Brianna Polenz
Research Mentor(s): Victoria Powell
Department or Program: Department of Internal Medicine – Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine
Authors: Brianna Polenz, Victoria Powell, MD, FACP
Session: Session 2: 1:00pm-1:50pm
Poster: 41
Abstract
Objective: This scoping review aims to map prior literature on the content and context of brief narrative interventions intended to benefit people with chronic medical and/or psychiatric illness. Introduction: Narrative interventions utilize the therapeutic process of organizing troublesome experiences/events into cohesive stories, resulting in a reduction in distress associated with the experience/ event. Narrative interventions thus have potential to benefit individuals dealing with many complex medical and/or psychiatric illnesses but may require adaptation for specific populations. Understanding the content, context, and outcomes targeted in existing brief (≤4 session) narrative interventions is a critical step to guide further development, refinement, and expansion of this underrecognized therapeutic modality for specific populations’ needs. Inclusion Criteria: Concepts of interest include brief narrative interventions targeting patient-centered outcomes (e.g., depression, quality of life). This review will focus on adults (18+) living with chronic medical and/or psychiatric conditions such as cancer, depression, or chronic pain. We will exclude studies not primarily focusing on direct participant benefits (e.g. promoting empathy in healthcare workers, evaluations of cost-effectiveness) or in populations without evidence of chronic illness such as athletes or healthy college students. Methods: The following databases will be searched systematically: MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. References of studies selected for inclusion will also be examined. Titles and abstracts will be screened; those meeting criteria for full text review will undergo data abstraction by one reviewer with another reviewer verifying accuracy. Disagreements that cannot be resolved will be referred to a third reviewer. Findings will be qualitatively summarized.
