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Emancipatory Potential of Storytelling in a Group
Author(s) -
BanksWallace JoAnne
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
image: the journal of nursing scholarship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 0743-5150
DOI - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.1998.tb01230.x
Subject(s) - storytelling , oppression , narrative , focus group , psychology , gender studies , social psychology , sociology , pedagogy , political science , art , literature , anthropology , politics , law
Purpose: To examine the health‐promoting functions of storytelling in a group of women. Design: Secondary analysis, descriptive. A convenience sample of 28 women of African descent living in the Seattle‐Tacoma region of the United States was used. Methods: Narrative analysis of 115 stories. Data were audio‐taped in four focus groups convened during a 6‐week period in 1992. Findings: Six major functions of storytelling were identified: (a) contextual grounding, (b) bonding with others, (c) validating and affirming experiences, (d) venting and catharsis, (e) resisting oppression, and (f) educating others. Conclusions: Storytelling is useful for learning more about historical and contextual factors affecting the well‐being of women of African descent and for improving their lives. Group storytelling can create an environment that supports evaluation of experience and promotes problem‐solving.