A Scientometric Study on Bibliotherapy in Scopus Database

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed to identify and characterize the features of published literature on bibliotherapy from 1942 to 2024. It examined publication year, document type, language, country of origin, institutional contributions, funding bodies, and leading journals to provide a comprehensive understanding of research growth in this field.

Methodology: The Scopus database was selected as the data source, using bibliotherapy as the search term. A total of 1,503 research articles were retrieved and analyzed. Quantitative techniques were applied to measure trends, and Tableau software was used to visualize patterns across time, geography, and institutional contributions.

Findings: The results indicated a steady increase in scholarly output, rising from 3.72 percent in 2013 to 5.72 percent in 2024. The United States was the most productive country with 565 publications. The Karolinska Institute ranked as the leading institution, while the National Institute of Mental Health was identified as the top funding body with 40 supported publications. The Journal of Poetry Therapy, published by Taylor and Francis, emerged as the most active journal, contributing 69 articles.

Implications: The study highlights the value of bibliometric analysis for mapping scholarly activity in bibliotherapy. The findings provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to strengthen collaboration, guide future research, and expand the applications of bibliotherapy in both academic and clinical contexts.