Bibliothearapy
What is bibliotherapy?
The word bibliotherapy came from the two Greek words biblion (book) and oepatteid (healing).
In the past, bibliotherapy was only used for patients in mental hospitals and for people that were
seriously ill, although today it has widespread use. Many educators and adults have resorted to
bibliotheraphy to help individuals and groups deal with normal and emotional problems they
encounter (Rubin, 1978).
Historically many definitions have been written to define what bibliotheraphy is. The first
written definition was published in Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary in 1941, and
defines bibliotheraphy as “the employment of books and the reading of them in the treatment of
nervous disease.” In 1961 the Webster’s Third New International Dictionary defined
bibliotheraphy as “the use of selected reading materials as therapeutic adjutants in medicine and
psychiatry; also guidance in the solution of personal problems through directed reading.”
Webster added that it is also “the use of selected reading materials as therapeutic adjutants in
medicine and psychiatry.” Also during that year the Random House Dictionary pinned the
definition as “the use of reading as an ameliorative adjunct to therapy.” Later other researchers
came up with different definitions as the attitude toward the process began to change. They are
as follows:
“…a process of dynamic interaction between the personality of the reader and literatureinteraction which may be utilized for personality assessment, adjustment, and growth.” (Russell
and Shrodes,1950).
“…help(ing) a pupil find a book that might help the pupil solve a personal problem, develop
skills needed for living, and/or bolster self-image.” (Shepherd and Iles, 1976).
“…getting the right book to the right child at the right time about the right problem.” (Lundsteen,
1972).
“Psychology through literature-reading that is used to help solve or prevent problems.” (Stadel,
1964).
As time progressed the shift of researchers focus is clearly from application to the mentally ill to
a more widespread population, especially children (Cornett & Cornett, 1980; Rubin, 1978).
Today the definition of bibliotherapy is simplified to basically books to help people solve
problems. The use of literature can be used to help people cope with emotional problems, mental
illnesses, or changes that have occurred in their lives. As a result of the change, it promotes
personality and developmental growth. Bibliotherapy provides a sensitive way for a practitioner
or educator, especially for children, to guide reading to help an individual understand themselves
and the environment, learn from others, and possibly find solutions to their problems (Aiex,
2006; Abdullah, 2002; Schrank & Engels, 1981; Mohr, Nixon, & Vicker, 1991).
1
Bibliotherapy is techniques used for instructing interaction between a facilitator and a
participant. It is implemented when a problem exists, the reader becomes personally involved
with the situations and characters in the books, and a problem is addressed. Bibliotheraphy is not
used for deep psychological problems or as a tool for self-motivated reading. If a book is
recommended from a friend or librarian to help an individual with a possible situation, is also not
bibliotheraphy. To truly experience bibliotherapy a plan from a facilitator must be implemented
with an individual or group (Cornett et. al, 1980; Rubin, 1978).
When should Bibliotheraphy be used and what are the positive and negative effects?
Bibliotherapy can be used for a variety of reasons to help children overcome problems or
situations they are facing or may face. Children have many needs that should be addressed to
help them develop a positive self-concept. Physiological needs are the most basic needs that
must be met. Children also must feel safe, loved, and the need to belong in a group (family,
school, peer, or other). If these needs are met through the use of bibliotherapy, the child will be
able to accomplish the following: develop a more positive sense of themselves, learn about the
world, cope with stress, provide insight into problems, affirm thoughts and feelings, stimulate
discussions about problems, create an awareness of others that have similar problems, provide
solutions to problems, communicate new values and attitudes, and find meaning in life. These
are all goals that a facilitator would like to accomplish when implementing bibliothearpy
(Cornett et. al, 1980; Aiex, 2006; Jackson & Nelson, 2002-04).
