What does psychology know and understand about the psychological effects of reading superhero comic books?: An exploration study

Abstract

Superheroes in comic books have been recently used in psychological interventions (e.g. Superhero Therapy, Geek Therapy, Comic Book Therapy, etc.). Previous research has placed focus on the effects of, the experiences of bibliotherapy, cinema therapy, video game effects or "media effects" among other forms of when used in psychological intervention. However, little research has been conducted on the effects of and experience of superhero comic books on mental health. The present study looks to gain understanding of the effect and experience of superhero comic books using qualitative phenomenology. Self-Determination Theory of motivation was used as a guide in interpreting the data. A sample size of 15 participants were selected and interviewed. Phenomenological thematic analysis yielded physiological & emotional reactions, nostalgia, source of coping, moral guidance, social utility, relating to characters, and building knowledge as common themes reported by participants. The essence of experiences or overall experience of participants who read superhero comic books was a form of psychological coping & escape.