Looking for a way to help your friends, family members, or clients change their lifestyle behaviors? Storytelling might be the answer!

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School¹ recently tested whether hypertensive subjects randomized to an interactive storytelling intervention involving DVDs would have better blood pressure control vs. hypertensive subjects assigned to usual care, over a 6-month period. The interactive storytelling intervention involved 3 DVDs of stories drawn from the community and told in patients' natural voices to inform and inspire positive healthy behavior change. Specifically, the intervention DVDs contained two sections: Storytelling and Learn More. Storytelling featured real hypertensive patients (not actors) who described living with hypertension, gave lessons they had learned about how to interact best with physicians, and offered strategies to increase medical adherence, diet, and exercise. The Learn More section of each DVD taught patients about blood pressure, how to improve control, and how to express their concerns and questions with their physicians.

Results showed that the storytelling intervention produced substantial and significant improvements in blood pressure for subjects who had uncontrolled hypertension at the beginning of the study. Subjects who had their hypertension controlled at the beginning of the study did not seem to benefit from the DVDs.

Researchers pointed out that since all (230) study subject were African Americans from an inner-city area in the southern United States the intervention results might not apply to other populations. Furthermore, it's uncertain why subjects who saw the DVDs did better; whether it mattered that the storytellers were from the same inner-city area as the study subjects; and how long the benefits of storytelling might last. 

However, given that many cultures have rich storytelling traditions, it does seem that storytelling may offer a unique opportunity to promote healthy behaviors. Stories can help listeners make meaning of their lives, and listeners may be influenced if they actively engage in a story, identify themselves with the storyteller, and picture themselves taking part in the action. Behavior change skills can be embedded into the story instead of explicitly provided to the person needing to make a behavior change.

What do you think? Have you ever used storytelling to help someone make a change in their behavior? Maybe you asked a previous client who successfully lost weight to share his/her story or strategies with a new client wanting to lose weight. Or maybe you encouraged someone to use online social networking like YouTube or Facebook to hear others' stories or suggestions for improving eating habits or becoming more physically active. Might some of your friends, family members, or clients who need to make a behavior change respond better to hearing from people similar to themselves - rather than their doctor, or you (a health/fitness professional)? Share your thoughts on storytelling on our Facebook page! 

¹Houston, T.K. (2011). Culturally appropriate storytelling to improve blood pressure. Ann Intern Med, 154, 77-84.