Detecting perfectionist behaviour during literature therapy groups session among adolescents

Abstract

During the pandemic, not only the economic and social effects had to be considered, but also people’s psychological condition required special attention and care. The unusual teaching situation caused by the coronavirus and digital education, which to this day has had an impact on the students’ performance at school, also needs to be mentioned. Digital education has required, from teachers and students alike, to rethink and redesign the teaching material, and how it is delivered. Adjusting to the new situation and being forced to stay at home is a huge emotional burden and a shock for anyone, although we believe that it is especially the young adolescents and adolescents who suffer the most from this, who might feel lost without their friends and peers. Literature, reading, and other similar forms of mental recreation match well with the ‘stay at home’ principle. As we know, the world of books keeps our minds busy and organised, and reading can be a good option to fill in the increased leisure time. The aim of this study is to present the advantages and disadvantages of bibliotherapy for adolescents, focusing on the performance anxiety caused by the epidemic situation. Among other things, it will also describe the procrastination and perfectionist behaviour that emerged during the sessions. We believe that the data obtained from bibliotherapy group sessions can be useful for understanding this phenomenon and for developing targeted interventions in counselling with adolescents and in working with teachers.