Bibliotherapy
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Descriptions, definitions, and synonyms
Description
The idea of healing through books is not a new one--it can be traced far back in history, from the days of the first libraries in Greece (Riordan, 1989). The interpretation and practice of the use of books as tools, however, has not been universally accepted. Indeed, the definitions across disciplines still reflect these differences in interpretation. Popular library literature refers to a process of recommending books based on an understanding of the problem or issue and an extensive familiarity with books that allows for a suceesful pairing. This same process is referred to as “reading guidance�? in psychology and medicine and bears little resemblance to the carefully planned pairing of “message�? books with therapy, journaling/drawing, and group discussions. One interesting phenomenon in researching bibliotherapy is that the very nature of the process allows for ambiguity; each expert in the field considers their personal interpretation of bibliotherapy to be the most effective and informative.
The earliest usage of the term actually referred to the use of books as moral instructors for children (acting as parents or clergy in the absence of those moral forces). Rather than focusing on problems, the intent was to raise moral, responsible, religious adults and children’s literature that veered from that course was slow to be accepted and often considered scurrilous and not worthy of recommendation. Although this is rarely accepted as an interpretation of bibliotherapy today, it is always important to note the evolution or origin of a term.
Definitions
“Simply stated, bibliotherapy can be defined as the use of books to help people solve problems.�? (Riordan, 1989).
“Bibliotherapy is a family of technique for structuring interaction between a facilitator and a participant based on mutual sharing of literature.�? (Pardeck, 1995).
“A form of supportive psychotherapy in which carefully selected reading materials are used to assist a subject in solving personal problems or for other therapeutic purposes.�? (Dictionary.com, retrieved December 7, 2005)
Synonyms
Some synonyms that may be helpful as search terms include self-help, book therapy, reading guidance, and book counseling.
Application in classrooms and similar settings
Across educational literature, there are three generally accepted states of bibliotherapy recommended for maximum benefit to the student:
Identification - the student or child identifies with a book character and events in the story, either real or fictitious. This identification process should be as individualized as possible, with recognition of the student’s prior preferences being taken into consideration as much as possible. For example, if you know that your student hates cuddly bear stories or cartoon characters, a book like It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear by Vicki Lansky is simply not going to be a successful match, no matter how well conveyed the emotions are in the text.
Catharsis - the student or child becomes emotionally involved in the story and is able to release pent-up emotions under safe conditions (often through discussion or art work);
Insight - the student or child, after catharsis (with the help of the teacher, librarian, counselor or parent/guardian), becomes aware that his/her problems might also be addressed or solved. Possible solutions to the book character's and one's own personal problems are identified.
Bibliotherapy can be conducted with individuals or groups:
“In individual bibliotherapy, literature is assigned to a student for a specific need. The student may read the material or the literature may be read to him/her. The activities that follow the reading are also conducted individually with the student. S/he discusses the literature with a teacher, writes a report, talks into the tape recorder, or expresses his/her reaction artistically. Through this process s/he is able to unblock emotions and relieve emotional pressures. Additionally, by examination and analysis of moral values and the stimulation of critical thinking, s/he develops self awareness, an enhanced self concept and improved personal and social judgment. This outcome should result in improved behavior, an ability to handle and understand important life issues, and increased empathy, tolerance, respect and acceptance of others...all through identification with an appropriate literary model.�? (Myracle, 1989, large section of text reprinted with permission of author)
In its use with groups, the students read literature with a few other students or listen while the teacher, librarian, counselor, or parent/guardian reads to them. Group discussion and activities follow. Children or students become aware that they are not alone in their feelings and that perceived problems are shared by others. Often books about issues that have impacted an entire group are an excellent choice for group bibliotherapy. A recent book, Stinky Stern Forever by Michelle Edwards, would be an excellent text to read to a group who had just experienced a death in the classroom, school, or community.
What follows is one specific plan of action recommended in the Ohio Teacher’s Handbook for 2005 (used by teachers, school librarians, and administrators across the state):
1. Identify youngster's needs. This task is done through observation, parent conferences, student writing assignments, and the review of school/facility records.
2. Match the youngster(s) with appropriate materials. Find books that deal with divorce, a death in the family, or whatever needs have been identified. Keep the following in mind:
a: The book must be at the youngster's reading ability level.
b. The text must be at an interest level appropriate to the maturity of the youngster.
c. The theme of the readings should match the identified needs of the youngster.
d. The characters should be believable so that the youngster can empathize with their predicaments.
e. The plot of the story should be realistic and involve creativity in problem solving.
