The present investigation used psychophysiological indices such as P3 to examine whether eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) desensitizes people's painful memories. Participants in the study were 41 college students (26 females, 15 males). Of these, the 31 who had highly painful memories were divided into 3 groups: (1) EMDR group (N =10), in which participants moved their eyes while visualizing a painful memory, (2) image group (N =10), in which participants gazed at a fixed visual stimulus while visualizing a painful memory, and (3) eye movement (EM) group (N =11), in which participants only moved their eyes; (4) the 10 participants with less painful memories, as indicated by a low score on a subjective units of distress scale (SUDS), moved their eyes while visualizing less painful memories. The names of persons who evoked painful events for each participant were used as relevant stimuli for 2 EEG recordings, one before and the other after eye movement or gazing at the fixed stimulus. Comparison of P3 amplitudes elicited by the relevant stimuli showed that the P3 amplitudes in the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing group (#1) and the group with low SUDS scores (#4) confirmed the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

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The purpose of the present study was to develop a short version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (FNE; Watson & Friend, 1969) for Japanese. Item characteristics and measurement accuracy for both the original version and the short version were evaluated within the context of item-response theory (IRT). Graded response model (GRM) was used in the short version to supplement for the information lost due to the decrease in the number of items. The results indicated sufficient measurement accuracy for the 12-item Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, which used a 5-point Likert scale, in comparison to the original Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Test information function showed that the Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale had better measurement accuracy for participants with higher levels of anxiety, suggesting greater efficacy in clinical settings. Psychometric properties and the prospects for application of the Scale in both clinical and research settings were discussed in comparison with the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE; Leary, 1983).

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The Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory (PTCI; Foa et al., 1999) measures trauma-related negative thoughts and beliefs. Negative cognitions are positively correlated with the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms that can be shown in those who have experienced negative life events. The present article reports on the prevalence of negative life events in the lives of Japanese university students, and the development and validation of a Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory (JPTCI) with students who have experienced negative life events. A survey conducted among 2,622 university students found that 53.5% had experienced such negative life events as natural disasters and transportation accidents. After the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory was translated into Japanese and checked with back translation, it was mailed to those students who had reported experiencing any of the life events. This validation study revealed that the inventory was composed of the same 3 factors as reported by Foa et al.(1999), and in addition, it demonstrated good test-retest reliability and criterion-related validity. The Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory is a useful measure that can be applied to students who have experienced negative life events.

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The purposes of the present article are to review anxiety disorders in children and to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for children with anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders in children have been classified as follows: (1) generalized anxiety disorder/ overanxious disorder, (2) social phobia, (3) separation anxiety disorder, (4) panic disorder, (5) specific phobia, and (6) obsessive compulsive disorder. The prevalence of anxiety disorders in children appears to be less than 10%; the comorbidity rate is high for various symptoms of anxiety. Children who have anxiety symptoms are also likely to be maladjusted in school or other social situations; many adults with anxiety disorders had had anxiety symptoms since they were children. This points to a need for early treatment for children with anxiety disorders. Major results from studies of cognitive behavior therapy treatment for children with anxiety disorders were that the effectiveness of individual treatment, group treatment, early intervention, and treatment with parents has been demonstrated in randomized controlled studies. In Japan, research on treatment for children with anxiety disorders is needed in order to establish effective treatments for Japanese children with anxiety disorders.

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