Abstract
The relationship between reading and well-being is gaining increasing interest among those working in research, policy and practice, as we seek to better understand if, and how, reading books supports wellbeing. To date, the majority of research has focused on children and young people, neglecting to consider the well-being benefits that reading books may have later in life. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 15 older adults (aged 63–83) from the UK, we provide novel insights into how reading fiction supports feelings of positive affect (emotions elicited by, and influencing, reading experiences), connection (to fictional characters, settings, and authors, in addition to real-life others) and personal growth (lifelong reflection, empathy and enhanced understanding of others, and improved knowledge and communication). This article provides much needed nuanced insights into the role of fiction book reading later in life. Implications for practice and future research directions are suggested.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Reading Research Quarterly |
Early online date | 21 Jan 2025 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 21 Jan 2025 |
Keywords
- Reading fiction
- Psychological wellbeing
- Older adulthood
- Positive affect
- Connection
- Personal growth
- Lifelong reflection
- Empathy
- Understanding others
- Improved knowledge
- Communication
- Well-being benefits
- Aging and literature
- Fiction and emotions
- Qualitative research
- Interviews with older adults
- UK older adults
- Emotional engagement
- Character connection
- Reading and empathy