Bibliotherapy. Supporting Children's Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic Through Picture Books

Lea Herrmann

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Master's Thesis from the year 2022 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works, grade: 2,0, Karlsruhe Un...

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Master's Thesis from the year 2022 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works, grade: 2,0, Karlsruhe University of Education, language: English, abstract: This thesis investigates the process of bibliotherapy and conducts a content analysis on how children's mental health was supported and improved during the Covid-19 pandemic through picture books. The results of this research can provide information for parents, teachers and caregivers on choosing appropriate picture books for bibliotherapy. When Covid-19 arrived, the disease quickly spread fear, confusion, and panic, resulting in a lockdown which affected many countries around the globe. Children's routines were abruptly changed, and a lot of contrasting information was spread about the virus. During this time, people had to reach out for mental, emotional and physical help more than ever. On the one hand, having to stay alone at home as well as social distancing brought loneliness, boredom and fatigue. On the other hand, being confined with others increased the stress on relationships. The pandemic increased children's exposure to domestic and sexual violence, and greatly reduced their contact to other important people in their lives. For children, effective intervention measures were crucial to assist them throughout the pandemic so that they gained a better understanding of how to handle situations effectively. Systematic reading for therapeutic purposes can improve coping strategies and help make more informed decisions. Reading stories with children can open a safe space, teach them that they are not alone, provide insight into what is happening around them and offer information that can help them overcome their circumstances. Numerous approaches can be used to assist children in dealing with difficult situations. One of these can be bibliotherapy, a valuable intervention that can help by coping with the effects of a lockdown and paying specific attention to the changed situation. It can allow children to face the uncertainty produced by school lockdowns and the inability to see friends and family. Bibliotherapy can provide guidance in identifying problems, discussing feelings, and exploring possible solutions. Books have been a tool of change and can assist in making decisions and coping with difficult situations.