Bibliotherapy Research Articles

Healing Power of Wordsworth’s Romantic Poetry

Poetry has immense potential to soothe the senses and heat the wounds. Through poetry, mental health and peace of mind can be maintained with pace immeasurable. The waves of passion that runs through poet’s sensibility, soothes the senses of the readers. Poetry reading, writing and listening casts good therapeutic effects. Poetry provides peace, calmness, and comfort to the minds by elevating mood in distress and duress. Studies show that poetry therapy proves a boon to patients suffering from serious ailments and augment their emotional resilience and brings joy in their life. Our brains are electrified with rhyme and rhythm of the poetry to give emotional reaction to joy and sadness both. Like sweet melody of music, poetry heals our emotional hurts. The metaphors embellish the poetic lines with magical brilliance, and they glitter with astute meaning and message. Diction plays a very emphatic role in discerning poet’s leanings. Reflection, perception and attachment are interwoven in diction so inextricably that they turn poet’s mouthpiece, and roar and rave with perfect resonance to poetic experiences. Through the intoxicated taken-for- grantedness of the laidback reading public will take somersault by the melody of the tone and exquisiteness of diction. The paper, however, explores how poetry can be a natural tool to heal mental stress, trauma, and agony and maintain mental health well. We will examine some poetic utterances of great romantic poet William Wordsworth and see how they can be a tool to heal the emotional hurts and wounds. Moreover, we will too examine that how the nature can extend peace, purpose, poise to mind.

Effectiveness of a transdiagnostic emotion regulation training in an at-risk sample: a randomized-controlled trial of group-based training versus self-help bibliotherapy.

Subclinical psychotic, depression, and anxiety symptoms form a transdiagnostic 'at-risk state' for the development of mental disorders. Emotion regulation has been identified as a transdiagnostic factor relevant to the formation of these symptoms that can be successfully addressed in clinical interventions. Here, we tested whether a group-based emotion regulation training would be effective in reducing distress and at preventing the transition to mental disorders in an at-risk sample. Participants with distressing subclinical psychotic, depression, or anxiety symptoms (n=138) were randomly allocated to either the 8-week group-based affect regulation training (ART; Springer, New York) or an 8-week self-help bibliotherapy (BT). They underwent biweekly measurements during the intervention, as well as at a six- and 12-month follow-up. In an exploratory analysis, we tested whether the ART would be superior to BT in preventing the transition to any mental disorder at 12-month follow-up. We also tested for differences in trajectories of psychopathology and emotion regulation (via questionnaires) and emotion regulation in daily life (via the experience-sampling method). Participants in the ART condition showed a greater improvement of emotion regulation in daily life than those with BT, but the ART was not superior over BT in preventing the transition to mental disorders. There were significant longitudinal reductions from pre- to post-intervention for general psychopathology and symptoms but no superiority of the ART over BT. Despite its efficacy in improving emotion regulation skills, the ART does not produce effects on psychopathology that justify its recommendation over self-help approaches.

Effects of Poetry on Relaxation and Liberalism of Thoughts and Feelings: A Case Study of Poets, Poetry Readers, and Therapists

Poetry is the most potent expression of emotions and sentiments. The language of beauty and expression takes both the reader and the writer to another realm of imagination. Reading and writing poetry may be the most effective therapy for dealing with any emotional condition. Poetry may be utilized in various ways by therapists, readers, and writers to obtain advantages that improve their physical, social, and emotional well-being. While there has been a lot of study on poetic therapy in general, there has been very little research on how poets, writers, and therapists utilize poetry. The study hypotheses that poetry has no impact on readers and authors to disclose their feelings. To validate this hypothesis the researcher has adapted qualitative method for analyzing data collected by means of interviews that held with, the readers, authors, and therapists. The study found 25 poetry enthusiasts including poetry readers, writers and enthusiasts in Duhok, Iraq in Nawroz University in College of language-English department. All of the participants were interviewed, both online and in-person, and their interviews have been audio recorded for the research. The answers were analyzed, and three findings were drawn: the impact of poetry on relaxation and liberalization of ideas and emotions, the effect of poetry therapy, and poetry therapy methods. According to this research, poetry is an excellent tool for readers and authors to explore emotions and feelings and offer expression. The usage of poetry therapy has also been shown to have beneficial reward for therapists while conducting it with their patients as tool for treatment. Its worthy to note that the current research does not focus on a particular type of poetry. It rather follows on eclectic approach ie taking different types of poetry written in different languages into account.