3. Decide on the setting and time for sessions, and how sessions will be introduced to the student.
4. Design follow-up activities for the reading (e.g., discussion, paper writing, drawing, drama).
5. Motivate the youngster with introductory activities (e.g., asking questions to get a discussion going on the topic).
6. Engage in the reading, viewing, or listening phase. Ask leading questions and start short discussions throughout the reading. Periodically, summarize what has occurred thus far (to be sure that "the message" does not get lost in the trivial points).
7. Take a break or allow a few minutes for the youngster to reflect on the material.
8. Introduce the follow-up activities:
Retelling of the story
In depth discussion of the book (e.g., discussing right and wrong, morals, the law, strong and weak points of the main character, etc.)
Art activities (e.g., drawing map illustrating story events, creating collage from magazine photos and headlines to illustrate events in the story, draw pictures of events)
Creative writing (e.g., resolving the story in a different way, analyzing decisions of characters)
Drama (e.g., role playing, reconstructing story with puppets made during art activity, enacting a trial for the characters)
9. Assist the student in achieving closure through discussion and a listing of possible-solutions, or some other activity.
Evidence of effectiveness
Riordan and Wilson (1989), in a review of the literature of the effects of bibliotherapy, found that a majority of the studies show mixed results of the process as a separate treatment for the solving of problems. Their research is one of the best places to begin an analysis of efficacy and use of bibliotherapy. Their primary conclusion is that it is best used as an adjunctive therapy, one of several methods of intervention. This conclusion is further supported in more recent work by Riordan as well as articles and projects by Pardeck (1990, 1995) and Hebert (1991).
A recent revisit of a 1994 survey on bibliotherapy is of note. In 2003, a group of pscyhologists attempted to replicate an earlier survey that asked mental health professionals whether or not they "prescribed" books for patients to read as part of therapy or between therapy sessions. Of the original group of respondents (500 mental health professionals), 70% indicated that they had used this tool and 86% reported that they felt the books were helpful to their patients. The 2003 respondents (580 mental health professionals) showed even higher rates of success (89%), though the amount that used the tool seemed static (71%). The most important outcome of the original survey, and supported even more so in the recent replication is that bibliotherapy seems to have both substantial and lasting antidepressant effects. (See Holistic online for a full desription of the earlier research, and references for the newer study, http://holisticonline.com/Remedies/Depression/dep_bibliotherapy.htm)
Critics and their rationale
The main criticism against bibliotherapy is that casual users should be extremely wary and careful about using psychological methods and tools in general. “Whether you are a classroom teacher, a librarian, or a mental health professional, be advised that bibliotherapy must be handled with great delicacy, and not every practitioner possesses the personal qualifications to be a facilitator in the process (Riordan, 1989).�?
The general characteristics recommended for those using bibliotherapy are: practitioners should possess personal stability; a genuine interest in working with others; and the ability to empathize with others without moralizing, threatening, or commanding (Norcross, 2000). Norcross goes on to suggest that it is unlikely that these are, indeed, enough restrictions and that an exemplary knowledge of children’s literature, an understanding of child psychology, and some experience with bibliotherapy are also necessary elements for successful practice.
In addition, Smith (1989) recommends working with another practitioner or authority in a different field. In particular, for individuals who are just beginning to attempt bibliotherapy, working with a school librarian, counselor, or parent may help balance the process and bring in new perspectives and suggestions.
Finally, another main criticism of bibliotherapy is about the books themselves. There is a great deal of discussion in literature courses and on library listservs and bulletin boards about agenda books (those books that lead the read to a specific intended message at the cost of quality, depth, or effective characterization). Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman is one example of an agenda book. The story is uninspiring, the artwork is unappealing to children, and until a recent reprint, the text was actually inaccurate. Librarians and educators decry the notion of foisting this onto a child whose parents are gay, stating that the child will not only not benefit, but will distrust their future recommendations. Clearly, there are better books to offer GLBT patrons (or their children) than there were twenty years ago, but there still must be an acknowledgement and balance, and a sense of creativity, on the part of the librarian who must decide whether a book is good enough, not just fitting a theme.
Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
In any use of bibliotherapy, it is essential to specifically consider your audience, and recognize your own potential limitations in working with them. This is one of the reasons why partnering with a cooperative guidance counselor, therapist, librarian, or parent may help expand perspectives and consider all options with the least amount of bias. Good intentions alone will not necessarily make for a strong match between the cultural background or perspective of the reader and a particular recommended title.
General analysis of African-American children and their reading habits and literature (Rudine Sims Bishop, Walter Dean Myers, Julius Lester) have shown clearly that children like to see themselves represented in texts. Indeed, not seeing themselves represented at all or only seeing negative representations of their ethnic or cultural background can not only be damaging intellectually but also emotionally. Therefore, it seem particularly essential that an extensive knowledge of children’s literature and eye for pairing the best quality books with the most likely audience be incorporated as an aspect of bibliotherapy.
One article that is an excellent analysis of the use of books to enhance cultural understanding and tolerance is by John Pardeck. “An Exploration of the Uses of Children's Books as an Approach for Enhancing Cultural Diversity,�? in Early Child Development and Care (August 1998, volume 147) offers specific strategies for using children’s books as tools for groups. Specifically, issues of cultural diversity are explored through fiction, nonfiction, self-help books, fairy tales, and picture books with annotations and recommendations for use.
Signed “life experiences�? – testimonies and stories
Please add any instances when you have used bibliotherapy as a tool, any suggestions you have for books that would be good for a given theme, or your opinions on the term.
As a librarian, there are many times when you do “off the cuff�? bibliotherapy. Parents come in asking for books about dealing with death for their children or you have an encounter with a teen who suggests at a problem but doesn’t want to talk about it directly. In those moments, the right book can go a long way. In the case of a good friend of mine (who is now 16), I knew that my lectures and concerns on cutting were just going to come across as more “adult talk�? and that she would just tune me out. I gathered a few books, great texts that had characters dealing with cutting but also had a strong plot, interesting themes, and characters I knew she would love. It wasn’t a miracle cure, but it did let her know that I noticed, she told me it made her feel less alone, and within a month she had talked to her parents about seeing a school therapist. This is the only specific example I can think of, but as I said before, I am sure that teachers and librarians have these scaled-down moments of bibliotherapy often even if they aren’t using the larger process. April Spisak
References and links of interest
References
Campbell, L. and T. Smith. (2003). Integrating Self-Help Books into Psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59, 2, 177-186.
Coon, C. (2004). Books to grow with: A guide to using the best children's fiction for everyday issues and tough challenges. Portland: Lutra Press.
Crothers, S.M. (1916). A Literary Clinic. Atlantic Monthly, 118, 291-301.
Hebert, T.P. (1991). Meeting the Affective Needs of Bright Boys through Bibliotherapy. Roeper Review, 13, 207-212.
McCarty, H. & Chalmers, L. (1997). Bibliotherapy: Intervention and prevention. Teaching Exceptional Children, 29(6), 12-13, 16-17.
Norcross, J.C. (2000). Here comes the Self-Help Revolution in Mental Health. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Training, 37, 370-377.
Ohio Teacher's Handbook. (2005). Akron: Ohio Department of Education, Publications Division.
Pardeck, J.T. (1990). Using Bibliotherapy in Clinical Practice with Children. Psychological Reports, 67, 1043-1049.
Pardeck, J. (1995). Bibliotherapy: An innovative approach for helping children. Early Child Development and Care, 110, 83-88.
Riordan, R.J. and L.S. Wilson. (1989). Bibliotherapy: Does it Work? Journal of counseling and Development, 67, 506-508.
Links
Internet School Library Media Center's (ISLMC) Bibliotherapy Page
This site includes articles and research on the issue as well as lists of recommended books for various topics. Well-researched and easy to use, this is a great starting point for researchers, librarians, or teachers.
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/bibliotherapy.htm
Bibliotherapy: A Pathfinder
I find pathfinders quite helpful for beginning my research, and useful to create when evaluating how much I know so far and areas for further exploration. This is an extremely well-researched, high quality pathfinder – the best I could find on bibliotherapy. (This was active in November but when I checked it today a message came up saying the site was undergoing temporary changes, hopefully it will be accessible soon)
http://home.nyc.rr.com/teachertools/Bibliotheraphy.htm
Webliotherapy
This site is a collection of links to helpful places on the web that define, evaluate, and explore bibliotherapy. There isn’t anything you couldn’t search for and find on your own, but why not use someone else’s compilation efforts?
