Research Explores Connection Between Reading Imagination And Mental Health

A caller instrumentality to understand really group ideate otherwise erstwhile reference could person imaginable implications for nan curen of intelligence sick health.

The ReaderBank Imagination Quiz has been developed by a squad of researchers led by Durham University, UK.

The quiz identifies 4 "forces" of imagination - abstraction and vision, sound and language, group models, and perspective.

These forces person beardown and circumstantial connections to intelligence imagery, immersion successful a story, daydreaming, and intrusive thoughts.

This shows nan complexity of people's reference minds and what nan researchers opportunity is simply a extremist diverseness of imagination skills.

The researchers adhd that knowing really different group respond to reference could supply a greater penetration into really their imaginations work.

This could yet let for intelligence wellness therapies to beryllium amended adapted to nan individual.

The ReaderBank findings are being presented coming (Wednesday 13 August 2025) astatine nan Edinburgh International Book Festival.

The squad stressed that this is an early study and that they dream to do much investigation to create nan ReaderBank Imagination Quiz arsenic a instrumentality that could heighten and supplement intelligence sick wellness treatments.

The diverseness of imagination is astir aggregate senses, really we prosecute pinch and understand others and really we're not ever alert erstwhile we're building imaginative worlds whilst reading.

This is applicable erstwhile we commencement reasoning astir intelligence health, because location are tons of aspects of intelligence wellness which are each astir thoughts, memories, and ideas coming to us, that we can't control.

Lots of psychotherapy methods trust connected nan imagination, but we ne'er surface group for what benignant of imagination they have.

This tool, which is nominally astir reading, is astir offering a model connected that diverseness of imagination.

Our extremity end is reasoning really tin we usage these sorts of devices to pass much precise, much elaborate pictures of really psychotherapy is going to work?"

Ben Alderson-Day, Lead Author, Professor of nan Institute for Medical Humanities and Department of Psychology, Durham University

The ReaderBank Imagination Quiz stems from ReaderBank – an eager effort to usage reference and book festivals to study nan imagination and intelligence wellness successful caller ways.

The task is simply a collaboration betwixt Durham University and nan Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Researchers quizzed 867 group connected their reference experiences crossed 2 Edinburgh International Book Festivals successful 2023 and 2024. A 3rd group took portion online.

Participants were 18 aliases over, had publication a fabrication book successful nan past six months, and were fluent successful English.

They completed questions astir reference habits, including really overmuch and really often they publication books, preferred types of books aliases e-books, and astir publication genres.

Other questions were aimed astatine really group visualised what they were reading, specified arsenic faces and scenes, and really they knowledgeable soul reside aliases beingness and sensory feelings.

The quiz besides looked astatine really conscious readers were of what they were reference and nan effect this had connected them.

They recovered a "radical diverseness of imagination skills". The researchers opportunity that knowing this scope of imagination could beryllium utilized to refine treatments for akin traits successful intelligence sick health.

ReaderBank will beryllium continuing this twelvemonth astatine Edinburgh pinch a caller bid of studies and a attraction connected "Repair", nan taxable of nan book festival. People tin return portion astatine www.readerbank.org.

Dr Wajid Khan, Head of Research astatine Southwest Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: "These investigation findings radiance caller ray connected nan domiciled nan imagination and productivity tin play successful helping build, maintain and alteration cognitive schemas and wider psychological processes. 

"ReaderBank has far-reaching implications for nan measurement we negociate betterment and resilience successful objective intelligence wellness services."

The investigation squad included experts from Durham University's Department of English Studies and nan National Poetry Centre successful Leeds. The activity was supported by nan Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities and funded by Wellcome.

Jenny Niven, Director of nan Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: "We are delighted beryllium a partner connected Durham University's ReaderBank project.

"The Book Festival is simply a tract for collaboration, invention and creativity, and moving pinch nan ReaderBank squad and our audiences complete nan past mates of years has fixed america a fascinating penetration into our divers assemblage of funny readers, and nan different ways we prosecute pinch fiction.

"The squad astatine nan Book Festival is truthful excited to spot really this mightiness pass festivals successful years to come."