Cognitive bibliotherapy for delinquent adolescents with psychopathic disorder: a quasi-experimental study

ABSTRACT Bibliotherapy is used as a low-cost, non-pharmacological intervention in the treatment of many mental disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive bibliotherapy on personality traits of psychopathic disorder in delinquent adolescents. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and posttest design and experimental and control groups. The study's statistical population consisted of all 160 male adolescents at the Tehran Correctional Center, and the samples consisted of 30 persons with psychopathic personalities. They were selected by purposive sampling. After the bibliotherapy and poetry therapy intervention, there was a significant difference in the overall score of psychopathic traits between the experimental and control groups favoring the experimental group (P = 0.001). The findings showed that bibliotherapy and poetry therapy intervention reduced personality traits of psychopathy in delinquent adolescents, thus it can be concluded that bibliotherapy effectively reduces and improves the traits that constitute a psychopathic disorder.

Holding environment, mirroring, and transitional object: Their roles in a writing group for adults with major mental illness

Members of a writing group for adults with major mental illness, operating within a poetry therapy frame, wrote and interacted during weekly meetings. Data collected included field notes, member writings, and transcripts from both group meetings and interviews. Group sessions served as a safe environment that supported positive engagement. The mirroring practice of reading aloud and listening to each other allowed members to “see,” and “be seen by” each other. Member writings served as transitional objects leading both to healing and creative play. I argue here that Winnicott’s theory, although originally conceived to explain parent-child relationships, offers insight into the experiences of adult writers with mental health challenges as they expressed themselves through writing and shared that writing with others.

Needed words: poetry therapy and the circle of hope

ABSTRACT This article, drawn from the author’s keynote address presented at the National Association for Poetry Therapy annual conference on 29 April 2022, provides a professional and personal perspective on the benefits of poetry therapy in promoting unity and facilitating healthy transitions. The power of poetry therapy lies in its effectiveness in both helping clients through painful or difficult emotions, and in helping them find wonder and beauty and renewed vitality. The search for unity is considered in the context of unity with others, within the self, and with Nature. Important transitions are considered both as expectable developmental changes, such as aging, and as responses to unexpected or external events. The paper emphasizes the importance of hope and the role of imagination in poetry therapy and also suggests a wide range of appropriate literature, including both published poetry, and a number of the author’s own poems.

Effectiveness of Group Poetry Therapy of Mazza's Multidimensional Model (Based on the Romantic Debates of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh) on Response to Intrusion Memories, Automatic Thoughts and Affect Balance in Female Students with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Objective: Iranian culture has always been mixed with Persian poetry and literature. Poetry therapy is also considered one of the complementary methods of psychotherapy. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of group poetry therapy of Mazza's multidimensional model (based on Shahnameh Ferdowsi's romantic debates) on Response to Intrusions, automatic thoughts, and affect balance in female students with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental. The statistical population included all students living in the dormitory of Farhangian University of Ardabil, and from this population, during three stages, 20 participants with premenstrual dysphoric disorder were selected as samples in two experimental and control groups. Measures including the Response to Intrusions Questionnaire, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and Affect Balance Scale were performed on both groups, and the poetry therapy protocol based on Shahnameh Ferdowsi's romantic debates was performed on the experimental group. Results: The findings showed that after controlling the effects of the pre-test, the experimental group had a significant improvement in each of the factors of negative interpretation (F= 40.990, p<0.01), rumination (F=23.367, p<0.01), suppression (F=13.753, p<0.01), distress (F=16.924, p<0.01), automatic thoughts (F=28.874, p<0.01), positive affect balance (F=13.892, p<0.01) and negative affect balance (F=55.887, p<0.01). Conclusion: Based on findings, Ferdowsi's romantic debates in the context of group therapy can lead to a reduction of PMDD symptoms by launching positive therapeutic components such as catharsis and empathy.

