This study analyzed the psychological features of children during meal scenes from the perspective of the parent-child psychological connection. The study was based on family pictures of meal scenes that 111 children of the fifth and sixth grades in elementary school and 175 students of the first and second grades in senior high school had drawn. The result of the study revealed that elementary school children and high school students with higher levels of psychological connection had better relationship with other family members and displayed positive feelings for them, as depicted by numerous centripetal meal scenes. Conversely, students with lower levels of psychological connection had few relations with the family, as was evident by the large number of centrifugal meal scenes. Moreover, two features, namely, dissatisfaction and indifference could be observed from the centrifugal meal scenes. These features were more pronounced in the case of meal scenes drawn by high school students.

　　This study aimed at clarifying sibling's views and their issues concerning their brothers and sisters with autistic disorders, the characteristics of their developmental features at each stage, and their recognition, and response to difficulties, in order to acquire the key to home-based supports for siblings. 43 siblings who had brothers and sisters with autistic disorders were interviewed. As a result, as for sibling's views of their brothers and sisters, “The way they are” based on their actions or character, and “their personality” were shown. As for sibling's matters concerning their brothers and sisters, “the consciousness of others” such as others' looks and concern, “direct damage” such as physical attacks on them and breakage of personal belongings, “difficulties in coping” and “consideration” for their brothers and sisters were shown. Moreover, it was suggested that as for developmental features, the school-age was a significant term during which the sibling's view of their brothers and sisters changed. From the above, as home-based support, it is necessary to tell siblings suitable information about the actions and the characteristics of their brothers and sisters, to pay attention to their trifling problems from an early stage, and to show them the methods to solve the problems they face.

　　This study investigated the personality development of couples during pregnancy, using data collected prior to the birth of the couples' first children. Four types of questionnaires were conducted with one hundred and twenty six men and their expectant wives, who were abont five months pregnant. The questionnaires were designed to fiudont how marital quality, gender-role identity and the image of children were related to feelings of becoming a parent. The main findings included the following; Two psychological dimensions characterized the feelings about becoming a parent: feelings of self-growth and that of restriction. Men and women's feelings of self-growth were positively related to their femininity (gender-roles) and “cheerful” child image. Their feelings of restriction were positively related to a “feeble-looking” child image and negatively to marital quality. Moreover, men's feelings of self-growth were also dependent on their marital quality. On the other hand, that of women's were influenced by the gender-role identity of theirs pouse. These results were discussed in terms of gender-roles and marital relationship.

　　In this study, the mutuality and gender differences between Japanese husbands and wives regarding the level of marital satisfaction were described, and then the foundation for relationship maintenance was discussed. Questionnaires were administered to 760 married couples ranging in age from their 20's to 60's in order to examine the level of marital satisfaction perceived by the respondents, the “level of satisfaction of their spouse” that the respondents predicted as their partners' response, and the level of importance of the spouse as perceived by respondents. The result indicated that: (1) the cross effect between husbands and wives was stronger in the direction from husbands to wives, and even though wives' satisfaction was low, husbands' satisfaction was never as low as that of their wives; (2) when wives showed a high level of satisfaction, husbands also showed high satisfaction, and both husbands and wives evaluated their spouses as "highly important" in both “role-based” and “individual-based” relationships; and (3) when wives showed a low level of satisfaction, they tended to perceive their spouses as being important only in their “role-based” relationship, and they underestimated when they predicted the level of satisfaction perceived by their husbands such. that the predicted level of satisfaction was close to their own level of satisfaction. These findings implied that Japanese husband-and wife relationships were maintained based on their “role-based” relationship, level of satisfaction was determined by the quality of “individual-based” relationship, and wives showing a low level of satisfaction tried to keep a cognitive balance in order to maintain the relationship.

　　Mothers sometimes have a feeling of pity for their children, partly, for example, because they think that their own behavior may cause problems for their children or because they feel that their behavior may be totally inappropriate in the child-rearing situation. Mothers' guilt (MOG) is defined as such emotions toward their children. This study constructed a scale to measure MOG, and examined whether a relationship exists between the scores of the MOG scale (MOGS) and the mothers' employment situation. In the first study, a factor analysis on the data of 396 mothers showed three factors : “denying a motivation of the child”, “failing to fulfill their a role as mcther” , “foiling to take care of the child adequately”. Analysis of MOGS showed that it had sufficient internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition, MOGS scores had positive correlations with “submission” and “control” of child-rearing attitudes. These findings showed considerable constructive validity for MOGS. In the second study, results showed that non-workers' MOG was the strongest of the three, and part-time workers' MOG was stronger than full-time workers'. The first and the second factors related to the mother's employment situation, but the third factor did not relate to the employment situation.

　　This study provides a new approach for overcoming vicious circles: reference to the repetitive sequences of interaction. This approach derives from the analysis of a family therapy interview. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether this approach was effective to cut the vicious circles. The subjects were 20 pairs who were close friends. Pairs were asked to talk about the problem that one always requires the other to correct, but that he/she would not alter. The subjects were separated into two groups. In the middle of the conversation about a problem, this approach was applied to the experiment group. the control group was required to carry out the control task: just chatting. After these tasks, they were asked to talk about the same problems again.

　　In the experiment group, one member from lach pair was required to move to another room in order to watch a videotape on which their own conversation was recorded, and to notice their unique interactions. And then, they were required to refer the unique interactions to the others.

　　The results seemed to indicate that this approach is effective in ending vicious circles of behaviour from the indexes “moving one's head to elicit responses” and “disqualifications”.