Abstract

The purpose of the study was to qualitatively investigate the process by which a Taiwanese doctoral student majoring in Chinese Literature employed self-guided bibliotherapy to deal with his emotional difficulties related to identity conflicts. The sources of data collection included face-to-face interviews, transcripts of cell phone conversations, and bibliotherapeutic materials. The researchers analyzed these data using an analytical framework, The Model of the S-P-R-I-N-G Theory coined by Wang (Wang, Chang, & Chang, 2009), because the model can explicate the participant’s successful self-guided bibliotherapeutic journey. The results of the study facilitate a better understanding of the role self-guided bibliotherapy played in resolving a Taiwanese doctoral student’s life distress. It also presents an opportunity for educators to critically think about how to foster students’ self-guided mental energy on campus, such as in English reading and/or writing courses. Furthermore, interested researchers may conduct similar or further researches pertaining to self-guided bibliotherapy for the contribution of bibliotherapy practice, research, and theory.