Exploring intergenerational shared reading of picturebooks with a focus on older adults: Art, design implications and strategies for wellbeing

This thesis presents doctoral research that explores picturebooks both as a medium and as an object. It focuses on their affordances for supporting older adults' wellbeing through pleasure and empowerment in one-on-one intergenerational shared reading experiences. Picturebooks' multimodal nature allows them to transcend genres, blending with other art forms to engage broader audiences. Traditionally, adults have primarily served as co-readers for children when it comes to picturebooks. However, recent studies have highlighted a shift, with adults increasingly reading picturebooks for personal enjoyment, particularly in the growing trend of crossover picturebooks. While older adults fall under the broader adult category, they are often overlooked as readers of picturebook. Although research highlights the benefits of shared picturebook reading for both children and older adults, most studies primarily focus on children. Thus, this interdisciplinary study investigates the potential of picturebooks to support older adults' well-being in the context of intergenerational shared reading, considering dual readership and addresses the following research question: "How can picturebooks support the well-being of older adults in an intergenerational shared reading experience?" To answer this question, sub-questions are formulated to examine picturebooks' direct or indirect effects on wellbeing, as follows: RQ1) How should old age be represented in picturebooks in order to support intergenerational relationships and older adults' wellbeing? RQ2) What type of picturebooks can engage older adults in shared reading settings? RQ3) What are the design considerations while making a crossover picturebook to support older adults' wellbeing for shared reading experience? Research proceeded in two folds through multiple interrelated studies. In the first fold, studies were conducted to explore the components of picturebooks, including their content and material features, that may contribute to the wellbeing of older adults. Initially, old age representation in picturebooks—a key influence on children's perceptions of aging and intergenerational relationships were analyzed. Next, older adults as picturebook readers were explored, and picturebook features were examined—focusing on content, materiality (object qualities), and interactivity—to enhance their engagement in shared reading settings. Strategies for old-age representation, picturebook themes and material features were elaborated through analysis of primary picturebook sources supported with literature reviews. In the second fold, picturebook prototypes were designed via a participatory approach to define picturebook dynamics that lead to pleasurable reading experiences. In this phase, evaluation and co-creation sessions with older adults were conducted to identify reader preferences and expectations. Child participants were also involved in evaluation sessions to gain insights from their reading experiences. The use of photography and the depiction of nostalgia in picturebooks were identified as key factors in engaging and empowering older adults, facilitating enriched heritage transfer during shared reading. Additionally, multisensory experiences were observed as enriching the enjoyment of both older adults and children. This research emphasizes that picturebooks serve as intergenerational playgrounds, fostering exchange between generations, ultimately enhancing the well-being of shared readers. Crossover picturebooks that appeal to broader audiences—especially those with nostalgic themes and richly depicted, multifaceted older characters—have greater potential to enhance the positive effects of intergenerational shared reading. Research in this area offers new perspectives on how picturebooks, with their multidimensional and multilayered composition, can mediate generational transfer and joy by inviting diverse forms of engagement shaped by the reader's age and experience. Keywords: crossover picturebooks, older adults' wellbeing, intergenerational relationships, participatory design, heritage transfer, old-age representation, materiality, photography, multisensory interaction, nostalgia