The purpose of this study was to examine images of the family adolescence by comparing Chinese and Japanese adolescents and to compare characteristics of those images in two countries. This study's methodology was based on a traditional methodology focused on understanding family dynamics but an original methodology called sandplay depicting the family was also used. This methodology was used because it emphasizes the relationship between the family and the outside world.

　　Participants in both countries engaged in sandplay depicting the family and the content of that play was analyzed. Analysis revealed marked differences between Chinese and Japanese adolescents in terms of the following three dimensions: 1. number of pieces used, 2. positions of those pieces, and 3. cognizance of the family recognition. A comprehensive analysis of these differences revealed that Chinese and Japanese images of the family differed with regard to which individuals were perceived to be family members. For example, the Japanese image of the family was more likely to limited to immediate family centering around “direct blood relatives,” while the Chinese image of the family tended to be “the extended family” or occasionally a blended family including people who are not blood relatives but nonetheless close to the family.

　　Women who are caring for children are thought to value their “personal-self ”. In addition, many women are believed to experience stress during childcare.

　　This study sought to first ascertain the “personal-self ” of women caring for children and second to examine the relationship between the stress of childcare and the gap between the ideal and actual “personal-self ”. In total, 501 women who are caring for children were surveyed by questionnaire. Factor analysis identified 3 factors for the “personal-self ” namely “social participation”, “physical and psychological time”, and “one’s relationship with one’s husband”. Results in terms of “social participation” and “physical and psychological time” indicated it that having a career and gaining experience caring for a child reduced the gap between reality and the ideal. However, results in terms of “physical and psychological time” indicated that environmental changes have little impact on that gap. Moreover, a large gap between the ideal and reality in terms of “physical and psychological time” was found to lead to greater stress of childcare. Thus, support to help reduce the gap between the ideal and reality in terms of “physical and psychological time” is crucial to reducing the stress of childcare.

　　The purpose of this research was to investigate the changing process of parental support for “socially withdrawn” children (“social withdrawal” is known as “hikikomori” in Japanese) to help those children reconnect to society. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted with 12 parents of “socially withdrawn” children. Interview data were qualitatively analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach and represented graphically.

　　As a result of that analysis, a theoretical model of the changing process of parental support that helped children reconnect to society was created. A core category in this process was Putting One's Words into Action (making good on commitments). The process consisted of 29 concepts, 3 categories (≪①≫～≪③≫), and 12 subcategories. After a child ≪① Failed to reconnect at the child's original school≫, the child’s parents worked to rebuild the parent-child relationship that had been severed.

　　As time passed, the child gradually expressed what he or she would do (commitments). Parents sought to have the child make good on his or her commitments through ≪② An ongoing bi-directional approach involving social involvement and connection≫.

　　Through ≪③ Adjustment of the distance between parents and the child≫, the child was able to reconnect to society.

　　In instances where social withdrawal continued, children had not expressed commitments they wished to make good on. Analysis of interview data suggested the importance of providing responsive support for “socially withdrawn” children to express their commitments as a first step toward understanding them and seeking productive solutions to one of Japan's most pressing and serious social concerns.

　　This study describes examples of cases of bullying that I dealt with using a systems approach while working as a school counselor. This study also discusses the practical psychotherapeutic use of the perspective of the pragmatics of communication to deal with cases of bullying.

　　The following 3 strategies were effective at resolving the problem of bullying. Strategy 1: Rather than focusing only on the literal wording of a child's complaint that he or she was being bullied, the child’s complaint is reconsidered as what the child wants in terms of “what would you like to be done and to whom.” Strategy 2: Ascertaining the problem in terms of the wishes and relationships of the children and adults involved in a case of bullying intervening in the interaction that led to a vicious cycle involving the bully and victim. Strategy 3: Reconceiving the problem from the perspective of the needs and relationships of the individuals in a case of bullying rather than simply as a case of “bullying” and determining potential responses by teachers.

　　The context of bullying hampers a response because of increased sensitivity to whether or not bullying occurred and who was the victim. The pragmatics perspective allows an escape from this context. This perspective also facilitates responses by adults who are involved in encouraging a child's development, i.e. improving one’s social skills. In closing, this work mentions strategies for responses by school counselors in the field of school clinical psychology.