It has been suggested that a low Sense-of-Acceptance (SOA: Sugiyama, 2002) is one feature of a depressive self-others system. However, it is difficult to explain the depressive-self-process exclusively through this concept. Sense-of-Rejection (SOR) is proposed as a psychological concept that directly contributes to the depressive-self-process. The SOA and SOR measurement scales were developed based on the results of factor analysis. The reliability (test-retest reliability and internal consistency) and concurrent validity of the scales were established based on their correlation with the attachment style scale (Toda, 1998). Furthermore, covariance structure analysis examined the hypothesis that self-preoccupation mediates the depressive processes in SOA and SOR (Sakamoto, 1997). The results suggest that SOR is concerned with the depressive-self-process and that SOA is concerned with depression.

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The relationship between hostility and health related behaviors were investigated. Undergraduate and graduate student participants (n = 423) completed the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and the Cynicism Questionnaire. They also reported their health related behaviors including alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, sleeping time, and diet. Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicated that people with a high score for “Verbal Aggression” and “Cynicism” tended to drink more alcohol. Moreover, people with a high score for “Hostility” reported a shorter sleeping time. A logistic regression analyses revealed some significant relations between hostility and health related behaviors: “Physical Aggression”, “Verbal Aggression” and “Cynicism” were related to smoking, and “Anger” was related to unhealthy eating behaviors. We also obtained data on the degree of obesity and blood pressure from 469 and 223 students, respectively. However, no significant effects of hostility on obesity and blood pressure were found. These results suggest that hostile people were likely to have unhealthy behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking, and eating irregularly. The role of hostility in the development of future obesity, hypertension, and coronary heart disease is discussed.

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The influence of somatosensory amplification and stress responses on the hypochondriacal tendency was investigated in a sample of normal participants, based on the perspective of the cognitive developmental model of hypohondriasis. The Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), the Illness Attitude Scales (IAS), the Stress Response Scale and the STAI-Y Trait Anxiety Scale were administered to 273 undergraduate students. The results indicated that SSAS influenced IAS, and that stress influenced SSAS and IAS. These findings suggest that somatosensory amplification also influenced the hypochondriasis tendency in normal participants, and that stress was useful for understanding the mechanisms of the development of this condition.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between goal orientation on diet and eating disorders in young women. University students (n=278) were given questionnaire on their perceptions of the goal orientations in diet. They were divided into two groups based on the mean of Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). The main findings were as follows. The results of the factor analysis revealed that goal orientation in diet were composed of the following categories; Achievement, Process, Result and Health. It was found that Achievement, Process, Result and factor scores of high eating disorder group was significantly higher than low eating disorder group. It was found that Health factor scores of high eating disorder group was not significantly higher than low eating disorder tendency group.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of a sense of authenticity with various kinds of daily life activities and interpersonal relationships. Two hundred seventy-nine Japanese university students completed the Sense of Authenticity (SOA) Scale, Daily Life Activity Inventory for university student, and Interpersonal Relationship Style (IRS) Scale. Results of correlation analysis indicated; (1) men's activities such as health maintenance behavior and spending time with friends were positively related to SOA, (2) almost all women's daily life activities were not related to SOA, (3) both men's and women's self-expressive IRS were positively related to SOA, (4) both men's and women's withdrawal IRS and other-dependent IRS were negatively related to SOA, (5) only men's other-friendly IRS was positively related to SOA. These findings suggest that men are easily influenced their SOA by daily life activities, while women are not.

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Psychometric characteristics of the Japanese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a popular measure of general stress, were investigated. There are two versions in the PSS: the 14-item version and the 10-item version with four items removed from the 14-item version. The PSS was completed by 852 undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, 435 participants in this sample also completed the Daily Hassles Scale, the Hopelessness Scale, and Somatization, Depression, and Anxiety subscales of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist. All scales with the exception of the Daily Hassles Scale were administered again three weeks later. As expected, the two-factor model was supported for both versions of the PSS by confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were found with both versions. Correlations between the PSS and the other scales indicated the independence of the PSS, and the predictability of psychological distress by using the PSS.

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Factors that alleviate or enhance care-giving burden of people caring for elderly family members were investigated. Participants were 175 primary family caregivers aged 33 to 86 years, who received some form of care service. Results suggested that social support from family members partially alleviated the care-giving burden. However, out of family social support did not alleviate this burden. A possible explanation for the former might be the effect of care-giving stress on the relationship between social support from family and care-giving burden. On the other hand, factors that enhance care-giving burden were not found. Implications of these findings for future research in this field are discussed.

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