John Jacob CMI

Paper: Taking in the Good Based Bibliotherapy Intervention

Abstract: Adolescent depression is a severe mental health problem and depressed female adolescents habitually seek and retain negative experiences because of their dysfunctional attitude and negative bias. The current study combines the theory of taking in the good and principles of bibliotherapy to develop an innovative psychotherapy intervention to reduce depression among female adolescent high school students. Taking in the Good aims at deliberate internalization of positive experiences in the implicit memory through the four steps of HEAL: 1) Have a positive experience; 2) Enrich it; 3) Absorb it; 4) Link positive and negative material, turning everyday experiences into good neural structure. Bibliotherapy is the deliberate use of the written materials for healing and development, where clients are assisted to read a specific section of a book or a topic that would help to relieve their mental burdens. By practicing the HEAL methods and by obtaining insight through the application of bibliotherapy, depressed female adolescents overcome their prevailing bias of negativity, they find a positive meaning in ordinary and stressful daily events and they will see themselves, others and the world in new ways.

Extensive application of positive neuroplasticity program like the current approach could make clinical psychology and psychotherapy treatment more satisfying and further engaging to clients. Current research is conducted among female adolescents in the Philippines; longitudinal research is recommended to confirm the strength and lasting effect of the researcher-designed innovative intervention program. In the existing scenario of under-diagnosed, untreated cases of females suffering from depression, the hurdles faced by Indian women include inadequate number of mental health professionals, lack of awareness, stigma, deprived position of women, manifold roles, augmented levels of stress, and domestic violence. The intervention is a thrust for school and college community to endow students with stable registration of positive experience in their lives. The positive psychologists need to motivate, educate and empower the clients to use influential intervention that is supported by positive neuroplasticity.

                                                                                     

John Jacob CMI obtained M.A. in counseling psychology at De La Salle University and PhD in clinical psychology at University of Santo Tomas, Manila. His research interests include positive neuroplasticity, positive psychology, depression and adolescents. Presently he is the Rector of Mary Immaculate Minor Seminary, Mannanam, Kerala, India.