and May 2021.

RESULTS

Bloggers describe a wide range of experiences regarding their physical functioning and health; mental well-being; social network and support; daily life, education, work, and leisure; coping; and self-management. Bloggers also write about their positive and negative experiences with health care delivery, the organization of health care, and health care professionals. In general, patients' experiences as described in blogs were reflected in the domains and items of the PROMs related to their disease. However, except for diabetes mellitus, in all the sets of PROMs, potentially missing topics could be identified. Similarly, with the exception of Parkinson disease, all PROMs address issues that patients did not write about in their blogs and that might therefore be redundant.

CONCLUSIONS

Web-based patient stories in the form of blogs reveal how people living with a certain disease experience their health-related quality of life. These stories enable analyses of patients' experiences that can be used to assess the content validity of PROMs. This can be a useful step for researchers who are looking for sets of measuring instruments that match their purposes.

The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women

Introduction

A dominant narrative, referred to as "the standard tale," prevails in popular representations about female genital cutting (FGC) that often contrast with how cut women traditionally narrate their FGC experience as meaningful in contexts where FGC is customary. However, scholarship has increasingly highlighted how global eradication campaigns and migration to countries where FGC is stigmatized provide women with new frames of understanding which may lead to a reformulation of previous experiences. This article subjects the storytelling itself to analysis and explores how participants narrate and make sense of their FGC experience in a post-migration setting where FGC is stigmatized.

Methods

Semi-structured focus groups (9) and individual interviews (12) with Swedish-Somali girls and women (53) were conducted.

Results

The article highlights how the participants navigate their storying in relation to "the standard tale" of FGC in their efforts to make sense of their experiences. Navigation was conducted both at an intrapersonal level through continuous identity work, and in relation to the social context in interpersonal encounters, i.e., with service providers and others, among whom the standard tale has become a truth.

Discussion

The article places the analysis within broader discussions about anti-FGC work and considers the implications in relation to efforts to end FGC.

Insights and Power of Storytelling

This practice column focuses on the insights and power of storytelling. Storytelling reflects a unique narrative that uncovers meaning in such a manner that new insights arise for the both the storyteller and beholder of a story. The importance of storytelling is illustrated with the light stories shine on meanings, value priorities, and choices. Accordingly, the honoring of storytelling within nursing's theoretical frameworks and practices transforms the individual nurse, informs the discipline, and provides service to persons, families, and communities.

Storytelling and Deliberative Play in the Oregon Citizens' Assembly Online Pilot on COVID-19 Recovery

This article draws on the deliberative play framework to examine empirical examples of storytelling in an online deliberative forum: The Oregon Citizen Assembly (ORCA) Pilot on COVID-19 Recovery. ORCA engaged 36 citizens in deliberation about state policy through an online deliberative process spanning seven weeks. Drawing on literature on small stories in deliberation, we trace stories related to a policy proposal about paying parents to educate children at home. Our analysis demonstrates that storytelling activities accomplish aspects of deliberative play through introducing uncertainty, resisting premature closure, and promoting an "as if" frame that allows groups to explore the scope and implications of proposals. Forum design influences interaction and our analysis suggests that technology use and timing are key design features that can facilitate or inhibit deliberative play.

Developing a Culturally and Linguistically Congruent Digital Storytelling Intervention in Vietnamese and Korean American Mothers of Human Papillomavirus-Vaccinated Children: Feasibility and Acceptability Study

BACKGROUND

The high morbidity, mortality, and economic burden attributed to cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) call for researchers to address this public health concern through HPV vaccination. Disparities of HPV-associated cancers in Vietnamese and Korean Americans exist, yet their vaccination rates remain low. Evidence points to the importance of developing culturally and linguistically congruent interventions to improve their HPV vaccination rates. We adopted digital storytelling (DST) that combines oral storytelling with computer-based technology (digital images, audio recording, and music) as a promising approach for facilitating the communication of culturally relevant health messages.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to (1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of intervention development through DST workshops, (2) conduct an in-depth analysis of the cultural experience that shapes HPV attitudes, and (3) explore aspects of the DST workshop experience that could inform future formative and intervention work.

