Narrative Medicine Research Lab (NMRL)

The Akron Children's Narrative Medicine Research Lab (NMRL) exists to examine and measure the health and wellness benefits of narrative medicine for children, families, and health professionals.

Akron Children's established its narrative medicine program in 2019, with support from the Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Center. It was the first children's hospital in the country to employ full-time narrative medicine specialists, and in 2026, it became the first to receive a National Endowment for the Arts Research Lab grant for narrative medicine.

Preliminary research findings at Akron Children's and other institutions suggest narrative medicine can help patients, especially those with chronic and complex illnesses, make meaning of their experiences and cope more effectively. It also helps health care providers reconnect with the human side of medicine and reduce feelings of burnout. The lab's research includes case series and a keystone qualitative study examining narrative medicine interventions with children receiving palliative care, adolescents in behavioral health programs, parents of critically ill children, and health professionals.

The NMRL's research focuses on two central questions:

• What are the health and wellness benefits for children, young adults, families, and health professionals who engage with narrative medicine in pediatric health care?
• How do the type, frequency, and duration of narrative medicine interventions shape those outcomes?

With support from the NEA, the NMRL aims to establish standardized practices for narrative medicine and provide other health systems a blueprint for building effective programs that serve patients, families, and health professionals. The research outcomes will be shared through publications and national presentations, with the broader goal of equipping other healthcare systems with the data needed to justify investment in narrative medicine.

Principal Investigators

Nicole Robinson, MFA
Akron Children’s Program Manager, Narrative Medicine
For research lab inquiry or participation opportunities, please contact Nicole at NRobinson3@akronchildrens.org.

Daniel Grossoehme, DMin, MS
Akron Children's Senior Research Scientist, Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute

Co-Investigators

Sarah Elizabeth Friebert, MD
Akron Children’s Pediatric Palliative Care Physician; Sarah Elizabeth Friebert, M.D. Leadership Chair in Pediatric Palliative Care

Julie Aultman, PhD
Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Dean, College of Graduate Studies; Professor,
Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine; Professor, General Dentistry; Director, Medical Ethics and Humanities Program
Akron Children’s, Consultation Lead Clinical Ethicist

Michael Forbes, MD, FAAP, FCCM
Akron Children’s Chief Academic Officer; William H. and Rebecca D. Considine Endowed Chair for Pediatric Research Head, Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute

Amy Sato, PhD
Kent State University, Department of Psychological Sciences Professor

Michael Redovian, MD
Akron Children’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Arts Partner

Aaron Jafferis, MFA
Arts Partner | Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, Writer-In-Residence

• Examining Illness through Pediatric Poetry and Prose: A Mixed Methods Study.
• Feasibility and Acceptability of a Narrative Medicine Intervention in a Burn Center. J Burn Care Res.
• Feasibility and Acceptability: Narrative Writing with Caregivers in Pediatric Critical Care..

• April 4, 2026: NEA grant creates Narrative Medicine Research Lab at Akron Children’s

Northeast Ohio Medical University contributes to the NMRL through the qualitative research expertise of Dr. Aultman, who assisted in the design of the keystone study and will support data coding and dissemination of findings.

Kent State University contributes to the NMRL through Dr. Sato, a clinical child psychologist who will lead interviews with partial hospitalization program patients at Akron Children's Hospital.

Aaron Jafferis was carefully selected as the NMRL Arts Partner for his expertise as a performance poet, playwright, and writer-in-residence at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. A confirmed partner, he is committed to advising on interventions through quarterly meetings, publications, and presentations.