Developmental bibliotherapy based activity program for preschool children examining the effects of social skills

This study aims to introduce the developmental bibliotherapy method and examine the effects of the activity program based on this method on preschool children's social skills. The importance of supporting social skills in early childhood stems from the fact that it plays a fundamental role in the lifelong social, emotional and cognitive development of individuals. The study was conducted with 10 children aged 56-67 months at Burdur Provincial Public Library in August 2023 and consisted of a total of 9 sessions. In the research, the data obtained with the "Preschool Social Skills Assessment Scale" (PSSAS) were analyzed using the single-group pretest-posttest pattern. The results revealed that the activity program had positive effects especially on beginning skills and emotion management skills; however, it did not provide a significant improvement in academic support skills and friendship skills. In this context, the study demonstrates to educators and researchers the benefits of using bibliotherapy as a tool to support social skills development in preschoolers and emphasizes that this method offers an innovative and feasible model for using children's literature for developmental purposes.