Narrative Mediation Path training in Romania and Italy: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on follow-up interviews

The Narrative Mediation Path (NMP) model was constructed with the aim of supporting disadvantaged/non-traditional students in acquiring a reflexive competence during their university path, as the core of the Learning to Learn key competence (Freda et al., 2015). Further, this acquiring enables a functional relationship between the student and the university context, thus contributing to the prevention and contrast of such phenomena as drop-out, low performance, and delay in passing exams. During the INSTALL Project, a series of NMP trainings were conducted in the four countries that were part of the European project. On the one hand, different quantitative analyses assessing the efficacy of NMP were performed by measuring the statistical difference between the baseline, post-training, and follow-up regarding the increase in the reflexivity competence, university performance, and agency (see Chapter 10 in this volume). On the other hand, in order to improve this system of evaluation a qualitative tool was used, consisting of a follow-up semi-structured interview, used to evaluate and explore the acquisitions of the NMP training based on the direct voices of the students enrolled in the training groups. This interview was also used as a tool to study the impact of the NMP training. The NMP employs different narrative modes to support students in developing their reflexive competence in order to better adjust to academic life. The current study aimed at gathering information related to the lived experience of a group of students involved in one of the NMP training experience. Specifically, the current study explored the themes emerging from the qualitative analysis of the follow-up interviews carried out in Romania and Italy, with the objective to determine the impact of the NMP on the development of the reflexive and agentive function in students from two different countries. Highlighting constraints and resources, based on the voices of the students, this study has implications for improving the efficacy of the NMP group training in the context of higher education.