METHODS

Through community partners, social media, and snowball sampling, we recruited 2 Vietnamese American and 6 Korean American mothers (mean age 41.4, SD 5.8 years) who had children vaccinated against HPV. Three virtual DST workshops were conducted between July 2021 and January 2022. Our team supported mothers to develop their own stories. Mothers completed web-based surveys before and after the workshop and provided feedback on each other's story ideas and the workshop experience. We used descriptive statistics to summarize quantitative data and constant comparative analysis to analyze qualitative data collected in the workshop and field notes.

RESULTS

Eight digital stories were developed in the DST workshops. They were well accepted, and the mothers showed overall satisfaction and relevant indicators (eg, would recommend it to others, would attend a similar workshop, it was worth their time; mean 4.2-5, range 1-5). Mothers found the process rewarding and appreciated the opportunity to share their stories in group settings and learn from each other. The 6 major themes that emerged from the data reflect the mothers' rich personal experiences, attitudes, and perceptions about their child's HPV vaccination, which included (1) showing parents' love and responsibility; (2) HPV and related knowledge, awareness, and attitudes; (3) factors influencing vaccine decision-making; (4) source of information and information sharing; (5) response to children's being vaccinated; and (6) cultural perspectives on health care and HPV vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that a virtual DST workshop is a highly feasible and acceptable approach to engaging Vietnamese American and Korean American immigrant mothers in developing culturally and linguistically congruent DST interventions. Further research is needed to test the efficacy and effectiveness of digital stories as an intervention for Vietnamese American and Korean American mothers of unvaccinated children. This process of developing an easy-to-deliver, culturally and linguistically aligned, and holistic web-based DST intervention can be implemented with other populations in other languages.

On the influence of thought on language: a naturalistic framework for the pantomimic origins of human communication

This paper focuses on the idea that pantomime is a privileged lens for investigating the origin of language in a naturalistic framework. Two reasons support this claim. The first one concerns the motivated and iconic character of pantomime compared to the arbitrary and abstract features of linguistic signs emphasized by the conventionalist thesis. The second reason is that a pantomimic account of language origin paves the way for a rethinking of the traditional hypothesis on the relationship between thought and language. Specifically, it leads to a revision of the thesis of the unidirectional influence of language on thought in favor of a bidirectional influence. Indeed, looking at the relationship between thought and language in its nascent stage means investigating the role of thought in shaping language rather than the role of language in shaping thought. A bidirectional perspective of this type hinges on the twofold idea that thought has primarily a narrative foundation and that pantomime represents an ideal expressive means for bootstrapping the evolutionary foundations of language origins in a naturalistic framework.

"It was Something that is a Necessity": Stories of Collective Protest, Vulnerability, and Well-Being

In this essay I explore the risks of activism I witnessed in two protesters' accounts of participating in collective protest. Listening to their stories led me to reflect on matters of well-being, embodiment and vulnerability, vicarious trauma, and the prospect of physical and emotional burnout. Protesters often put themselves in harm's way to fight for a greater good. I contend that participating in peaceful protest serves personal well-being while also contributing to broader societal senses of what constitutes a well-lived life. For better and worse, every instance etches itself on vulnerable flesh, blood, and being-in-the-world.

"It's Really Hard to Have Your Own Place": The At-Home Experiences of Latina/o/x Undergraduates During COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to understand the at-home lived experiences of Latina/o/x college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Critical Race Theory as the guiding framework, the authors used storytelling to capture the at-home experiences of 19 Latina/o/x college students during the pandemic. Findings revealed how the pandemic shifted meaning of the home space, increased roles and responsibilities, and increased stress and mental health demands for students.

