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Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors of Disasters: A Literature Review Dr. Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Stockton University, New Jersey, USA Dr. Judy “Jude” Cañero Bautista, Philippine Normal University. Manila, Philippines
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Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

Apr 12, 2017

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Page 1: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors of Disasters: A Literature Review

Dr. Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Stockton University, New Jersey, USA

Dr. Judy “Jude” Cañero Bautista, Philippine Normal University. Manila, Philippines

Page 2: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

ABSTRACTChildren are the most vulnerable and most fragile population whenever disasters and traumatic events occur. Whether man-made or natural, disasters have a considerable effect on the social, psychological and health and wellness of children (Madrid, Grant, Reilly, & Redlener, 2006). The exposure of children to disasters may be direct, such as the typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, earthquake in Taiwan, tsunami in Japan, or indirect, like watching images of terrorism e.g. Sept. 11th terror attacks in New York or watching people being victimized by drowning during hurricanes or typhoons. Children exposed to traumatic events could develop long-term trauma leading to greater psychosocial challenges that may be characterized by mood swings, anxiety, behavioral and psychosomatic symptoms. To assist children during their period of vulnerability, parents, educators and social workers have the opportunity to work with children in their healing process. Bibliotherapy has been used as a tool in unlocking the thoughts, feelings and trauma, if any, of survivors after experiencing catastrophic events or situations such as those who were diagnosed with cancer, who experience abuse or family death, etc. (Pherson, et al, 2007), and persons with depression (Floyd, et al, 2004) and in mental health (Fanner, et al, 2008). Support can be found among experts (Hynes and Hynes-Berry, 1994; Mazza, 2003; Pardeck,1991), who observe that using books can help clients make changes after experiencing a challenging event. However, there is a paucity of research in the literature describing the use of bibliotherapy as a potential evidentiary tool in understanding children’s emotional experiences. A review of literature will be presented to gain knowledge on bibliotherapy with children who have challenging experiences particularly after disasters hit. Implications to social work practice and education of children post disasters will be discussed.

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Learning Objectiveshttp://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

• Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• Social workers understand strategies to engage diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness.

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Learning Objectives

• Social workers value principles of relationship-building and inter-professional collaboration to facilitate engagement with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as appropriate.

• Social workers apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; and use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies

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Today’s Learning Objectives 1. To develop a basic understanding of the use of

bibliotherapy with various clientele population

2. To explore how bibliotherapy can be used as an intervention for children

3. To identify the strengths, limitations and potential use of bibliotherapy with children survivors of disasters

Page 6: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

OVERVIEW1. Children and Disasters

2. Bibliotherapy and Its History

3. Bibliotherapy and the Creation of Safe Spaces for Children

4. The Therapeutic Potential of Bibliotherapy

5. The Developmental Processes of Bibliotherapy

6. What Research Has to Say About Bibliotherapy

7. Planning and Administering A Bibliotherapy Session

8. Conclusions and Future Directions for Bibliotherapy

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Children Survivors of Disasters: Unique CharacteristicsVULNERABILITY

CONFUSION

STRESSED

ANXIETY VIS A VIS DAMGE IN THE HOME

BLOCKING VIGILANCE

RE-EXPERIENCING INTRUSION

SOMATICE/ATTACHMENT

A SENSE OF SHORTENED FUTURE

AVOIDING PLACES/PEOPLE WITH ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS & MEDIA

ASSOCIATED WITH RE-EXPERIENCING

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

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WORLDWIDE STATISTICS OF CHILDREN OF DISASTERS

CHILDREN WILL NOT BE THE SAME POST DISASTERS

EXPERIENCING AND RE-EXPERIENCING DISASTERS PRODUCE A VARYING LEVEL OF TRAUMA

Page 9: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

LOW SELF-ESTEEM… FEAR… SADNESS… AGGRESSION… SELF-HARM… ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE… OUT OF PLACE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR… POST-TRAUMATIC

STRESS DISORDER… TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY…among others!

Disasters and their Impact on Children

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What is bibliotherapy?Guided reading of written materials in gaining understanding or solving problems relevant to a person’s therapeutic needs (Riordan & Wilson, 1989)

A process of dynamic interaction between the personality of the reader and literature which may be used for personality assessment, adjustment, and growth (Weinstein, 1977; 2014)

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What is bibliotherapy?The use of books, literature, pamphlets, play scripts, narratives, journals, poems, songs, and stories adapted from cinema and television (Hynes & Hynes-Berry,1994) for the purpose of promoting therapeutic gain—can facilitate and structure interactions between and among individuals (Pehrsson, 2006).

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Method that uses literary sources to help one to gainunderstanding, engage in problem solving (Sullivan,Strang, 2002; Goddard, 2011) and cope with real life situations (Prater, Johnstun, Dyches, Johnstun, 2006) by identifying with a character who successfully resolves a problem similar to the one the individual is experiencing (Sullivan, Strang, 2002-2003; Frank, McBee, 2003).

