Citation

Lutzker JR, Crozier JL, Lutzker SZ. Educ. Treat. Child. 1981; 4(2): 115-124.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, West Virginia University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The study examined the effects of two kinds of literature on the negative physical and verbal behavior of nine preschool children. Each day during baseline, stories whose content was considered "neutral" were read to the children. During the next 12 days the children were read stories with "morals" designed to show positive behavior change. However, the "moral" books contained descriptions of the inappropriate behavior that was supposed to be changed. After each story session the children were observed in a snack and clean-up situation. Increases in negative physical and negative verbal behavior were observed in the children during the "moral" book condition. Five sessions of neutral books were again read to the children during a return to baseline condition. The children's rates of negative physical and negative verval behavior decreased below their rates during the "moral" book condition. The study provides a model for direct assessment of a common preschool practice and how it affects children's behavior and has implications for "bibliotherapy" as a behavior modification tool.

Language: en