This digest suggests that bibliotherapy is a potentially powerful method for school teachers and counselors to use on many levels and in every school grade. It begins with a brief review of the history of bibliotherapy; continues with a discussion of some approaches to bibliotherapy (interactive, clinical, and developmental); then addresses the…

A number of factors have an impact on reading needs and interests of older people as compared with younger adults. Patterns of reading interests are visible but not generally applicable to the entire group of older patrons. Library programs, bibliotherapy, reading aids and further research are discussed in terms of these findings. (32 references)…

Argues that bibliotherapy can be used to help children develop reading comprehension skill and to use that skill to understand their own personal and social development in a better way. Provides a list of books suitable for bibliotherapy. (FL)

Describes a technique which teachers can use to help students adjust to the problems of growing from childhood to adulthood. The technique consists of a three-stage process of bibliotherapy: identification, catharsis, and insight. (Author/DB)

Cautions that biography about adults, written for children, should not be allowed to replace other forms of literature, such as fairy tales, that are psychologically healthier for children's emotional levels. Biography tends to prematurely impose highly complex rational descriptions of life upon unprepared minds. (RAA)

Attempted to evaluate a readily available comprehensive bibliothearpy smoking cessation program and the impact of smoking and nonsmoking behavior of a spouse on the individual to stop smoking. Results suggest that motivation is an important variable in smoking cessation. (Author)

Lists books that correspond to Erikson's fifth stage of development--sense of identity--that can be used by teenagers to aid understanding of themselves.

This annotated bibliography describes literature for children that addresses issues concerned with developmental disabilities. The 15 references are grouped into those for children in prekindergarten through grade three and those for children in grades four through eight. (DB)

Discusses several myths and underscores some active ingredients of couples counseling. The adjunctive value of bibliotherapy is presented and the interactions among such components as similarity, compatibility, mood, disposition, temperament, and communication are elucidated. Clinical vignettes illustrate several crucial issues and principles.…

Examined efficacy of bibliotherapy for 67 mildly and moderately depressed older adults. Cognitive and behavioral bibliotherapy were compared with delayed-treatment control condition. Results indicated that both experimental conditions were superior to control condition; cognitive and behavioral bibliotherapies were nondifferentially effective.…

Increased sharing behavior of preschoolers (N=6) by exposing group to: (1) books with themes on sharing, (2) a puppet presentation of book characters modeling sharing behavior, and (3) child use of puppets to portray book character sharing behavior. Found combined bibliotherapy and puppetry increased preschooler sharing behavior. (Author/CM)

Describes problems of children in adoptive care and the use of bibliotherapy by parents who adopt children. Includes a list of 20 books which relate to adoption and provides suggestions for follow-up activities. (RJC)

Speculates on what might be gained by using three of Robert Cormier's novels ("I Am the Cheese,""The Chocolate War," and "After the First Death") in the high school classroom. Suggests that the novels can be used not only as compelling literary works but also as a means of helping students understand what is happening…

Describes the resolution scrapbook as a therapeutic technique in which traumatized children complete treatment activities and compile them in the form of a scrapbook. Describes how scrapbook activities facilitate children's resolution of trauma effects, and how children's progress through the phases of treatment becomes a lasting record for the…

Finds that senior staff at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, DC, were consistently positive in their evaluation of bibliotherapy as a modality. Discusses the kinds of patients that benefit the most and the least from bibliotherapy. (RS)