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Helping Individuals in Social Work• A method of helping people solve problems. It is individualized,

scientific, and artistic.

• …the helping process is complex; it must be presented clearly and broken down into manageable segments…This process and its associated set of core skills can be observed whenever one person attempts to help another… Using the relationship established in individual work provides a vehicle to acquiring ….skills (Shulman, 2009)

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ORIGINS & HISTORY OF BIBLIOTHERAPYTIMELINE

• 300 BC

• Ancient Greece

• 1272

• 1700s

• 1802/1810 (Dr. Rush)

• 1846 (Dr. Galt II)

MILESTONES

• Library epigraphs

• Literature to treat the mentally ill

• Earliest record of prescribed reading

• Libraries in psychiatric hospitals

First article written on reading for the insane

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ORIGINS & HISTORY OF BIBLIOTHERAPY

TIMELINE

• 1904

• 1916

• 1923

• 1936

• 1937

• 1938

• 1939

• 1941

MILESTONES

• First Professional librarian appointed within a mental hospital (K. Jones)

• Samuel Crothers offers the term bibliotherapy

• Bibliotherapy implemented in a Veterans Administration

• Therapeutic use of bibliotherapy written for children

• Dr. Meninger

• Rosenblatt

• A. Bryan

• First dictionary definition

Page 16: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

ORIGINS & HISTORY OF BIBLIOTHERAPYTIMELINE

• 1950

• 1952

• 1962

• 1964

• 1970

• 1975

• 1970s, 1980s

MILESTONES• C. Shrodes

• Bibliotherapy research

• Library Trends Symposium

• ALA workshop

• Increase in publications and expansions in definition & use

• Helping learning disabled children , support emotional development

• Science and art in Bibliotherapy

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IS BIBLIOTHERAPY THERAPEUTIC?

IMPACT ON CHILDREN WHO USE BOOKS FOR THERAPY

PROCESSES THAT CHILDREN EXPERIENCE AT THAT MOMENT OF READING

STAGES OF AWARENESS WITH CHILDREN POST DISASTERS

HURTING OR HEALING?

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INVOLVEMENT

“An interest, or a sense of being ''caught up in" and concerned with the tale, or message being delivered” (Nickerson, 1975, p. 258).

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IDENTIFICATION

Identification occurs when reader finds similarities between himself and the character and associates with these similarities (Tussing, Valentine, 2001).

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CATHARSIS

Identifying with the character helps to recognize and experience the character’s feelings. As the character successfully resolves problems, the emotional tension that have been held in, discharges (Sullivan, Strang, 2002–2003).

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INSIGHT• Experiencing and gaining insight into solving a

problem, characters’ coping skills and applying this knowledge to his or her own life (Tussing, Valentine, 2001).

• Insight occurs when the reader understands the feelings and situation in a new way and is then motivated to make positive behavioral changes (Iaquinta, Hipsky, 2006, quoted in Rozalski, Stewart, Miller, 2010, p. 34).

Page 22: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

CREATING A SAFE SPACE: TRANSITIONAL PHENOMENA

• It is by having these transitional objects to hold, and love, and play with…a child learns to how to engage in “the perpetual human task of keeping inner and outer reality separate yet interrelated.” (Winnicott,1989)

• “Playing [through reading] facilitates growth and therefore health; playing leads into group relationships; playing can be a form of communication…” (Winnicott, 1989)

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Why Bibliotherapy?

Bibliotherapy or using literature as a means to achieve healing of both mind and affect has become a focus of several reading research nowadays (Smith as cited in Norton 2004). The reason for which is that its critical potential might contribute to solve therapeutic needs of people such as: 1) solution to personal problems; 2) develop life skills; and 3) enhance self-image devastated by natural calamities or man-made threats.

Page 24: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

Hermosa (2002), citing Hittleman (1988) forwards that “when a reader engages in appropriate and meaningful reading, his/her personality is affected through the development of: 1) an enlarged sphere of interest; 2) an increased social sensitivity; 3) the realization that others have a life struggle; and 4) the realization that there is more than one solution to a problem.”

Page 25: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

What Hermosa and Hittleman suggests is that bibliotherapy provides an avenue for children to know that:

1) life, still, is full of interesting gifts;

2) that people around cares;

3) that they are not alone; and

4) that they have a choice of overcoming their problems.

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Page 27: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

According to Shrodes (as cited in Jones 2006), through bibliotheraphy, the reader will be positively subject to certain processes of adaptation or growth that helps them realize and appreciate their cultural values and knowledge as they understand their problems which likewise correspond to the major phases of psychotherapy:

Page 28: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

• First, identification and projection occur when the reader shares a problem, circumstance, or issue with the book’s character. (IDENTIFICATION)

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Second, reaction and empathy occur for the reader when the character resolves a problem, circumstance, or issue. (CATHARSIS)

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Third, insight occurs when the reader reflects on his or her situation and internalizes the character’s solution. (INSIGHT)

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First Stage• Establishing the relationship, literature can help readers begin to tell their

stories. Second Stage

• Exploring lifestyle, books may help examine perceptions about self and environment.