Passion with Profession: Exploring John Keats as a Poet-Physician

Poetry has played pivot in healthcare system of the world as an alternative to medicine to heal the mental anguish of the readers.as well as the writers. It has immense impact on healing of the hurts of the readers. The power and potential of the poetry in palliative and hospice care is well proven. It has proven a panacea to both the patient and physicians in an ebullient way. The poetic therapy has been used by the experts in psychiatry to heal the angst, anguish, hurts of the minds of the people. Through poetry, mental health and peace of mind can be maintained with pace immeasurable. The waves of passion that runs through poet’s sensibility, soothes the senses of the readers. Poetry reading, writing and listening casts good therapeutic effects. Poetry provides peace, calmness, and tranquilly to the minds of the readers by elevating mood in distress and duress. Studies show that poetry therapy has proven a boon to patients suffering from serious ailments and to augment their emotional resilience and brings joy in their life. Our brains are electrified with rhyme and rhythm of the poetry to give emotional reaction to joy and sadness both. Like sweet melody of music, poetry heals our emotional hurts. The metaphors embellish the poetic lines with magical brilliance, and they glitter with astute meaning and message. Diction plays a very emphatic role in discerning poet’s leanings. Reflection, perception and attachment are interwoven in diction so inextricably that they turn poet’s mouthpiece, and roar and rave with perfect resonance to poetic experiences. The paper, however, pinpoints poetry’s indefinable role to heal mental stress, trauma, and agony and to maintain good mental health well. We will examine some poetic utterances of great romantic poet and physician John Keats and its therapeutic effects. We will also observe how the John Keats’ poetry radiates beams of healing and can play multifaceted role in healthcare.

Poetry as a Resource for Restoring Emotional Balance

Objective. The article is aimed at analyzing the poetic experience of amateurs, members of the community of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav (HSUP), as an effective psychotherapeutic method of restoring emotional balance during the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine; considering the participation of librarians of other higher education institutions of Ukraine in poetry during wartime. Methods. The experience of amateur poets birthed through pain, love, suffering, care during March-October 2022, in the period of Russian-Ukrainian war, is analyzed in the context of poetry therapy as a resource for restoring emotional balance and vital energy. Results. Creation of author’s poems, including amateur texts, gives us the opportunity to fantasize, develop our hidden abilities, as well as to read and communicate with other like-minded people. This is clearly demonstrated in the work of wartime by students, teachers, and librarians. Conclusions. Every creative person shows pain in their own format available to them. In this way of self-healing, a person becomes calmer, restores the mental atmosphere, meets their inner “I.”

Maintaining Mental Health through Poetry

Poetry is the passion that a poet possesses in genes, and through poetry, mental health and peace of mind can be maintained at a pace immeasurable. The waves of passion that run through the poet’s sensibility soothe the readers' senses. Poetry reading, writing, and listening cast good therapeutic effects. Poetry provides peace, calmness, and comfort to the minds by elevating moods in distress and duress. Studies show that poetry therapy has proven a boon to patients suffering from serious ailments, augments their emotional resilience, and brings joy. Our brains are electrified with the rhyme and rhythm of the poetry to give emotional reactions to joy and sadness. Like the sweet melody of music, poetry heals our emotional hurts. The metaphors embellish the poetic lines with magical brilliance and glitter with astute meaning and message. Diction plays a very decisive role in discerning the poet’s leanings. Reflection, perception, and attachment are interwoven in diction so inextricably that they turn the poet’s mouthpiece and roar and rave with perfect resonance to poetic experiences. Through the intoxicated taken-for- grantedness of the laidback reading public will take a turn at the melody of the tone and exquisiteness of diction.
 The paper, however, explores how poetry can be a natural tool to heal mental stress, trauma, and agony and maintain mental health. We will examine some poetic utterances of great poets like Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Emily Dickinson, Kamala Das, etc. Moreover, we will also examine how nature can extend peace, purpose, and poise to the mind.

“Through my poems, I wanted a sense of recognition”: Afghan unaccompanied refugee minors’ experiences of poetic writing, migration, and resettlement

ABSTRACT This paper concerns young adults who came to Sweden from Afghanistan as unaccompanied refugee minors (UMs) and their engagement with poetry and other creative activities. The aim was to explore how UMs use poetic writing and other creative activities to handle resettlement challenges. Seven young men and six young women, aged 18–24, participated in semi-structured interviews. The material was analyzed using the three components of poetry therapy, developed by Mazza. Three themes were identified: (1) Encouragement; (2) Creative expressions as a “safe place”; and (3) A sense of recognition. Through creative expressions, our participants could understand and handle the emotional difficulties and the insecurity associated with resettlement. Poetic writing was a way to convey personal experiences of injustices, a source of self-understanding, and a way to establish new social networks. We discuss and present suggestions on how poetry and other creative activities can be integrated in interventions toward UMs.

