UEL leads Queen’s Reading Room shared reading research

The University of East London is leading a landmark new neuroscience research project exploring how shared reading can reduce stress, strengthen social connection and improve mental wellbeing.  

Led by Professor Sam Wass, the laboratory-controlled study has been commissioned by The Queen’s Reading Room and is supported by The Bentley Foundation. It marks the second major research project unveiled by the charity founded by Her Majesty Queen Camilla. 

Building on The Queen’s Reading Room’s groundbreaking 2024 research, which found that just five minutes of reading can reduce stress by nearly 20 per cent, the new study will explore the physiological and psychological impact of reading together, in reading groups and book clubs. 

The research will apply rigorous neuroscientific methods to measure stress responses, emotional regulation and social connection, comparing individual and communal reading experiences.  

Professor Sam Wass, who is leading the research at UEL, said,  

This study gives us a unique opportunity to understand what happens, psychologically and physiologically, when people read together. 

While previous research has shown the benefits of reading alone, far less is known about the impact of shared reading on stress, social connection and mental wellbeing. By applying rigorous neuroscientific methods to shared reading groups and book clubs, we aim to build a clearer evidence base for how these collective experiences shape connection and belonging. 

It is a privilege to lead this work at the University of East London, in partnership with The Queen’s Reading Room and The Bentley Foundation, and to explore how research can support real-world approaches to tackling loneliness and improving wellbeing.” 

The study comes at a time when loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognised as significant public health challenges. Early findings from The Queen’s Reading Room’s initial research showed that reading fiction can reduce feelings of loneliness by up to 70 per cent, highlighting the potential of reading as an accessible and powerful tool for improving mental health. 

Vicki Perrin, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Reading Room, said, 

We have always believed passionately in the transformative power of reading, and our first study revealed glimpses of its remarkable effects on improving wellbeing and connection. 

We are deeply grateful to The Bentley Foundation for enabling us to go further, exploring what happens when people gather to share stories and connect over the pages of a book. 

Our mission has always been about lighting little fires, inspiring readers everywhere to find comfort, joy, and community in literature. Through this research, we hope to encourage people to make room for reading in their lives, demonstrating that these shared moments with books can truly transform us.” 

The findings will support community reading initiatives across the UK, helping charities and policymakers strengthen wellbeing and social connection, while positioning the University of East London at the forefront of neuroscience research on connection. 

Explore our psychology courses.