Supporting Female Adolescent Social and Emotional Health Through a Reading Intervention

female adolescence;adolescent stress;adolescent anxiety;developmental bibliotherapy;reading for pleasure;not listed

Bulger, MarissaParé-Blagoev, Juliana ;

Johns Hopkins University

关键词: female adolescence;    adolescent stress;    adolescent anxiety;    developmental bibliotherapy;    reading for pleasure;    not listed;   

Others  :  https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/59971/BULGER-DISSERTATION-2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: JOHNS HOPKINS DSpace Repository

【 摘 要 】

Stress and anxiety is a normal part of the human experience. However, adolescents are especially sensitive to heightened stress and anxiety and can suffer short- and long-term consequences of extreme or sustained duress. Female adolescents in particular report higher levels of stress and anxiety than boys. This study investigated the effects of a bibliotherapeutic reading intervention on student stress, anxiety, and other constructs thought to interact in a system of student social-emotional health including self-beliefs, motivation, emotion, coping response, and academic achievement. A quasi-experimental mixed methods study was conducted with 9th grade females (n = 24) in treatment (n = 13) and delayed treatment (n = 11) groups reading self-selected young adult (YA) novels independently and a teacher-selected YA novel with a class. Data was collected from focus groups, student writing, and pre- and post-measures related to academic dispositions and social and emotional well-being. Quantitative data did not achieve statistical significance but indicated a trend toward reduced stress and anxiety and increased autonomy, suggesting an area for further study. Qualitative data revealed students perceive reading as relaxing and calming, especially when provided with choice. Student writing and focus group responses also suggested that fiction reading prompts students to engage in perspective-taking and apply insights to their own lives. Future research may expand the scope of this study with a larger sample to clarify potential effects of reading on adolescent stress and anxiety and to further investigate the findings regarding student empathy and perspective-taking. Educators may encourage independent reading through choice, relevant texts, and time for reading during the school day.