Amy Stuart

About Amy’s Research:

The Reading Well for teens collection, developed by The Reading Agency, provides curated booklists designed to support teenagers’ mental health and wellbeing across multiple formats, and in response to various issues and challenges. In response to growing concerns about youth mental health, the collection builds upon a tradition of bibliotherapeutic initiatives based on the premise that books can provide young readers with solace and tools for self-reflection, emotional regulation, and resilience.

This PhD project, in collaboration between The University of Glasgow and The Reading Agency, examines how teenagers engage with The Reading Well resources on bereavement and loss, to explore and reflect on aspects of mental health and wellbeing. The study investigates how the resources on the list function as sources of information, conversation starters, and tools for understanding the impact of grief and loss on mental health and wellbeing. Through surveys, interviews, and case studies, the research will identify the factors influencing engagement with the collection, barriers to access, and the role of different book formats (fiction, non-fiction, apps). The findings will provide recommendations to enhance bibliotherapy initiatives, improve accessibility, and inform future mental health and literacy policies.