Narrative group intervention for wellbeing and violence reduction among incarcerated women: a Sicilian qualitative study

PURPOSE: This study describes an action research intervention conducted in the female ward of a Sicilian penitentiary, aimed at promoting emotional awareness, enhancing relational competencies, and fostering solidarity, with the consequent goals of reducing interpersonal violence and improving psychological wellbeing. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The intervention involved 20 women over one month, employing female Greek myths as narrative tools to facilitate the elaboration of traumatic experiences and the reconstruction of personal identity. Two groups of ten participants engaged in one two-hour session per week for each group over four consecutive weeks (totaling 4 sessions / 8 h per participant). Needs assessment was conducted through individual clinical interviews. FINDINGS: The intervention produced heightened awareness of experienced violence, improved emotional regulation, and strengthened metacognitive capacities. Participants spontaneously assumed the role of peer educators, disseminating content throughout the broader ward community. A marked improvement in the relational climate was observed, alongside emerging solidarity dynamics. Artistic artefacts served as instruments of public representation and institutional communication. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The absence of a control group, ethically precluded in custodial settings, restricts causal inference. Outcome assessment relied primarily on qualitative observation rather than standardised psychometric instruments. Penitentiary contingencies prevented follow-up evaluation of the stability of observed changes. Findings pertain to a single Sicilian institution and may not be generalisable across diverse custodial contexts. Future research should incorporate pre- and post-intervention standardised measures, longitudinal follow-up, and comparative analysis of different narrative typologies to strengthen evidence and enhance replicability of the intervention model. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The intervention demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of myth-based narrative group work in women's custodial settings, providing practitioners with a structured, gender-sensitive and culturally accessible psychoeducational model. The protocol - characterised by brief duration, low resource requirements, and adaptability to varied educational levels - is transferable across different institutional contexts. The spontaneous emergence of peer education dynamics further suggests that structured group interventions can amplify their impact beyond formal participants. Penitentiary professionals, psychologists and educators may adopt and adapt this approach to promote emotional regulation and violence reduction. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: This study contributes to advancing gender-responsive and rehabilitative approaches within the penitentiary system, addressing the specific vulnerabilities of women in prison. By targeting interpersonal violence and promoting prosocial dynamics, the intervention supports safer detention environments and broader social reintegration. The emphasis on solidarity, emotional competence and identity reconstruction speaks to wider societal commitments to gender equality, restorative justice and the reduction of social inequalities. The cascading effects observed through peer education indicate potential for sustainable, community-level change within custodial institutions, with implications for public health and post-release social inclusion. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study makes an original contribution by introducing female Greek myths as narrative mediators in a women's prison psychoeducational intervention, demonstrating their effectiveness across diverse educational levels without requiring direct trauma exposure. A further distinctive element is the spontaneous emergence of peer education dynamics, indicating the capacity of structured group work to generate systemic change beyond formal boundaries. The interdisciplinary integration of anthropological and psychological perspectives, combined with an ecologically situated action research design, provides a novel and transferable framework for evidence-informed practice in custodial settings. Combined with an ecologically situated action research design, this approach provides a novel and transferable framework for evidence-informed practice in custodial settings.