Heilemann MarySue V, Martinez Adrienne, Soderlund Patricia D
School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
J Med Internet Res. 2018 May 2;20(5):e10028. doi: 10.2196/10028.
Transmedia storytelling was used to attract English-speaking Latina women with elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety to engage in an intervention that included videos and a webpage with links to symptom management resources. However, a main character for the storyline who was considered dynamic, compelling, and relatable by the target group was needed.
We conducted interviews with 28 English-speaking Latinas (target group) with elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety who participated in an Internet-accessible transmedia storytelling intervention. The objective of this study was to examine participants' perceptions of the lead character of the story. Development of this character was informed by deidentified data from previous studies with members of the target group. Critique of the character from a panel of therapists informed editing, as did input from women of the target group.
All interviews were conducted via telephone, audio-recorded, and transcribed. Data analysis was guided by grounded theory methodology.
Participants embraced the main character, Catalina, related to her as a person with an emotional life and a temporal reality, reported that they learned from her and wanted more episodes that featured her and her life. Grounded theory analysis led to the development of one category (She "just felt so real": relating to Catalina as a real person with a past, present, and future) with 4 properties. Properties included (1) relating emotionally to Catalina's vulnerability, (2) recognizing shared experiences, (3) needing to support others while simultaneously lacking self-support, and (4) using Catalina as a springboard for imagining alternative futures. Participants found Catalina's efforts to pursue mental health treatment to be meaningful and led them to compare themselves to her and consider how they might pursue treatment themselves.
When creating a story-based mental health intervention to be delivered through an app, regardless of type, careful development of the main character is valuable. Theoretical guidance, previous deidentified data from the target group, critique from key stakeholders and members of the target group, and preliminary testing are likely to enhance the main character's relatability and appropriateness, which can increase sustained engagement.
跨媒体叙事被用于吸引有抑郁和焦虑症状的讲英语的拉丁裔女性参与一项干预措施，该措施包括视频以及一个带有症状管理资源链接的网页。然而，需要一个目标群体认为充满活力、引人入胜且能产生共鸣的故事情节主角。
我们对28名有抑郁或焦虑症状且参与了一项可通过互联网访问的跨媒体叙事干预措施的讲英语的拉丁裔女性（目标群体）进行了访谈。本研究的目的是考察参与者对故事主角的看法。该角色的塑造参考了之前针对目标群体成员的研究中去识别化的数据。治疗师小组对该角色的批评为编辑工作提供了指导，目标群体女性的意见也起到了同样的作用。
所有访谈均通过电话进行，录音并转录。数据分析以扎根理论方法为指导。
参与者接受了主角卡塔利娜，将她视为一个有情感生活和现实生活的人，报告称他们从她身上学到了东西，并希望有更多以她和她的生活为主题的剧集。扎根理论分析得出了一个类别（她“感觉如此真实”：将卡塔利娜视为一个有过去、现在和未来的真实人物）及4个属性。这些属性包括：（1）在情感上与卡塔利娜的脆弱产生共鸣；（2）认识到共同的经历；（3）在需要支持他人的同时缺乏自我支持；（4）将卡塔利娜作为想象其他未来的跳板。参与者发现卡塔利娜寻求心理健康治疗的努力很有意义，并促使他们将自己与她进行比较，思考自己可能如何寻求治疗。
在创建通过应用程序提供的基于故事的心理健康干预措施时，无论类型如何，精心塑造主角都很有价值。理论指导、目标群体之前的去识别化数据、关键利益相关者和目标群体成员的批评以及初步测试可能会增强主角的共鸣性和适宜性，从而提高持续参与度。
