Examination of characters in children's literature works based on Alfred Adler's inferiority complex and superiority complex

This study aims to examine the reflections of inferiority and superiority complexes on characters in children's literature within the context of Alfred Adler's Theory of Individual Psychology and to examine students' opinions about these works. The research consists of two parts. In the first part, the document review method was used to analyze themes related to inferiority and superiority complexes in selected children's books, based on Adler's theoretical framework. In the second part, the action research method was used to educate 7th-grade students about the theory, have them read relevant works, and gather students' character assessments through a semi- structured interview form. In the document review, 10 children's books identified through expert opinion and prominent in terms of social-psychological themes were examined in detail. The action research process was conducted with 20 randomly selected students at a middle school in the city center of Muş for approximately 10 weeks. The data collection an expert- approved semi-structured interview form in the action research. In the data analysis, information obtained from document review was thematically categorized using content analysis, and student opinions were interpreted using descriptive analysis. This analysis explores how students understand and interpret feelings of inferiority and superiority within the framework of Alfred Adler's Theory Of İndividual Psychology, based on ten different stories in children's literature. The students deeply evaluated the social exclusion, lack of belonging, self-esteem issues, and identity searches experienced by the characters in the stories, explaining these experiences using Adler's concepts of inferiority complex, superiority complex, and compensatory mechanisms. Students empathized with the characters' emotional and social difficulties and, by connecting them to their own experiences, offered positive advice on psychological resilience and healthy self-development. The research highlights the importance of children's literature in psychosocial development, the potential application of the individual psychology approach in education and guidance, and its role in increasing students' social-emotional awareness.