Third Stage• Promoting insight, identification of similarities between self and characters are

explored; they come to understand perceptions, subjective assumptions, and negative patterns.

Final Stage• Reeducation/reorientation, readers view themselves anew, generate new

actions, and try new behaviors.

Jackson’s (2001) Stages of the Bibliotherapy Process

Page 32: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

What does research say about bibliotherapy?

Research findings regarding the utilization of literature for therapeutic gain (i.e., bibliotherapy, therapeutic reading, and self-help reading) indicate a variety of benefits to readers ranging from an expressed relief from loneliness and isolation to decreased depressive symptoms. Other researchers found that readers displayed enhanced cultural awareness, increased empathetic understanding, better problem-solving skills, and overall gains in insight (Forgan, Hynes & Hynes-Berry, Jackson, Pehrsson & McMillen as cited in Bruneau & Pehrsson, 2014).

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In an investigation conducted by Billington, et al. (2010), the researchers forward that there are therapeutic benefits of reading in relation to depression and well-being. They maintain that bibliotherapy, specifically the ‘Get into Reading’ (GiR) Model, helped patients suffering from depression in terms of their social well-being, mental well-being, and emotional and psychological well-being.

Page 34: Exploring the Use of Bibliotherapy for Children Survivors

With regard to social well-being, the researchers found that bibliotherapy increased the respondents’ personal confidence, reduced their social isolation, fostered a sense of community, and encouraged communication skills. In relation to the respondents’ mental well-being, the researchers discovered that bibliotherapy improved the respondents’ powers of concentration, extended their capacity for thought, and provided an avenue for the respondents to foster interest in new learning or new ways of understanding. Furthermore, with regard to emotional and psychological well-being, the researchers stress that bibliotherapy helped increase the respondents’ self-awareness, enhanced their ability to articulate profound issues of being, and allowed the respondents to shift internal paradigms in relation to self and identity (p.81).

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PLANNING AND ADMINISTERING A BIBLIOTHERAPY SESSION

In the field of reading education, contemporary literature and research offer a definition of reading as the ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION of meaning out of the interaction of the READER, the TEXT, and the CONTEXT. If one is to use reading activities for the purpose of helping out children survivors of disasters, the field of social work should consider these THREE DOMAINS as essential drivers for the careful planning and administration of bibliotherapy. Social workers should also consider that the reading act is essentially done in three stages: 1) Pre-reading activities; 2) Actual Reading; and 3) Post-reading activities.

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Bibliotherapists should see to it that the stories: • contain characters who struggle with similar issues

(Lucas, Soares, 2013);

• are appropriate for the developmental age (Prater, Johnstun, Dyches, Johnstun, 2006), interests, emotional, and social needs (Lucas, Soares, 2013);

• offer hope and support, and build coping skills (Heath, et al, 2005); and

• have content and characterizations that are believable to the children (Hermosa, 2002).

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The structure of a reading / bibliotherapy session is as follows:

PRE-READING• Present the title of the topic/story

• Have the children think over their experience related to the title of the story/topic. Let them talk about it.

• Do not mention the problem or conflict directly. Guard yourself from using first and second person perspective. The safest conversation perspective for a bibliotherapy session is the third person perspective.

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DURING READING• Read-aloud the text to the child/children (Forgan,

2002). Ask questions that both of you should be thinking about as you read the text.

• Let them listen to the story and you must demonstrate that you yourself is interested in what is happening (Nickerson, 1975).

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POST-READINGProcess the story with the child/children. This aims to identify feelings, problems, and find solutions by asking the following questions (Sullivan, Strang, 2002-2003):• What is the story about?• Who is the main character?• What problem did the main character encounter?• How did the main character solve the problem?• If we face the same problem, what might we do?

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CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS• Bibliotherapy existed for a very long time. In addition, there is a

growing recognition for its potential use in education, social work and other allied helping professions.

• Nevertheless, more research should be conducted to identify areas of efficacy and impact of this tool or process especially when dealing with vulnerable populations like children. Furthermore, multiple and compounded research variables inherent in post disaster phenomena should be investigated.

• Whether bibliotherapy has been proven to be both science and/or art, there is much work in assessing the rigor of research.

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REFERENCES• http://disasterphilanthropy.org/natural-disasters-and-their-impact-on-children/

• http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660

• http://www.norden.ee/images/kultuur/info/kirjfoorum2014/VeronikaMudenaite_kirjfoorum2014.pdf

• http://psybibs.revdak.com/2011/degear.pdf

• Winnicott, Donald W. Playing and Reality. London: Tavistock Publications, 1971;repr. Hove/New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2002.

• Winnicott, Donald W. Psychoanalytic Explorations. Edited by C. Winnicott, R.Shepherd, and M. Davis. Cambridge, Ma.: Harvard University Press, 1989