著者

岡村 幸代 平松 清志

出版者

日本読書学会

雑誌

読書科学 (ISSN:0387284X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.55, no.1, pp.1-12, 2013

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<p>The aim of this study is to show, through its focus on changes of impressions, mood, and emotion, how reading aloud storybooks in places of child-raising support has a psychological effect on participating mothers.</p><p>The participants in the study were 106 mother/child pairs (106 mothers) who participated in classes held at community centers within a city (total of 4 locations). In terms of the study procedures, a survey was conducted after establishing the following groups: a "read-aloud with children" group (mothers participate in group storytelling with their children), a "read-aloud without children" group (only the mothers participate in group storytelling), and a "solo-reading" group (mothers are given storybooks to read by themselves). Both before and after the reading activity, the SD method was employed to measure impressions towards the activity, and the survey was carried out using a shortened Japanese version of Profiles of Mood States (POMS), as an index of mood and emotion. Moreover, after completing the activity, a newly-developed questionnaire―The Read-aloud Participation Scale―was administered as an index of degree of involvement in the activity, and a factor analysis was conducted.</p><p>Based on Read-aloud Participation Scale scores, two groups were created; an "Involved group" (with above average scores) and an "Uninvolved group" (scores lower than average). An analysis of variance for the three factors of "participation state," "activity context," and "involved/uninvolved" indicated a main effect for "activity context" for all scales apart from the POMS "vigor" subscale. A main effect for "involved/uninvolved" was only observed for the "vigor" subscale, where post-hoc analysis indicated higher scores for the involved group. No main effects of "participation state" were observed on any of the POMS scales. Interactions were observed for "participation state" and "activity context" for a POMS subscale of "tension/anxiety" and a Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) score calculated by subtracting the vigor scale from the sum of negative subscales. Post-hoc analysis showed that "tension/anxiety" scores were significantly lower for the "read-aloud without children" and "solo-reading" groups, indicating a shift towards lower tension and anxiety. No significant increases or decreases were observed in the "tension/anxiety" scores for the "read-aloud with children" group.</p><p>These results indicate that mothers can experience changes in impressions, mood, and emotion through participating in read-aloud activities. Furthermore, with regard to the involved/uninvolved contrast, more involved mothers tended to be more active. Considering type of participation, the "read-aloud with children" group had higher "tension/anxiety" scores compared to both the "read-aloud without children" and the "solo-reading" groups. This suggests an effect on general mood stability. One reason for this effect may be that in the "read-aloud with children" group, where the mothers engaged in the activity together with their children, the mothers may be more concerned for or pay greater attention to those around them, due to participating with their children.</p>