Reactions to teasing in everyday situations were investigated by focusing on emotions towards teasers and needs for maintaining a relationship. A questionnaire was administered to Japanese university students (N=150, 71 men and 79 women, mean age=19.29 years old, SD=1.38). Covariance structure analysis developed a causal model of teasing reactions, which indicated that emotions toward teasers, including trust and independence, suppressed adverse reactions to teasing. On the other hand, the sense of rivalry caused adverse reactions. It is suggested that anxiety about relationships and needs for mutual respect might cause exaggerated reactions.

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Recently, the need for psychological support for users of employment support services having mental health problems has been increasing in employment support settings. Users are expected to make an effort to find employment within the limited period of two years by facing up to their disabilities and repeated failures in training. The types of psychological support that are possible and useful for these users have not been fully examined to date. Four case studies of using brief, practical coaching in employment transition support settings are reported, and the effectiveness of brief coaching is examined. Compared with general counseling in counseling rooms, psychological support for employment transition has the following characteristics; (1) Clients must be supported during a limited period. (2) Support is provided in a rather non-structured environment, with other users around the client. (3) Supporters are required to simultaneously play a dual role: as an employment instructor and as a psychological supporter. It was suggested that brief coaching using a solution-focused approach might be useful under such a structure for providing support.

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The processes of interviewing a woman in her 60s, who was attending a hospital and diagnosed with anxiety and delusional disorder, and her husband, is reported. The wife suspected her husband in his 70s of infidelity. Five joint interviews were conducted with the couple. The woman was a housewife since her retirement. When she was at home alone, she became anxious because she suspected her husband could be having an affair and questioned him in detail about his past relationships with women. The husband denied having any illicit relationships, which did not convince her, and they often quarreled as a result. The therapist focused on the communication patterns between the husband and the wife and intended to change the communication patterns and develop a new style of communication. Consequently, the wife gradually became calm, and her suspicions about her husband's infidelity decreased. Moreover, she came to take the attitude of a mother trusted by her children, and the therapy concluded. This article discusses the process of interviews and presents suggestions for interviews with senior couples in clinical settings.

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