The StoryListening Project: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Remotely Delivered Intervention to Alleviate Grief during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have created heightened challenges to coping with loss and grief for family and friends of deceased individuals, as well as clinicians who experience loss of their patients. There is an urgent need for remotely delivered interventions to support those experiencing grief, particularly due to growing numbers of bereaved individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of the brief, remotely delivered StoryListening storytelling intervention for individuals experiencing grief during the COVID pandemic. Setting/Subjects: A single-arm pilot study was conducted in the United States. Participants included adult English-speaking family members, friends, or clinicians of individuals who died during the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants engaged in a televideo StoryListening session with a trained StoryListening doula. Measurements: Participants completed a brief follow-up telephone interview two weeks after the StoryListening session. We describe enrollment and retention data to assess feasibility and conducted a deductive thematic analysis of the follow-up interview data to assess acceptability. Results: Sixteen clinicians and 48 friends/family members enrolled in the study (n = 64; 75% enrollment), 62 completed a StoryListening session; 60 completed the follow-up interview. Participants reported that the intervention was useful and offered a valuable opportunity to process their grief experience. Conclusions: The StoryListening intervention is feasible and acceptable for friends/family members and clinicians who have experienced grief during COVID. Our intervention may offer an accessible first-line option to address the increasing wave of bereavement-related distress and clinician burnout in the United States.

Digital Storytelling as an Intervention for Older Adults: A Scoping Review

The population of older adults is rapidly increasing worldwide. Owing to fewer interactions between generations, older adults experience ageism and various psychological issues, such as depression and loneliness. Digital storytelling (DST) has the potential to share vivid lived experiences, support the forming of social relationships, and lead to improved well-being. This scoping review examines the potential psychosocial benefits of individual DST interventions for older adults and people with dementia. We adopted the methodological framework for scoping reviews outlined in the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) manual. A scoping review was performed using the following bibliographic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Assembly Library. There were 395 references retrieved, of which 19 articles were selected after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our findings revealed that the most common effects of DST on older adults included the promotion of mental health, an increased amount of meaningful community connections, greater digital literacy, the mitigation of negative ageism, and enhanced intellectual ability. We suggest randomized controlled trials are conducted to confirm the efficacy of intergenerational DST intervention and the effects of DST interventions at multilevel outcomes, including the community level.

Promoting children's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning at home through tinkering and storytelling

This study examined whether connecting storytelling and tinkering can advance early STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning opportunities for children. A total of 62 families with 4- to 10-year-old (M = 8.03) children were observed via Zoom. They watched a video invitation to tinker at home prepared by museum educators prior to tinkering. Then, half of the families were prompted to think up a story before tinkering (story-based tinkering group), whereas the other half were simply asked to begin tinkering (no-story group). Once they had finished tinkering, researchers elicited children's reflections about their tinkering experience. A subset of the families (n = 45) also reminisced about their tinkering experience several weeks later. The story instructions provided before tinkering engendered children's storytelling during tinkering and when reflecting on the experience. Children in the story-based tinkering group also talked the most about STEM both during tinkering, and subsequently when reminiscing with their parents about their tinkering experience.

Science in stories: Implications for Latine children's science learning through home-based language practices

There is growing interest in stories as potentially powerful tools for science learning. In this mini-review article, we discuss theory and evidence indicating that, especially for young children, listening to and sharing stories with adult caregivers at home can make scientific ideas and inquiry practices meaningful and accessible. We review recent research offering evidence that stories presented in books can advance children's science learning. Nonetheless, most of this work focuses on middle-class European-American U. S. children and involves narrative story books. Given the national imperative to increase Latine representation in STEM education and career pursuits in the U. S., we argue that it is vital that we broaden the definition of stories to include oral narrative storytelling and other conversational routines that Latine families engage in at home. Cultural communities with firmly rooted oral traditions, such as those from Latin American heritage, rely frequently on oral storytelling rather than book reading to convey world and community knowledge to young children. Therefore, we advocate for a strengths-based approach that considers Latine families' everyday practices around science and storytelling on their own terms instead of contrasting them with European-American middle-class practices. We offer support for the view that for young children in Latine communities, culturally relevant oral practices, including personal narrative storytelling, can engender significant opportunities for family science learning at home.

"It's Just Flourishing Hope Everywhere": The Experiences of Incarcerated Men Sharing Their Stories

Of the 2.2 million people incarcerated throughout the United States, 93% are men. The current phenomenological study adds to the existing body of qualitative research on the lived experiences of men who are incarcerated and supports storytelling as a therapeutic technique. Four essential themes were revealed through an analysis of participant interviews: (1) substance use, (2) anticipation of storytelling, (3) the act of storytelling, and (4) reflections on storytelling. Understanding these experiences can assist in the development of storytelling-based interventions and community programing that is mutually beneficial to both the teller and the listener.