Phenomenology of bibliotherapy in modifying teacher punitiveness

The authors examined the phenomenology of bibliotherapy and its effects in changing preservice teachers' punitive attitudes toward children. Participa nts (N = 29) were enrolled in a university course (Introduction to Emotiona l Disturbance). Five books by Torey Hayden, autobiographical accounts of re aching and building relationships with students with emotional and behavior al disorders, were read and discussed within the framework of group bibliot herapy. Participants completed a self-report rating form measuring their te ndency toward punitiveness during the first and last weeks of the 15-week s emester. Participants also completed a questionnaire measuring the biblioth erapeutic impact of reading Hayden's texts, and they kept journals about th e experience of reading Hayden. Comparison of the group's pre- and post-mea sures on punitiveness showed a small, albeit significant decrease in puniti veness; decreased punitiveness was associated with the therapeutic impact o f reading Hayden. Phenomenological analysis of the participants' journal en tries revealed that the structure of the experience of reading Hayden was o ne of identification with the protagonist, leading to emotional and cogniti ve learning.