In addition to these positive outcomes other studies have shown additional advantages of using
bibliotherapy with children. When children read stories they can associate their problems with
book characters, and learn that they are not alone in the world or the first person to experience
that problem. Books provide models for how to cope with a particular problem and may provide
possible solutions the child can implement in his or her life. Even if a teacher does not feel a
child is dealing with a severe emotional problem bibliotherapy can be used to address
experiences that all children face. Children today are exposed to so much violence and issues
they don’t understand through the media, sometimes it is beyond their comprehension. Books
provide a way for students to learn about these issues in a much more open classroom
environment at a slower pace. Children learn about the world around them and gain perspectives
and compassion for people that are different from themselves. In addition to meeting personal
problem solving needs, bibliotherapy increases reading skills. Students learn to appreciate
literature and become more motivated to read. They gain richer insights about the book and have
a greater depth of meaning if bibliotherapy is applied productively with the use of discussion and
follow-up activities (Cornett et. al, 1980; Philpot, 1997; Abdullah, 2002).
On the opposing side many studies have found negative effects of bibliotherapy. One major
drawback of using books is that some people do not enjoy reading or have difficulty reading. As
a result the child may project their own motives into the character and only reinforce the
situation they are enduring, therefore receiving negative results. Some participants may be
defensive and unwilling to discuss their problems because they feel uncomfortable with the
situation. Facilitators need to keep these ideas in mind when implementing bibliotherapy,
especially with children. The child’s needs and desires must be met sympathetically and the
2
child must not be forced to share feelings or situations they may be uncomfortable with (Joshua
& DiMenna, 2000; Abdullah, 2002).
Many studies have been conducted on the positive and negative effects of bibliothearpy. Some
researchers disagree on some of these issues and therefore there are mixed results on findings in
these areas. Overall the use of bibliotherapy continues to increase, especially in schools, to help
people cope with problems or learn how to face situations that may arise in their lives (Schrank
et al., 1981).
How to Conduct Bibliotherapy in the Classroom:
Preparation:
The first step to deciding on a bibliothearpy lesson is whether you want to use a group or
individual approach. In the classroom the group approach is more advantageous for many
reasons: it is less time-consuming, it is more natural for the children, it enhances the child by
allowing them to share common experiences, less anxiety is experienced by the children, all
children feel a better sense of belonging and security, and everyone is able to develop different
perspectives and new understandings of the problem (Aiez, 2006).
There are certain problems that particular students may encounter that requires a teacher to work
one on one with the child, although these situations will be limited and the teacher may need to
seek other resources if the problem is severe.
Forming Groups:
After identifying each students needs, groups can be formed. Students needs can be identified by
observation, parent conferences, writing assignments, discussions or reviewing records. The
next step is to match students with appropriate materials. The books chosen should meet the
following criteria: appropriate for the child’s reading ability, interest level appropriate for the
child’s maturity, themes in the book must match the present needs of the child, characters must
be believable for the child to emphasize with and not stereotyped, plot should include creative
problem solving, and the child must be able to identify with the setting. Another important role
for the teacher is to know the book and its contents (Cornett et al., 1980; Aiex, 2006; Philpot,
1997; Sridhar & Vaughn, 2000).
Setting of Lesson:
Once the lesson is developed and the book is chosen the teacher must decide where and when to
conduct the session. On the first day you want to break the ice with the child in order to make
them comfortable sharing in the group. To begin the lesson motivate the students with
introductory actitivies. The creation of a positive atmosphere and getting the attention of the
child’s interest will be factors that determine the success of the lesson experience (Cornett, et al.,
1980; Philpot, 1997).
3
Implementation of Lesson:
After the students feel comfortable in the group it is finally time to implement the bibliotherapy
lesson. Before reading the story the general theme of the book should be discussed. Have the
students talk about how they would feel in the particular situation and make predictions of how
they think the character will react to the problem. In order to conduct the lesson successfully the
teacher must enter into the child’s world by listening carefully to what each student says. Once
students have had the opportunity to discuss the story it is time to begin reading. During reading
stop periodically to ask questions. Questions should be asked to get the students to identify with
the character. This also allows students to summarize what has happened and provides
opportunities to get the child to come up with solutions for the main characters problem. After
reading the story discuss the character, their behavior, how they solved the problem, and other
possible solutions to the problem (Cornett et al. 1980; Sridhar et al., 2000; Jackson et al., 200204; McNamee & DeChiar, 1996).
