Relationships between multidimensional self-oriented perfectionism, defense mechanisms and anxiety were investigated. Participants were university students (n = 169: 68 men and 101 women). They completed the following questionnaires: Multidimensional Self-oriented Perfectionism Scale (MSPS), Defense Style Questionnaire 42 (DSQ42) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Path analysis indicated that Personal Standards positively affected mature defense mechanisms; and moreover, mature defense mechanisms had negative effect on trait anxiety. Moreover, Concern over Mistakes had a positive effect on immature defense mechanisms, and furthermore, immature defense mechanisms had positive effect on trait anxiety.

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Application of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) to condom use behavior in university students was investigated. University students (n = 230: 80 males and 150 females, Mean age 20.39 years, SD = 1.60) completed a questionnaire that inquired about demographic variables, including gender, marital status, sexual history, percentage of condom use, and planning for condom use, as well as social‒cognitive variables that included risk perception, outcome expectancies, preventive behavioral intentions, and action self-efficacy. Structural Equation Modeling with Amos 5 and the Maximum Likelihood estimation method was used to test HAPA. Results indicated that the model fit indices satisfied statistical requirements (GFI = .96, AGFI = .84, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .14). Each pass in HAPA was found to have a positive influence on each variable, whereas risk perception had a nonsignificant effect on intention. These results indicate that HAPA is a valid model for explaining condom use behavior among university students.

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A scale for measuring caregivers' self-efficacy for coping with aggressive behaviors of patients with dementia was developed. Group-home caregivers (n = 381) participated in a questionnaire survey by responding to this scale. Factor analysis of their responses revealed that the self-efficacy scale measured two domains of coping efficacy: “Providing empathetic care as a way of preventing aggression” and “Controlling upsetting thoughts caused by aggression.” The two measures of coping-efficacy had sufficient internal consistency. The expected relationships were found between the two domains of coping-efficacy and psychological stress responses, conflicts with residents, and self-esteem. Staff with more than three years experience of working as caregivers showed higher efficacy scores for providing empathetic care than those with less than three years experience. No significant differences were found in the efficacy scores for controlling upsetting thoughts between the two staff groups. These results supported the contrast validity of the two coping-efficacy subscales.

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The influence of resilience on the stress process and on self-esteem of university students was investigated.University students (N= 342; Mean age= 19.84 ± 3.09 years) participated in the study and completed the following scales: Resilience Scale for Students, the short version of the Daily Negative Stressor Scale for University Students, the Stress Response Scale 18 and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. Factor analysis of the responses revealed that the Resilience Scale for Students consisted of 5 factors: “Social support” “Positive evaluation” “Competence” “Significant others” and “Intimacy”. A structural equation model on the influence of resilience on stress process and on self-esteem suggested that “Individual Resilience” had a buffering effect on stress and enhanced self-esteem. Conversely, “Environmental Resilience” indirectly decreased the stress response and increased self-esteem through “Individual Resilience”. Based on these findings, we have discussed the role of resilience in the stress process as well as in self-esteem.

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Medical students, with their heavy workload are likely to suffer from depression, which is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between depression and risk factors for life style-related disease in Japanese medical students. Male medical students (N = 59: 20.8±1.8 years) participated in the study. Their level of depression was evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome, such as blood pressure, body mass index, glucosegulatory system and lipid profile were also evaluated. In addition, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were estimated as surrogate makers of atherosclerosis. One-way analysis of variance and partial correlation analysis revealed that CES-D score was significantly and inversely correlated with baPWV, blood pressure and LDL-Cholesterol, whereas the high CES-D group showed significantly higher level of fasting insulin. It is concluded that although young medical students are not always depressed, those with high CES-D scores have signs of insulin resistance, which is an initial sign of metabolic deterioration, suggesting the possibility of developing cardiovascular risks, such as the metabolic syndrome in the future.

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Depressive tendencies in university students were investigated and descriptive statistics are reported. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was administered to Japanese university students (n=2693, valid response=2465) between 2008 and 2009, and the data were subjected to factor analysis. The results indicated that the sub-categories of SDS responses consisted of the following three factors: Cognitive Symptoms, Emotional Symptoms, and Physical Symptoms. Moreover, compared with the data collected in a study conducted in 1994, university students that participated in the 2008-2009 study, reported higher depressive tendencies and women reported higher depressive tendencies than men. Contemporary university students may have high depressive tendencies, because of the diversification of life styles and difficulties in finding employment. It is concluded that preventive support for university students should be improved.

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