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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Mihirini Sirisena, Professor Eileen KanerORCiD, Dr Angela Wearn
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.Reading for Wellbeing (RfW) is a pilot initiative, aimed at improving mental health and well-being through supporting access and increasing opportunities to read for pleasure. RfW was implemented across six North-East local authorities in England and employed Community Reading Workers to support access to books and reading for targeted populations. The current study used realist methodology to understand context, potential mechanisms of action, acceptability and reported outcomes. Data generation and analysis were conducted iteratively, using focus groups, interviews and observations. The analysis of the collated data highlighted that a positive attitude towards reading and a desire for social connections were significant motivators for engagement with RfW. This paper postulates eight programme theories relating to that context, which describe key mechanisms within RfW linked to engagement with reading, well-being, connections and practice. The paper concludes that previous notions of positivity associated with reading for pleasure enable participants to experience RfW as a positive social encounter. This positive social encounter enhances participants’ multiple resistance resources such as increased sense of self-efficacy and connectedness that could impact on their sense of well-being.
Author(s): Sirisena M, Lhussier M, Kaner E, Wearn A, Gray J, James R, Redgate S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Medical Humanities
Year: 2024
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 30/04/2024
Acceptance date: 21/03/2024
Date deposited: 13/05/2024
ISSN (print): 1468-215X
ISSN (electronic): 1473-4265
Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2023-012880
DOI: 10.1136/medhum-2023-012880
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