Characteristics of couples applying for bibliotherapy via different recruitment strategies: a multivariate comparison

This study compared characteristics of couples with different sexual dysfunctions who were recruited for participation in a bibliotherapy program via two routes: in response to media advertisements and through their presence on a waiting list for therapist-administered treatment in an outpatient sexology clinic. Data were collected from 492 subjects (246 couples). Male sexology patients were younger than media-recruited males. However, type of sexual dysfunction accounted for a substantially larger proportion of variance in the demographic and psychometric data. An interaction effect of recruitment strategy and sexual dysfunction type was found with respect to female anorgasmia. We conclude from the absence of differences between the two study groups that the Wills and DePaulo (1991) model of help-seeking behavior for mental problems does not apply to couples with sexual dysfunctions joining a bibliotherapy program who either primarily requested professional treatment or who responded to media advertising.

Assisted bibliotherapy: effective, efficient treatment for moderate anxiety problems

Specific psychological treatments of proven effectiveness for moderate anxiety disorders are not often easily accessible in general practice. In this study, selected patients were supported in learning skills to manage their symptoms. This approach was efficient, acceptable, and led to clinically significant symptom reduction for a high proportion of patients. This improvement was well sustained at three-month follow-up.

Bibliotherapy: using fiction to help children in two populations discuss feelings

PURPOSE

To identify whether bibliotherapy will help children with short stature and diabetes discuss their feelings and to explore themes that may help children cope with short stature and diabetes.

METHOD

Twenty-seven children, referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, aged 7-16 years, participated in interviews after reading a work of fiction. A semi-structured interview guide was used in both groups to elicit feelings about the work of fiction, feelings of self-esteem, and attitudes toward the condition.

FINDINGS

Children freely discussed their feelings about school experiences and condition-related issues. Several themes emerged from data analysis including the child's development of compensatory attributes, responses to teasing, and management of diabetes.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed that bibliotherapy is an effective nursing intervention in children with short stature and diabetes. Bibliotherapy can be used by nurses to facilitate open discussion between nurses, children, and families.

Manual-assisted cognitive-behaviour therapy (MACT): a randomized controlled trial of a brief intervention with bibliotherapy in the treatment of recurrent deliberate self-harm

BACKGROUND

The treatment of deliberate self-harm (parasuicide) remains limited in efficacy. Despite a range of psychosocial, educational and pharmacological interventions only one approach, dialectical behaviour therapy, a form of cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), has been shown to reduce repeat episodes, but this is lengthy and intensive and difficult to extrapolate to busy clinical practice. We investigated the effectiveness of a new manual-based treatment varying from bibliotherapy (six self-help booklets) alone to six sessions of cognitive therapy linked to the booklets, which contained elements of dialectical behaviour therapy.

METHODS

Thirty-four patients, aged between 16 and 50, seen after an episode of deliberate self-harm, with personality disturbance within the flamboyant cluster and a previous parasuicide episode within the past 12 months, were randomly assigned to treatment with manual-assisted cognitive-behaviour therapy (MACT N = 18) or treatment as usual (TAU N = 16). Assessment of clinical symptoms and social function were made at baseline and repeated by an independent assessor masked to treatment allocation at 6 months. The number and rate of all parasuicide attempts, time to next episode and costs of care were also determined.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients (18 MACT; 14 TAU) were seen at follow-up and 10 patients in each group (56% MACT and 71% TAU) had a suicidal act during the 6 months. The rate of suicidal acts per month was lower with MACT (median 0.17/month MACT; 0.37/month TAU; P = 0.11) and self-rated depressive symptoms also improved (P = 0.03). The treatment involved a mean of 2.7 sessions and the observed average cost of care was 46% less with MACT (P = 0.22).

CONCLUSIONS

Although limited by the small sample, the results of this pilot study suggest that this new form of cognitive-behaviour therapy is promising in its efficacy and feasible in clinical practice.

Evaluating children's literature as a source for patient education

Children's literature can be used to educate patients about illness, surgery, and hospitalization. However, nurses must evaluate popular literature for developmental appropriateness and content accuracy. Developmental considerations for selecting appropriate children's literature as patient education material include cognitive abilities, language development, and children's literary preferences. Content accuracy is judged based on current practice. Twenty-three children's books addressing surgery and hospitalization were reviewed by the senior author. A seven-step process was utilized to determine the appropriateness of each piece of children's literature reviewed. Based on the review, four common content inaccuracies were identified: (a) the depiction of nurses and their roles, (b) parental visitation policies, (c) preoperative preparation requirements, and (d) the depiction of inpatient surgeries that are currently performed on an outpatient basis. Only four of the 23 books reviewed were recommended to prepare children for surgery in the authors' community. The process of reviewing a book is demonstrated using the example of Curious George Goes to the Hospital.

