Cited by 1Counseling, Therapy, and Family DynamicsPsychological Treatments and AssessmentsPsychotherapy Techniques and Applications

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 47 of the 47 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 52 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Narrative Therapy to Treat a College Student's Depression: A Case Report

Open access
Swasti, Idei Khurnia·2024·INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental

Abstract

In the context of college students' depression, narrative therapy is beneficial to explore and challenge negative self-perceptions and beliefs contributing to their depressive symptoms. Narrative therapy was conducted through telecounseling using a video-conference platform with nine sessions for a female university student in her mid-20s with depressive mood, low energy, and suicidal thoughts, resulting in delays in her academic task fulfillment. She hardly finished her fieldwork reports and had not started her thesis after receiving a study period extension when majority of her classmates had graduated. The intervention was aimed to change client's depression narrative to more empowered preferred stories shaping her new identity so she could graduate from her program. During the the intervention process, the participant can finish her academic obligations and graduate before the due date. Discussion about the case is provided for practitioners interested in the narrative approach, supported by the worksheets and therapy stages explanation.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This case report describes nine sessions of online narrative therapy with a female Indonesian graduate student in her mid-20s diagnosed with major depressive disorder, aimed at separating her identity from depression ("The Sadness") so she could complete her fieldwork reports and thesis. The client completed her academic obligations and graduated before the deadline, with her Global Assessment of Functioning score rising from 43 to 83.

Key findings

  • The client's GAF score was 43 before intervention (serious symptoms with serious impairment in social and school functioning) and 83 after intervention (minimal symptoms, good functioning, socially effective, no reported suicidal thoughts).
  • The client externalized her depression as "The Sadness," which she said she had lived with since childhood; her perceived power to defeat it rose from 25% (Figure 5) to 75% or more (Figure 7), with a stated hope of reaching 100%.
  • She finished her fieldwork reports and thesis during the session covering Worksheet 6 (Landscape of Identity) and graduated from her master's program before the extended deadline of July 31, 2023.
  • Reported subjective improvements included better well-being and social rhythm, medication adherence, greater acceptance of the diagnosis, and more openness with family, friends, and her boyfriend.

Methods

  • Single case report of "Aya" (pseudonym), an Indonesian woman in her mid-20s, a master's student diagnosed with major depressive disorder by a psychiatrist and prescribed antidepressants in early 2022; assessment used an online semi-structured interview based on the Global Assessment of Functioning (Hall, 1995).
  • Intervention was telecounseling via Google Meet across nine sessions (June 27, 2022 – September 22, 2023), following an unpublished Narrative Therapy Module (Swasti & Martani, 2013) adapted for depression, using worksheets as prompts; techniques included externalizing conversations, deconstruction, re-authoring and unique outcomes, re-membering, and definitional ceremonies.
  • Analysis was qualitative: data gathered from in-depth conversations and reflections during sessions, plus observations of facial expression, intonation, and eye contact, examined through White's (2007) narrative therapy framework and Payne's (2006) outline of practices.

Limitations

  • Stated: no direct communication between the psychologist/therapist and the psychiatrist, despite the client taking medication during therapy; the authors recommend integrated treatment planning and regular collaboration.
  • Stated: outcome measurement was only qualitative (client narratives guided by therapist questions, with GAF as a semi-structured guideline); the authors recommend adding quantitative measures such as PHQ-9 or BDI-II and coding systems (Innovative Moments Coding System, TCCS).
  • Stated: difficulty measuring treatment fidelity, since the plan became more client-centered and evolved around her condition, and academic deadlines affected the intervention's duration; the authors recommend recording sessions and assessing fidelity.
  • Evident from the text: this is a single case with no control or comparison condition, and the reported changes rest largely on the client's self-report and the therapist's (author's) observations, so findings cannot be generalized.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34

Cites

47 of 47 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Figures

Image 1
CC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 1 The Client's lifeline
Figure 1 The Client's lifelineCC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 2 Identity Separation through Externalizing Conversations.
Figure 2 Identity Separation through Externalizing Conversations.CC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 3 Personification of The Problem
Figure 3 Personification of The ProblemCC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 4 Identifying Strength
Figure 4 Identifying StrengthCC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 5 Definition Ceremonies of The Client's Strength
Figure 5 Definition Ceremonies of The Client's StrengthCC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 6 The Client's Landscape of Identity
Figure 6 The Client's Landscape of IdentityCC-BY · From the PDF
Figure 7 The Client's New Identity.
Figure 7 The Client's New Identity.CC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 1. Garis Kehidupan Klien
Gambar 1. Garis Kehidupan KlienCC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 2. Pemisahan Identitas melalui Percakapan Eksternalisasi
Gambar 2. Pemisahan Identitas melalui Percakapan EksternalisasiCC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 3. Personifikasi Masalah
Gambar 3. Personifikasi MasalahCC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 4. Proses Mengidentifikasi Kekuatan
Gambar 4. Proses Mengidentifikasi KekuatanCC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 5. Upacara Definisional Peneguhan Kekuatan Klien
Gambar 5. Upacara Definisional Peneguhan Kekuatan KlienCC-BY · From the PDF
Image 14
CC-BY · From the PDF
Gambar 7. Identitas Baru Klien
Gambar 7. Identitas Baru KlienCC-BY · From the PDF
Image 16
CC-BY · From the PDF