Therapeutic Storytelling Intervention to Reduce Stress Level in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Proses pengobatan melalui kemoterapi pada anak dengan Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) membutuhkan waktu yang lama dan merupakan proses yang menyakitkan. Hal ini menyebabkan munculnya stres pada anak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menerapkan intervensi therapeutic storytelling untuk menurunkan tingkat stres anak. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini adalah 2 anak ALL berusia 10-12 tahun yang menjalani kemoterapi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen semu dengan desain penelitian subjek tunggal (small-n). Intervensi diberikan melalui proses mendongeng dengan buku cerita yang disusun oleh peneliti. Ceritanya melibatkan elemen positif (Cope, Hope, Inner Strengths, Love, dan Dream) yang membantu anak untuk mengidentifikasi elemen positif yang mereka miliki yang dapat mereka gunakan untuk melakukan tinjauan terhadap situasi yang dihadapi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terapi storytelling dapat menurunkan tingkat stres pada anak ALL.

Effect of Masnavi-based Poetry Therapy on Anxiety, Depression and Stress of Women with Breast Cancer

Background: Breast cancer patients’ psychological problems affect different aspects of their life, such as quality of life and response to treatments. Objectives: This research aimed to study the effectiveness of Masnavi-based poetry therapy on anxiety, depression, and stress in patients with breast cancer. Methods: The study was conducted on 91 patients with breast cancer. They were divided into the poetry therapy group (n = 31) and no intervention as the control group (n = 60). The intervention group attended six sessions of weekly Masnavi-based poetry therapy. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) questionnaires were completed by patients before, one week, and two months after the intervention. Results: Depression, anxiety, and stress were not significantly different between the two groups at the baseline. Poetry therapy decreases anxiety, depression, and stress of patients based on DASS-21 after one week and eight weeks in the intervention group (P = 0.006, P = 0.001, P = 0.01, respectively). One week after the intervention, the scores for depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly lower in the poetry therapy group than those in the control group (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, P = 0.03, respectively). All depression, anxiety, and stress presentations were significantly improved in the poetry therapy group in comparison to the control group at the end of week eight (P = 0.01, P = 0.03, P = 0.02, respectively). Conclusions: Group poetry therapy as useful psychotherapy could decrease anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer.

CBT structures and strategies in the lyrics of Kacey Musgraves

ABSTRACT The lyrics of several Kacey Musgraves songs fit many of the criteria for usefulness in Poetry Therapy while employing many of the same structures and strategies found in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Thus, they provide an invaluable tool for considering the therapeutic value of poetry in the literature classroom, and, potentially, for application in the clinical setting. Musgraves’ lyrics reflect universal experience and emotion, use clear language, and offer hope while dealing realistically with suffering. Several of her songs written in second person specifically follow a model similar to that of CBT. These songs help the listener to identify and reflect on the cognitive distortions behind anxiety and depression. They use metaphors to help listeners achieve greater awareness of mental processes and emotional states. Finally, they correct cognitive distortions and provide alternate metaphors that encourage more adaptive thinking and actions.

Psychological healing function of poetry appreciation based on educational psychology and aesthetic analysis.

With the development of society, the rapidly developing social environment has played a significant role in the particular group of college students. College students will inevitably suffer setbacks and psychological obstacles in their studies and daily life. This work aims to ameliorate college students’ various mental illnesses caused by anxiety and confusion during the critical period of status transformation. Educational psychology theory, aesthetic theory, and poetry appreciation are applied to the mental health education of college students to obtain a satisfying psychological healing effect. First, this work summarizes the connotation and characteristics of college student’s mental health and defines educational psychology. Secondly, the long tradition of Chinese poetry teaching is introduced. Besides, the theoretical basis of poetry therapy and aesthetic psychology is expounded, and foreign poetry is discussed. In addition, poetry appreciation is used to promote personality shaping and psychological healing of college students based on the theory of educational psychology and poetry appreciation psychotherapy. In addition, mental health education for college students is studied from the perspectives of psychological health, mental health education, college students’ mental health education, and appreciation of ancient poetry. In addition, the principle and significance of college students’ mental health education are discussed from the perspective of poetry appreciation. Finally, an experimental study is conducted on college students and patients in a specific hospital department by issuing questionnaires to verify the practical application effect of this method in psychotherapy. The survey results indicate that the scores of college students who have completed a one-semester poetry appreciation course in different dimensions of mental disorders are lower than those of those who have not completed the course. At the same time, in the scores of 16 personality traits, the positive trait scores of the experimental group are higher than those of the control group. Comparing scores before and after class also reflects the positive effect of poetry appreciation intervention on college students’ personality shaping. It can be concluded that poetry appreciation has a strong effect on promoting college students’ mental health and personality shaping and improving college students’ psychological problems.