Bibliotherapy in unipolar depression: a meta-analysis

In the last decades, several therapies for unipolar depression have been developed, for example cognitive therapy, behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy. A new kind of therapy is bibliotherapy. What is new in this treatment modality is not the content, because bibliotherapy usually uses a cognitive-behavioral approach. Only the form in which it is presented is new. In bibliotherapy the patient takes a standardized treatment home, in book form, and works it through more or less independently. Contacts with therapists are only supportive or facilitative. No traditional relationship between therapist and patient is developed. In this article the relevance of bibliotherapy for the clinical practice is presented and a meta-analysis of the research into bibliotherapy is described.

Bibliotherapy and beyond

TOPIC

Using literature and television to promote mental health.

PURPOSE

To expand readers' awareness of how literature can be used therapeutically.

SOURCE

The author's personal experience hosting a TV program entitled, "Best Books in Town".

CONCLUSIONS

Discussing literature can promote emotional catharsis, active problem solving, and personal insight in those who chose to participate.

Bibliotherapy: A Valid Treatment Modality: Research-Based Practice

Clients seem already to be reading on their own for help with difficult life situations. As nurses we can further help clients by referring them to appropriate literary resources.

The experience of therapeutic reading

This article describes a qualitative study of therapeutic reading intended to provide understanding of bibliotherapy. Using the Colaizzi method, interviews with eight participants were analyzed and the structure of the experience of therapeutic reading identified. The structure of the experience of therapeutic reading was recognition of self evolving into ways of feeling and ways of knowing. A discussion of the implications of results is presented.

Case studies of bibliotherapy with homeless children

Children who experience homelessness constitute a growing population at-risk for developing mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the use of bibliotherapy with homeless children. A case study method of inquiry was used with drawings, audiotapes and clinical records from a convenience sample of three children living in a transitional homeless shelter. Four themes of homelessness emerged from the case studies. These were labelled "Longing for Affluence," "Escaping Violence," "Shame and Stigma," and "Making Transitions." Therapeutic stories were selected in response to the emergence of each child's own issues and the theme issues. Implications for psychiatric mental health nurses are discussed.

Bibliotherapy: the use of books in psychiatric treatment

The guided use of selected books as an adjunct to treatment is applicable to patients in all stages of life and with a variety of problems. This paper describes the authors' experience using books as an adjunct to therapy with psychiatric patients. The authors define the term, review the literature, and set out the objectives of bibliotherapy. The paper presents some principles to follow when assigning books, and examples of books used for common problems. Finally, examples are given of bibliotherapy in action at two Ontario hospitals, and some future directions are suggested.

Bibliotherapy. The therapeutic use of books for women

Bibliotherapy is the use of literature to help heal. It can be an effective intervention for nurse-midwives to use with clients. Presented is a discussion of how to do bibliotherapy and an annotated bibliography of resources.

Literature: a vehicle for emotional connection between clinician and client

Nurses have used literature in a variety of ways to increase understanding of the problems and dilemmas of their patients. Literature can be used in psychotherapy when a patient either selects a literary work to discuss or writes his or her own work. Incorporation of literature into psychotherapy offers opportunities for discussion that yield important information about the patient as he or she explores conscious and unconscious issues.

Using bibliotherapy in clinical practice with children

This paper focuses on using bibliotherapy in clinical practice with children. The approach is examined and useful books for implementing bibliotherapy are presented.

Using bibliotherapy in clinical practice with children

This paper focuses on using bibliotherapy in clinical practice with children. The approach is examined and useful books for implementing bibliotherapy are presented.

You Are What You Read: The Use of Bibliotherapy to Facilitate Psychotherapy

1. In the course of therapy with individuals or couples, it is sometimes helpful to suggest reading specific material to assist in the therapeutic process. 2. It is important that the therapist be totally familiar with the recommended material and have a specific purpose for the recommendation. 3. The therapeutic interaction, rather than the reading of material, is the focus of the treatment. 4. Such reading may prove helpful because it becomes an educational experience and comprehension of a concept is increased; the material can be "validating" when written by someone unknown to the client who has had a shared experience; and it can remove a struggle for control from the therapeutic relationship by giving information or opinions directly to the client.

Comparative efficacy of cognitive and behavioral bibliotherapy for mildly and moderately depressed older adults

The efficacy of bibliotherapy for mildly and moderately depressed older adults was examined. Cognitive bibliotherapy and behavioral bibliotherapy were compared with a delayed-treatment control condition. Results indicate that the two experimental conditions were superior to the control condition, but that the cognitive and behavioral bibliotherapies were nondifferentially efficacious. Sixty-six percent of the subjects demonstrated clinically significant change. There were no specific effects associated with either the cognitive or the behavioral interventions. Treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. The implications of bibliotherapy for geriatric depression as an alternative or adjunct to traditional treatments are discussed.