Verification

Claims the paper makes

42 Own result · 26 No basis given · 21 Own method · 19 Own interpretation · 9 Check pending · 8 No full text of the sources · 6 Sources not found · 3 Not checked yet

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Show all 42 claims

  • Probably not a substantial claim. 51
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 55
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 3
92 of 92
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Aya's improvement and graduation were attributable to narrative therapy rather than other factors such as medication, passage of time, or external support.

    “During the intervention process, the participant can finish her academic obligations and graduate before the due date.”
    “Aya's concrete actions as the result of narrative therapy were supported by previous research findings that positive narratives contribute to social rhythm by affecting motivation and engagement in daily activities (Margraf et al., 2016;Seo et al., 2015).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The client's self-reports and the therapist's observations accurately reflect her psychological state and progress.

    “The data presented in this case report were gathered from indepth conversations and reflections during therapy sessions.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The GAF score changes reflect the effect of narrative therapy rather than other factors.

    “Aya's condition before engaging in narrative therapy was depicted with a GAF score of 43 and 83 after the therapy.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Completing academic responsibilities is a valid indicator that a client has succeeded in managing depression symptoms.

    “To conclude, the fact that the client finally completed all her academic responsibilities proves that she succeeded in managing her depression symptoms.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The improvement in Aya's GAF score and symptoms was due to narrative therapy rather than other factors such as antidepressant medication, passage of time, or social support.

    “Kondisi Aya sebelum mengikuti terapi naratif digambarkan dengan skor GAF sebesar 43 dan sebesar 83 setelah menerima terapi.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The therapist's observations of changes in expression, intonation, and eye contact are valid indicators of narrative change.

    “Observasi dilakukan saat interaksi, berfokus pada perubahan ekspresi, intonasi, dan kontak mata klien.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Aya would be expelled from her study program if she failed to meet the academic deadline.

    “Jika dia gagal memenuhi tenggat waktu, dia akan dikeluarkan dari program tersebut.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The study program had helped students like Aya complete their academic obligations before the deadline.

    “mengingat program studi telah membantu mahasiswa seperti Aya dalam menyelesaikan kewajiban akademisnya sebelum batas waktu.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The client's qualitative narratives and therapist-guided questions accurately reflect her depressive symptoms and progress.

    “Dalam laporan kasus ini, pengukuran hanya berupa eksplorasi kualitatif yang dilakukan berdasarkan narasi klien yang dipandu oleh pertanyaan terapis sepanjang sesi.”
9 of 9

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

1 of 1

Citations

Cites

Show all 47 references

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34 INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34
  2. Beaudoin, M., & Duvall, J. (2017). Collaborative therapy and neurobiology: Evolving practices in action. New York, NY: Routledge.
  3. INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental 2024, Vol. 9(1), 1-34 doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34
  4. Kurniawan, K., Khoirunnisa, K., Senjaya, S., Rahmawati, S., Aisyah, S., Andriani, N., Heryani, H., Apni, S. N., Jati, B. I. M., Sintia, Y., & Nurhafifah, S. (2022). Gambaran tingkat depresi pada mahasiswa di masa pandemi: Narrative review. Jurnal Ilmu Keperawatan Jiwa, 5(1), 115-126. https://journal.ppnijateng.org/index.php/jikj/article/view/1452

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Metadata

Authors
Swasti, I. K.
Affiliations
Universitas Gadjah Mada (ID)
Corresponding author
Swasti, Idei Khurnia
Venue
INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental
Published
2024-06-28
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
1-34
ISSN
  • 1411-2671 (ISSN-L)
  • 2528-5181
  • 2528-0104
OpenAlex
W4400338946
Cited by
1
References
47
Citations by year
2025: 1
FWCI
0.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Keywords
narrative therapy, depression, university students, telehealth counseling, videoconferencing, suicidal ideation, academic procrastination, identity, negative self-concept

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Narrative Therapy to Treat a College Student's Depression: A Case Report. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34
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Swasti, I. K. (2024). Narrative Therapy to Treat a College Student's Depression: A Case Report. INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental. https://doi.org/10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.1-34