Therapeutic Poems for Advancing Coping, Empathy, and Cultural Well-Being

From the perspective of poetry therapy, the author relates Western views of poetic time, rhythm, literary creation, and metaphoric language to ancient Chinese conceptions of literature and to the haiku tradition. The author analyzes and develops practical approaches to using haiku for therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventive purposes. In haikus, he detects potential to explorative and meditative self- and communal transformation, flexible coping with current anxieties, and the advancement of social and cultural well-being. The ecopoetic applications of haiku pave way to more empathic connections of human beings to nature and the whole cosmos.

Effects of a group poetry therapy program on stress, anxiety, ego-resilience, and psychological well-being of nursing students

This quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest study developed a 10-session group poetry therapy program for nursing students and examined effects on clinical training, job-seeking stress, anxiety, ego-resilience, and psychological well-being. Forty-nine nursing students were conveniently recruited (experimental group n = 24, control group n = 25). Program construction used the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model and Mazza's poetry therapy practice model. Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed significant decreases in stress and anxiety and significant improvements in ego-resilience and psychological well-being immediately after intervention, maintained at 5-week follow-up. The program can be a beneficial intervention for individuals experiencing various degrees of stress.

Interdisciplinary healing power of words

ABSTRACT Story Emotion Social Therapy, a new interdisciplinary mental health and speech-language pathology framework, is based upon the healing power of words. This framework is designed to complement varied interprofessional therapeutic approaches to meet the complexity of human needs. Cognitive behavioral therapy and story grammar bridge the disciplines, and is supported by emotional intelligence, mindfulness, narrative therapy, poetry therapy, and narrative language. Individuals learn to identify and tell personal stories, recognize thoughts and emotions, and incorporate more realistic cognitive mindsets. Interdisciplinary roles are detailed. Practical applications and client vignettes are included.

The effect of poetry therapy on personal and social performance and self-esteem in patients with mental disorder

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to look into the impact of poetry therapy program on personal and social performance as well as self-esteem in patients with mental illnesses (schizophrenia and bipolar syndrome). The research is an experimental study that employs pretest and posttest models. It was conducted with follow-up patients at the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), between 8 February 2022 and 4 April 2022. The data were collected with Personal Information Form, Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. There is a significant difference in the patients’ self-esteem scores after therapy based on their group (t (25) = –2.396; p = .024 < .05). The control group's posttherapy self-esteem scores (x̄ = 3.333) were found to be higher than the treatment group's posttherapy self-esteem scores (x̄ = 1.917). There was a significant increase in posttherapy personal and social performance level (x̄ = 66.319) compared to pretherapy personal and social performance level (x̄ = 61.806) (t = –3.223; p = .008 < .05).

Discovery of Existential Paralysis, Death, and Resolve in Autoethnographic Poetry of Taufiq Rafat through Poundian Image: A Study of Poetic Therapy

Poetry therapy is a very useful technique tocope with extremely unbearable emotional experiencesin the lives of poets by manoeuvring autoethnographicpoems as a form of self-therapy. It engages a process ofself-disclosure to transform the developmental changestaking place in the affective domain of humans to bringemotional equilibrium. The poetic techniques ofconjuring subjective images in superposition withobjective metaphors – Poundian Image – imply theexistential themes of loss, death, dread,meaninglessness, void, resolve, etc., to relate theotherwise inarticulable emotional states. This paperseeks to investigate Taufiq Rafat's autoethnographicpoems about loss and death in his family from hisanthology Half Moon: Poems (1979-1983) to discoverhis existential thematic dimensions – fear of death,existential paralysis, the journey towards death,existential resolve through spiritual relief, andeverlasting memories – to come to term with theultimate reality of death using Ezra Pound'stheorization of Poundian image. Moreover, the studyalso takes into account the use of ethnographic poemsas self-therapy.