Reading, health and wellbeing

Here is an archive of reports from various studies of the nationwide impacts of a community 'Shared Reading' programme pioneered by The Reader, a national charity dedicated to using the power of literature and reading aloud to transform lives.

An investigation into the effectiveness of shared reading as a whole population health intervention

Funder: Guy’s and St Thomas’s Charity Foundation.

This study investigates whether The Reader's shared reading groups are an effective whole population health intervention. In collaboration with Goldsmith’s College, the study evaluates the effectiveness of shared reading for distinct groups in SE London (adults and older adults in the community, adults for whom English is a second language, adults who access mental health services or suffer dementia, children in schools).

Assessing the intrinsic value, and health and wellbeing benefits, for individual and community, of The Reader Organisation's Volunteer Reader Scheme

Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Part of the AHRC’s Cultural Value Project, concerned to understand the specific value components of cultural experiences, this project has developed innovative, interdisciplinary methodologies for capturing multi-dimensional aspects of the reading experience. It seeks (1) to identify the unique value of shared reading as it is experienced by individuals and test the hypothesis that serious literature has power to create both individual meaningfulness and a strongly interactive small community; (2) to investigate the inter-relation between intrinsic literary affect and individual mental health and community well-being. For more information, please see reports below.

Read the Cultural Value short report [28MB]

Read the Cultural Value full report [2.8MB]

Shared Reading for Chronic Pain Sufferers

Funder: British Academy

A preliminary investigation of the efficacy for chronic pain sufferers The Reader Organisation’s Get into Reading (GIR) shared read aloud model, as compared with a standard intervention for chronic pain, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). We hypothesise that, where CBT characteristically 'manages' emotions by means of systematic techniques, GIR helps turn passive experience of suffering emotion into articulate contemplation of painful concerns, and that GIR is a potential alternative and/or follow-up to CBT for chronic pain sufferers.

Read the Shared Reading for Chronic Pain Sufferers summary [1.2MB]

Read the Shared Reading for Chronic Pain Sufferers full report [2 MB]

Read to Care: An Investigation into Quality of Life Benefits of Shared Reading Groups for People Living with Dementia

Funder: NHS North West

The primary aim of this project was further to investigate by both quantitative and qualitative methods the impact that engaging in a shared reading group activity (poetry group sessions) had on participants. (2013-1014) Report includes introduction from Melvyn

Read the Read to Care report [22.6 MB]

A Literature-Based Intervention for Women Prisoners

Funder: Department of Health/Home Office.

Partnership with National Personality Disorder Team. Assessing viability of transfer of 'Get into Reading' programme to a secure setting and the benefits of shared reading to the well-being of female prisoners with personality disorder. (2011-2012)

Read the Literature-Based Intervention for Women Prisoners report [1.8MB]