Identity as social and self narration: an approach to clinical psychology

31617.08: Identity as social and self narration: an approach to clinical psychology Turchi, Gian Piero Department of Psychology, Padova, Italy Di Maso, Annalisa Department of Psychology Mussoni, Angelo Department of Psychology Salvini, Alessandro Department of Psychology Our research, based on the work of social constructionist theorists such as R. Harrè and K. Gergen, aims to offer a contribution to the debate on narrative psychology and its application in the clinical field. Our conceptualisation of 'narrative identity' extend the meaning of 'narration' beyond the verbal, as a 'modus existendi' in general terms. It's therefore possible to suggest a clinical strategy of intervention based on a 'narrative diagnosis', i.e. a diagnosis based on understanding identity as the interweaving of self-narration, narration by others and by the collection of culturally rooted stories which can be defined as 'collective matrices'.