[in Japanese]

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The purpose of this study was to develop a Collective Efficacy Scale for Japanese High School Baseball Players (CES-JHSBP) and to investigate the relationship between collective efficacy, group cohesiveness and club activities stressors on Japanese high school baseball players. A sample of 224 Japanese male high school students belonging to high school baseball clubs (mean age=16.64, SD=0.64) were asked to answer a questionnaire between January to February 2005. This questionnaire was composed of socio demographical items, a Collective Efficacy Scale derived from the Collective Efficacy Scale for rowing (Magyar et. al., 2004) and translated from English into Japanese, a Brief Group-cohesiveness Scale (BGS; Serizawa & Shimizu, 2005a) and a Brief Stressor Scale for Club Activities (BSSCA; Serizawa & Shimizu, 2005b). Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to develop the CES-JHSBP. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between the CES-JHSBP and the BGS or the BSSCA. The results showed that the CES-JHSBP includes a three-factor solution with 10 items and acceptable internal consistencies and structural validities. Furthermore, the results of significantly standardized partial regression coefficients between CES-JHSBP, BGS and BSSCA indicated that psychological interventions on social skills training and structural encounter groups increased collective efficacy. On the other hand, stressors from teachers who were coaching the club activity may have reduced collective efficacy. In future research, in order to enhance the instructional and managerial abilities of school teachers, effective methods of psychological and educational interventions should be developed.

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The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social support and mental health and furthermore to develop a social support scale for university students. Social support was assessed in terms of instrumental and emotional support from "peer students", "senior students", "faculty members", "university staff", "parents", and "friends outside the university". Mental health was assessed using the Japanese CES-D scale, and self-esteem was assessed using the Japanese Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Participants in this study were 157 university students. Statistical analyses found that the instrumental and emotional supports from peer students, friends outside the university, and parents were higher than those from other supporters. The results also showed a significant relationship between social support and mental health including depression. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between self-esteem and instrumental support from friends outside the university, and the relationship between self-esteem and emotional support was significantly positive. These results suggest support for previous research on social support and attest to the reliability and validity of the original Japanese social support scale.

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The purposes of this study are to develop a Cognitive Stress Schema Scale for Japanese elementary school students, and to investigate the relationship between Cognitive Stress Schema and stress as measured by a Stressor Scale. Participants were 262 elementary school students (male=119, female=143, mean age=10.83, SD=0.79). They were given a questionnaire composed of Socio-demographical variables (age, gender, grades), Cognitive Stress Schema Scale and Stressor Scale from February 26 to March 14 in 2005. The results of exploratory factor analysis revealed a 2-factor model (Interpersonal Regulation and Self Regulation) for the Cognitive Stress Schema Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that this 2-factor model showed acceptable fit indices (GFI=0.915, AGFI=0.886, CFI=0.905, RMSEA=0.062). Each of these factors also showed acceptable internal consistencies with Cronbach's alpha coefficient reliabilities from 0.751 to 0.833. In order to examine for statistical differences in gender (male or female), grades (forth, fifth or sixth) and participation in cram school (attending or not), t-tests and one-way ANOVA were conducted according to the mean score of the Cognitive Stress Schema Scale. The results of these analyses indicated that female students showed higher 'Self Regulation' than male students, and cram school participants showed higher 'Interpersonal Regulation' than those not attending cram school for Cognitive Stress Schema. Multiple regression analyses and structural covariance analyses were performed to compare the fit indices of two hypothetical models and to examine for the influence of each of the Cognitive Stress Schema factors on Stressor factors. The results of these analyses showed that "Cognitive Stress Schema-Stressor Model" confirmed the fit indices and both Cognitive Stress Schema factors effect for each Stressor factors as direct variables. These results confirmed the statistical reliability and validity of the Cognitive Stress Schema Scale. The structure of the elementary school student stress schema scale is simpler than prior research on high school students' stress schema scales. This means that the structure of Cognitive Stress Schema is developed by experiencing conflicts and compromises among human relationships in school, community and family. From this point of view, Stress Management Education and Social Skills Training for elementary school students may be effective in developing Cognitive Stress Schema and reducing Stress Reactions of Japanese elementary school students.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Structured Group Encounters (SGE) on junior high school students in soccer clubs. Subjects were 29 male junior high school students (Mean age=13.38, SD=0.68) in soccer clubs. They were asked to answer a questionnaire composed of a face sheet and Diagnostic Inventory of Psychological-Competitive Ability for Athletes (Tokunaga and Hashimoto, 2000; Tokunaga, 2001; Tokunaga, 2001) over three trials (pre test, middle test, post test) in 2003. Students were divided into two groups: the training group who participated in the SGE (N=18, Mean age=13.44, SD=0.62) and the control group who did not participate in the SGE (N=11, Mean age=13.27, SD=0.79). Two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests were conducted to analyze the main effects of trials and the comparison of the two groups. The results showed significant interactions for "Volition for competition," "Aggressiveness," "Strategic ability" and "Predictive ability," and significant main effects for trials of "Judgment." In the control group, the mean scores for "Volition for competition" and "Aggressiveness" decreased from pre test to post test, and the mean score of "Aggressiveness" decreased from middle test to post test. In the training group, the mean scores for "Strategic ability" and "Judgment" increased from pre test to middle test. The results indicated that the psychological intervention of SGE facilitated the participants' rational decisions and judgment ability and showed buffering effects to maintain competitive motivation through the opportunities of communication, interaction and cooperation among team members. The implication of this research is that the SGE program is an effective psychological intervention when employed as an experimental education method for junior high school soccer club students.

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The objective of this paper is to clarify the core significance of field experiences in teacher training, focusing on exploring methods to improve such experiences. As noted in reports, over the past fourteen years there has been a steadily increasing numbers of teachers who take leave due to mental health disorders and consequently current conditions for teachers are a serious concern. Given this situation, special attention is being given to the "field experiences" of teachers during their university training, and a variety of approaches are being taken, with a number of different structures, purposes, and insights. The author, a clinical psychologist, was engaged in a teacher training field experience for seminar students that took place once a week during the course of a year. The field placements were in an elementary school that had a child welfare facility in the district. During the first semester of 2007, trainees had the opportunity to spend time with children from after school until after dinner at the welfare facility. This paper discusses the trainees' insights gained during these field experiences, focusing on their experiences and comments. Trainees experienced many events. They learned from, discussed with and supported each other, commenting on insights gained from their experiences. Comparisons with the university's other field experiences in neighboring schools demonstrate that trainees in this program had different types and depths of experiences. Findings from trainees suggest the following insights from their field experiences: (1) deep emotional involvement, and sharing and supporting experiences; and (2) expanding views of children as "individuals leading a life." These may help trainees realize the importance of coordination/cooperation, maintaining their own mental health as teachers, and deepening their understanding of children. In addition, these findings reinforce the importance of the role of university faculty in supporting trainees engaged in challenging field learning experiences.

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[in Japanese]

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