The present study examined whether cognitive process-related social skills, which include the ability to decode or read the intention of another person’s behavior, and emotional control or the ability to maintain the emotions that occur in interpersonal social situations, have a moderating effect on the relationship between depression in high school students and their behaviorally oriented social skills. A hierarchical regression analysis, using data from questionnaires completed by 184 first-year high school students in Japan (10th grade), revealed that the students with high assertiveness skills in the low emotional control ability group had increased levels of depression. Furthermore, for the students with low decoding ability, higher initiating relationship skills were associated with a decrease in the level of depression, and for the students with high decoding ability, lower maintaining relationship skills were associated with an increase in the level of depression. These results suggest that high school students might benefit from possessing not only assertiveness skills but also emotional control skills, and that the depression-reducing effect of behavior skills among students with high decoding ability might diminish with increasing interpersonal sensitivity.

In the present study, a family support program based on Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) was conducted for the parents of persons who are totally socially withdrawn (hikikomori) and have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Elements of this program correspond to characteristics of persons with autism spectrum disorder. It was conducted using a combination of individual sessions and group sessions. Parents of persons with autism spectrum disorder who were difficult to guide through consultation (N＝12) participated. After the intervention, their scores on a Hikikomori Behavior Checklist (HBCL) were improved, 6 out of 10 of their sons and daughters with autism spectrum disorder were able to participate in counseling and consultation, and 1 of them began a part-time job. In addition, a reduction in the psychological stress response (SRS-18) of the parents was also confirmed. This program was especially effective for individuals with the passive type or strong social anxiety type of autism spectrum disorder. On the other hand, if either parent had autism spectrum disorder characteristics, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) score of that parent was reduced following the intervention. However, at follow-up, it was found to have increased again. The discussion suggested that the influence of a parent’s tendency to have autism spectrum disorder should be considered.

The present article reports improvemented in problem behavior 3 months after a psycho-educational intervention with self-monitoring. The client was a female freshman at a public high school. She picked her nails and the skin around them, which is usually referred to as “skin-picking” or “excoriation disorder”. The present author was unable to find a published report on a method for treating an individual with a skin picking disorder. In Session 1, a behavioral contract was concluded after a behavioral interview. A psycho-educational intervention was implemented in Sessions 1 and 2, and self-monitoring and environmental adjustment were added from Sessions 2 to 9. The picked portion at the time of the Functional Assessment Interview (FAI) was defined as 100％; this portion gradually decreased. By Session 9, the picked portion was reduced to only 10％. The participant successfully maintained her improvement, as observed at a at 3-month follow-up. The treatment goal was not complete elimination of the problem behavior, but rather acquisition of control over the behavior while reducing it. Also alternative behavior increased more. This was maintained even after a 6-month follow-up.