Storybridging: Four steps for constructing effective health narratives

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Behavioral Science
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Health-related narrative persuasion research yields diverse and mixed results.
• A structured approach is needed to develop effective narrative health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a practical, step-by-step method for constructing narrative health interventions.
• To address the variability in narrative strategies within health persuasion research.

Main Methods:

• The Storybridging method was developed, guided by narrative characteristics and the Health Action Process Approach.
• The method involves four steps: identifying the stage of change, key elements, story construction, and pre-testing.
• A case study with Dutch truck drivers illustrated the method's application.

Main Results:

• The Storybridging method provides a structured framework for narrative health intervention development.
• An effective narrative health intervention was created for Dutch truck drivers, a high-risk occupational group.
• The process highlighted the importance of target audience involvement.

Conclusions:

• The Storybridging approach, though time-consuming, effectively integrates the target audience as a key stakeholder.
• Recommendations are provided for health promotion targeting truck drivers and for general narrative intervention design.