Positive Outcomes of Storytelling-and-Poetry Based Practices in Clinical Medical Practice
(The following reports were compiled by ChatGPT. I am vetting them for hallucination.)
Summary of Key Studies in Poetry and Psychiatry
1. Evaluation of the Effects of Music and Poetry in Oncologic Pain Relief (2015)
Randomized trial with hospitalized cancer patients showed listening to poetry (and music) reduced pain and depression; poetry uniquely increased hope.
2. Effects of a Group Poetry Therapy Program on Stress, Anxiety, Ego-Resilience, and Psychological Well-Being of Nursing Students (2022)
A 10-session group poetry therapy intervention led to reductions in stress and anxiety and improvements in psychological well-being and ego-resilience; effects maintained at 5-week follow-up.
3. Effects of a Poetry Intervention on Emotional Wellbeing in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients (2021)
Children aged 8–17 engaged in poetry reading and writing; reduced fear, sadness, anger, worry, and fatigue, with qualitative benefits noted.
4. Effectiveness of Group Poetry Therapy on Emotional Expression in Patients with Schizophrenia (2016)
Chronic schizophrenia patients participated in 11 weeks of group poetry therapy; enhanced positive emotional expressivity and reduced negative expressivity and impulse strength.
5. Mental Health Recovery and Creative Writing Groups: a Systematic Review (2019)
Reviewed group-based creative writing including poetry; evidence suggests reduced depression and improvements in connectedness, identity, empowerment.
6. Poetry Interventions in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care: A Scoping Review (2025)
Poetry-based interventions showed subtle therapeutic effects such as improved sense of personhood, engagement, and mood.
7. Effectiveness of Poetry Therapy on PTSD Clients (2024)
Small pilot study showed that poetry therapy reduced PTSD symptoms significantly.
Detailed Table: Methods, Participants, Outcomes
| Study | Participants & Setting | Intervention / Method | Duration / Sessions | Measures / Outcomes | Key Findings |
| Oncologic Pain Relief | ~65 adult cancer inpatients | Passive listening to poems | 3 days | Pain (VAS), Depression (BDI), Hope (Herth Hope Scale) | Poetry reduced pain & depression; increased hope. |
| Nursing Students | 49 nursing students | Group poetry therapy program | 10 sessions; 5-week follow-up | Stress, Anxiety, Ego-resilience, Psychological Well-being | Significant decreases in stress & anxiety; improvements in well-being & resilience. |
| Pediatric Hospitalized Patients | 44 children aged 8-17 + caregivers | Poetry reading & writing exercises | Pre-/post intervention during hospitalization | Fear, Sadness, Anger, Worry, Fatigue, Pain + qualitative feedback | Significant reductions in all except pain; qualitative benefits noted. |
| Schizophrenia | 22 chronic patients | Group poetry therapy vs no therapy | 11 weeks | Emotional expressivity, impulse strength | Increased positive expressivity; decreased negative expressivity & impulse strength. |
| Mental Health Recovery (Systematic Review) | Mixed populations | Group creative writing including poetry | Variable | Depression, identity, connectedness, empowerment | Some evidence of reduced depression and improvements in identity, empowerment. |
| Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care | People living with dementia | Reading, writing, group & individual poetry | Varies (weekly/monthly sessions) | Mood, QoL, engagement, sense of identity | Positive but subtle effects; increased engagement, awareness, personhood. |
| PTSD Pilot | 5 female participants | Individual poetry therapy | 4 sessions | PTSD symptoms | Significant reduction in symptoms. |
Synthesis & Implications
– Poetry therapy shows benefits across multiple psychiatric/health settings.
– Formats vary: passive listening, reading/writing, group or individual therapy, short or long programs.
– Strengths: diversity of settings, positive qualitative feedback, measurable outcomes.
– Limitations: small samples, heterogeneous methods, limited follow-up.
– Recommendations: more RCTs, standardized outcomes, longer follow-up, explore mechanisms, tailor to populations.
– Clinical implications: poetry therapy can support emotional expression, reduce anxiety/depression, and enhance hope, resilience, and identity.
Studies in Psychiatry Showing Positive Outcomes for Patients through Poetry
Effects of a group poetry therapy program on stress, anxiety, ego‑resilience, and psychological well‑being of nursing students
Population/Setting: Nursing students (preclinical / training setting)
Intervention: 10‑session group poetry therapy (using Mazza’s poetry therapy practice model)
Outcomes/Findings: Significant decreases in stress & anxiety, improvements in ego‑resilience & psychological well‑being maintained at 5‑week follow‑up.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36428042/
Effects of a Poetry Intervention on Emotional Wellbeing in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients
Population/Setting: Children aged 8‑17 hospitalized in pediatric ward
Intervention: Reading & writing poetry exercises
Outcomes/Findings: Reductions in fear, sadness, anger, worry, fatigue; qualitative feedback: increased creativity and self‑reflection.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33622762/
Evaluation of the Effects of Music and Poetry in Oncologic Pain Relief: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Population/Setting: Adult cancer patients with pain in hospital
Intervention: Passive listening to poetry vs music vs no intervention
Outcomes/Findings: Poetry improved pain, depression, and hope scores; music also helped but poetry uniquely increased hope.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27529806/
Poetry Workshop in the Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Setting: Feasible, Acceptable, and Significantly Beneficial
Population/Setting: Patients in an acute psychiatric inpatient unit
Intervention: Poetry writing & sharing workshop
Outcomes/Findings: Improvements in mood and confidence; increased hope and high participant satisfaction.
Source: https://journals.scholarpublishing.org/index.php/ASSRJ/article/view/15820
Poetry Interventions in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care: A Scoping Review
Population/Setting: People living with dementia & caregivers
Intervention: Various poetry interventions (spoken, written)
Outcomes/Findings: Improved communication, socialization, emotional well-being, dignity, and self-expression.
Source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14713012251321022
Effectiveness of Group Poetry Therapy on Emotional Expression in Patients With Schizophrenia
Population/Setting: Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia
Intervention: 11‑week group poetry therapy; experimental vs control
Outcomes/Findings: Reduced negative expressivity, increased positive expressivity.
Mental Health Recovery and Creative Writing Groups: A Systematic Review
Population/Setting: Individuals with mental health disorders
Intervention: Facilitated group creative writing (including poetry)
Outcomes/Findings: Reduction in depressive symptoms; increased connectedness, identity, empowerment.
Source: https://www.idunn.no/doi/full/10.18261/njach.4.1.1
Positive Youth Development through the Use of Poetry Therapy
Population/Setting: Middle school‑age children, in rural settings
Intervention: Poetry therapy integrated into mental health counseling
Outcomes/Findings: Enhanced self‑expression, self‑esteem, decision‑making, and cognitive processes.
Source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08893675.2013.849042
Poetry is good for mental health (University of Plymouth / Nottingham Trent, COVID‑19 survey)
Population/Setting: General public who engaged with poetry during pandemic
Intervention: Reading, writing, sharing poetry, discussing poems
Outcomes/Findings: ~50% reported reduced loneliness, anxiety, depression; coping with grief and stress.
Laura Hope-Gill, Natural Philosopher 