The Process of Personal Change Through Reading Fictional Narratives: Implications for Psychotherapy Practice and Theory

Abstract

This qualitative study provides an understanding of how and when individuals experience transformational change as a consequence of reading narratives. Six participants who attributed significant personal changes to reading were recruited and interviewed. The investigators used grounded theory method to analyze these interviews and identify processes through which change unfolded. The core category of the analysis was identification with characters' experiences created a safe venue to consider threat and experiment with new possibilities and perspectives. Empathizing with protagonists enabled readers to integrate new modes of responding to personally difficult situations. Implications for bibliotherapy and narrative therapy are discussed.

Notes

Note. N ¹ = The number of participants of 6 who endorsed that cluster. N ² = The number of participants of 6 who endorsed that category.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Heidi M. Levitt

Heidi Levitt, Ph.D., is an associate professor at The University of Memphis. She graduated from York University in 1998. Her research focuses upon psychotherapy process and outcome, the construction of genders within cultures, and domestic violence. Within her work on psychotherapy, she studies narrative and silent processes, and conducts research to develop grounded principles for moment-to-moment change across psychotherapy orientation. She teaches graduate-level courses on qualitative methods in psychology. The coauthors on this article were all graduate students in this course at the time this research project was initiated.