Follow-up Activities:
The main portion of the bibliotherapy lesson is the application of the book to each child’s
problem. This is done by using follow-up activities after reading and sharing the book. There
are a vast variety of activities that can be done with the group depending on the problem and how
the teacher wants the child to realize how their problem relates to the book. The following are a
few examples that can be used:
Creative Writing: Students can create a diary for a character in the story, write a letter from one
character to another or from the student to one character in the book, write how to resolve the
story in a different way, write a poem to stimulate students’ thinking about themselves, or
analyze the decisions of the characters.
Art Activities: Draw a map to illustrate story events, create a collage from magazine photos,
draw pictures of events in the story, construct puppets of story characters, or make a mobile to
represent events.
Discussion and Role-Playing: Students participate in a roundtable discussion about the decision
of a character in the story, role-play events in the story, discuss strong and weak points of a
character in the book that the students can identify with, or discuss how the outcome of the story
could be changed and how alternative behaviors of the characters would affect this change.
The age level of the child and what the child needs to take from the story will determine the
follow-up activities for the lesson. No matter what activity the teacher chooses, the child needs
to be able to identify their problem with the story and express the identification through the
activity (Cornett et al., 1980; Sridhar et al., 2000, McNamee et al., 1996).
Bibliotherapy and My Future Classroom:
As a future classroom teacher my plan is to implement bibliotherapy into the reading curriculum.
I want to use bibliotherapy to enhance my student’s study of literature and help them cope with
issues that arise in their daily lives. In the world today there are so many obstacles that children
have to face, and many of them do not know how to deal with these circumstances. The homes
4
that children live in today, and the exposure to violence and graphics in the media that they do
not understand makes it difficult for some children to cope. All children can benefit from
discussing issues, even if it is not something they have encountered, because it makes them
aware that others are different; therefore they become more acceptant of this diversity.
In the regular classroom I believe that grouping my students according to their individual needs
is the most beneficial and productive way to implement bibliotherapy. If I am faced with a
student that is enduring a severe problem, such as death of a family member, my approach would
be to refer that child to the guidance counselor. I feel they have more experience and techniques
to deal with these types of problems. As a classroom teacher one of my main goals is to create a
classroom community. I am convinced that students talking and discussing issues allows them to
draw closer together and build relationships.
The first step I plan to take is observe my classroom to determine the problems I see developing
that hinders student learning. One way I plan to do this is by having my students complete
activities that will allow me to get to know them better. I don’t want to know just what is on the
surface, instead I want students to feel free to express underlying issues they may not have
shared with anyone. Once the problems are determined I can put my students into groups and
plan my lessons.
I am very optimistic about the success of bibliotherapy. According to research it has many
benefits that I look forward to seeing my students reap. I not only expect this approach to build
their self-esteem and improve behavior, but I also think it will improve reading comprehension,
promote critical and abstract thinking, and motivate creativity. This will be accomplished
through discussions and follow-up activities (Philpot, 1997; Sridhar et al., 2000).
5
Works Cited
Abdullah, Mardziah Hayati. (2002). Bibliotherapy. ERIC Digest, 1-6.
Aiex, Nola Kortner, Bibliotherapy. (2006) Retrieved February 2006, From
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_store/bibliotherapy/eric_digest82.html.
Bibliotherapy. (2006). Retrieved February 2006, From
http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/pub/eres/EDSPC715_MCINTYRE/Biblio.html.
Campbell, Laura A. (1999). Storybooks for Tough Times, Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing.
Cornett, Claudia E. & Cornett, Charles F. (1980). Bibliotherapy: The right book at the right
time, Bloomington, Indiana: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.
Jackson, Shelley A. & Nelson, Kaye W. (2001). Use of children’s literature in a comprehensive
school guidance program for young children. CEDER Yearbook, 2-20.
