Fiction Book Reading and Wellbeing
In‐Depth Insights From Children
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17545402 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nicola K Currie (0000-0003-4160-5543, Psychology Department Edge Hill University Ormskirk UK, corresponding author), Katherine Wilkinson (0000-0002-2692-5533, Scottish Book Trust Edinburgh UK), Christina Clark (0000-0002-5389-4373, National Literacy Trust London UK), Gemma Moss (0000-0003-4441-2974, Institute of Education University College London London UK), Sarah McGeown (0000-0002-4877-8204, Moray House School of Education and Sport University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Research in Reading (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0141-0423 • E-ISSN: 1467-9817 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9817.70024 |
| OpenAlex | W7160335554 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 36 |
Background The relationship between book reading and psychological wellbeing is gaining interest among those working in research, policy and practice, as we seek to better understand whether, and how, reading can support wellbeing. Yet, wellbeing has historically been poorly defined within reading research, and we lack a nuanced understanding of the ways in which children's book reading may support their psychological wellbeing. Methods Twenty‐four children (aged 9–11) from schools in England or Scotland participated in individual interviews to explore their reading experiences in depth, examining the relationship between their fiction book reading and psychological wellbeing, with a focus on the wellbeing concepts of positive affect, connection and personal growth. Results Fiction reading supported children's (a) positive emotions, through diverse emotional experiences, (b) feelings of connection, through connection to fictional characters, story events and real‐life others and (c) personal growth, through perceptions of a range of social, emotional, intellectual and educational benefits. Conclusions This study provides new and in‐depth insights, significantly expanding current understanding of how fiction book reading can support children's wellbeing. Educational implications, future research directions and limitations are discussed
Connection (principal bundle) · Feeling · Focus (optics) · Perception · Reading (process) · Reading motivation · Library Science and Administration · Media Influence and Health · Reading and Literacy Development
Emotion and narrative fiction
The greatest magic of H arry P otter
The Role of a Narrative's Emotional Flow in Promoting Persuasive Outcomes
On Happiness and Human Potentials
The Imaginative Engagement Scale
Different fiction genres take children’s memories to different places
Leisure Reading (But Not Any Kind) and Reading Comprehension Support Each Other—A Longitudinal Study Across Grades 1 and 9
Temporarily Expanding the Boundaries of the Self
Reading During Adolescence
Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research
The link between fiction and teenagers’ reading skills
Engagement With Young Adult Literature
Using thematic analysis in psychology
| Highly cited | No |
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