Bibliotherapy part 3: The Children

Children are stressed.

In interviews with adolescents and children at remarkably young ages, they are self-reporting depression, sadness, and suicidal tendencies and thoughts. Up to one in five report these symptoms yearly. What can be done to combat this?

In research performed by the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, it was found that bibliotherapy can specifically combat depression and anxiety in children under eighteen. Eight studies with 979 participants were selected. The results showed reading to be as good as or better than other modalities at treating these mental disease states.

Why does it work?

Evidence suggests self-help to be more effective or as effective as external help. Reading is an activity we engage in ourselves. We are proactive in the action, which empowers us.

It is available. Libraries make a wide variety of books available to the public at the cost of getting there.

It is private. Research shows no stigma to bibliotherapy because we don’t have to admit to “being in therapy.” The children who will not attend therapy sessions for fear of being labeled or ostracized can participate because they are just reading.

While the studies seen were only followed up for 8 weeks on average and long-term data remains under review, why would we not want to report better mental health over an eight-to-nine-week time span? Especially when we can learn something at the same time!

Even better, research also shows that reading out loud improves our memory of the event, improves our positive feelings about the event when it is done with those we are comfortable with, and better enables us to learn from the experience. If you are going to engage in bibliotherapy, why not do it as a family? Read to one another? The performance effect is ancient and comes from a time when reading was more universally a communal activity.

I have talked about bibliotherapy before, and I am sure I will again. It is for everyone, including children of all ages, to build confidence, self-reliance, and a sturdier state of mind. Go hit that library or bookstore and read together.