Joshua, Janice Maidman & DiMenna, Donna. (2000). Read two books and let’s talk next week,
New York, Chichester, Weinheim, Brisbane, Singapore, Toronto: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
McNamee, Abigail & DeChiara, Edith. (1996). Inviting stories to help young people cope with
stressful life experiences. Classroom Use Teaching Guide, 1-31.
Moody, Mildred T. & Limper, Hilda K. (1971). Bibliotherapy: Methods and materials, Chicago:
American Library Association.
Mohr, Carolyn, Nixon, Dorothy, & Vickers, Shirley. (1991). Books that heal: A whole language
approach, Englewood, Colorado: Teacher Ideas Press.
Philpot, Jan Grubb. (1997). Bibliotheraphy for classroom use, Nashville, TN: Incentive
Publications, Inc.
Rubin, Rhea Joyce. (1978). Using bibliotherapy: A guide to theory and practice, Phoeniz, AZ:
Oryz Press.
Schrank, Frederick A. & Engels, Dennis W. (1981). Bibliotherapy as a counseling adjunct:
Research findings. The Personal and Guidance Journal, 143-147.
Sridhar, Dheepa & Vaughn, Sharon (2000). Bibliotherapy for all: Enhancing reading
comprehension, self-concept, and behavior. The Council for Exceptional Children, 33 (2),
74-82.
6
Resource Guide
Matching the Right Book with the Right Child:
Me in a Nutshell
R.E.A.D.E.R Survey
What’s in Your Bag?
Goal this Year
Activities to Use to Discuss Books:
Dear Annie
Top Ten
Books/Activities/Lessons:
Topics
Ethic/Cultural Differences
Differences
Diversity
Fears
Growing Up
Peers: Problems and Pressures
Relationships
School Life
Self-Concept
Self-Esteem
Emotions
Feelings
War
Self-acceptance/Accepting Differences in People
Handling Criticism
Making & Keeping Friends
7
Resource Guide/Books Used as Reference
Matching the Right Book with the Right Child:




Me in a Nutshell
R.E.A.D.E.R Survey
What’s in Your Bag?
Goal this Year
Activities to Use to Discuss Books:


Dear Annie
Top Ten
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
Books/Activities/Lessons:
Topics
 Ethic/Cultural Differences
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
 Differences
Books that Heal: A Whole Language Approach, Mohr, Carolyn, Nixon, Dorothy, &
Vickers, Shirley.
 Diversity
Use of Children’s Literature in a Comprehensive School Guidance Program for Young
Children, Jackson, Shelley A. & Nelson, Kaye W.
 Fears
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
Storybooks for Tough Times, Campbell, Laura Ann.
 Growing Up
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
8
Storybooks for Tough Times, Campbell, Laura Ann.
 Peers: Problems and Pressures
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
 Relationships
Books that Heal: A Whole Language Approach, Mohr, Carolyn, Nixon, Dorothy, &
Vickers, Shirley.
Use of Children’s Literature in a Comprehensive School Guidance Program for Young
Children, Jackson, Shelley A. & Nelson, Kaye W.
 School Life
Bibliotheraphy for Classroom Use, Philpot, Jan Grubb.
 Self-Concept
Books that Heal: A Whole Language Approach, Mohr, Carolyn, Nixon, Dorothy, &
Vickers, Shirley.
 Self-Esteem
Use of Children’s Literature in a Comprehensive School Guidance Program for Young
Children, Jackson, Shelley A. & Nelson, Kaye W.
 Emotions
Use of Children’s Literature in a Comprehensive School Guidance Program for Young
Children, Jackson, Shelley A. & Nelson, Kaye W.
 Feelings
Storybooks for Tough Times, Campbell, Laura Ann.
 War
Storybooks for Tough Times, Campbell, Laura Ann.
 Self-acceptance/Accepting Differences in People
 Handling Criticism
 Making & Keeping Friends
Bibliotherapy for All: Enhancing Reading Comprehension, Self-concept, and Behavior.
Sridhar, Dheepa & Vaughn, Sharon.
9