A study about the change of the cognition through intensive Naikan − The research using interviews and family-drawing-tests −

Abstract

  The purposes of our research are as follows: the first is to investigate whether or not intensive Naikan is effective for modifying the distorted cognition of one's own family, the second is to elicit from our data the factors provoking change of cognition. In this research, we conducted interviews and family-drawing-tests for our subjects. The subjects were formed from 2 groups, the experimental group and the control group. The former consisted of 8 members who took intensive Naikan therapy, and the latter consisted of 8 members who have never taken the therapy.

  Then we compared the two groups’ outcome to evaluate which group's cognition changed for the better. Our data shows that 6 members in the experimental group and 1 member in the control group improved their cognition. We conclude that intensive Naikan could be effective for modifying cognition. In addition to that, the data indicates that the "therapists" and "the basic structure of three items" in Naikan therapy led to the change as external factors, whereas catharsis, and analysis and reports of their own dreams would be internal processes of the change.