This study aims to explore Brief Social-Skills Education (Brief SSE), which is easily implementable by teachers. The objectives of the program were (1) to clarify the usability of a single session of brief SSE from the perspective of reducing teacher workload and anxiety about implementation, (2) to identify the human, temporal, and resource-related challenges teachers may feel about implementing psychoeducation from the perspective of usability, and (3) identify recommendations and considerations for implementing Brief SSE with teaching students. Our results established the significantly high usability of 29 of 34 Brief SSE items. The results also suggested that teachers should consider the application complexity, student responses, and connections with other classes to solve time-related challenges. Moreover, it was necessary to focus on the content of teaching materials to solve resource-related challenges. In addition, it is essential to develop context-appropriate materials and training programs to facilitate further use. It is suggested that future studies focus on context-dependent usability evaluation by practicing teachers and broadening the scope of the efficacy validation target population.

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The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of irrational beliefs and perceived support from school management personnel, known as “line care,” on the mental health of teachers.The participants consisted of elementary and junior high school teachers. The study employed questionnaires including the Japanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to quantify depressive symptoms, the Teacher’s Irrational Belief Test to assess irrational thought patterns, and the Line Care Scales to evaluate the level of support offered by school management personnel. Through hierarchical regression analyses, the findings demonstrated a positive association between higher levels of perceived line care and reduced depression. Furthermore, when irrational belief levels were lower among female teachers, self-directed line care exhibited a negative association with depression. This study suggested that an increase in line care provided by management personnel, whether directed towards individual teachers or the entire teaching staff, is associated with lower levels of depression. Moreover, the study partially confirmed the buffering effect of line care in the relationship between irrational beliefs and depression.

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This study aims to create an index of “attitudes and postures for empathetic involvement of childcare workers” to specifically grasp the empathetic involvement of preschool teachers and realize high-quality childcare. A survey was conducted using the theoretical “attitudes and postures for empathetic involvement of kindergarten teachers” and examined the reliability and validity for creating a scale. The scale items were carefully selected, and their reliability and validity were examined using six statistical analyses (item response distribution confirmation, GP analysis, I-T analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis). The selected items were correlated with the “Childcare Attitude Scale for Childcare Teachers” and examined for validity. As a result, the “Attitudes and Postures for Empathetic Involvement of Teachers” was completed as a valid scale consisting of four constructs across 15 items: “reverence for children,” “understanding of children not based on caring,” “empathetic understanding and involvement,” and “affirmation of a child’s goodness.”

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The purpose of this study is to analyze and measure the educational effects of a class using cases of collaboration between Yogo teachers and multiple professions in “the Teaching Profession Practical Seminar,” based on the analysis of students’ free-text responses. We focused on case studies as a method to understand the perspectives and specific situations in school settings and to gain a deeper understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration. Using case studies, a practical teaching exercise was conducted to facilitate learning in the class. A free-text questionnaire was administered to assess the learning outcomes, and the data obtained were analyzed. The analysis revealed several categories related to the understanding of self-assigned tasks, the Yogo teacher’s expertise, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and the need for teamwork through group work experiences. These categories were found to be mutually related to the learning facilitated by the case studies. These categories were derived from the discussion, which viewed the cases from multiple perspectives, suggesting that a multifaceted understanding and interrelationship between these categories can enhance understanding of the expertise and role of Yogo teachers and the need for multiprofessional collaboration. Pedagogical implications were discussed in terms of the effectiveness of using specific cases from school settings, promoting understanding of the Yogo teacher's expertise, and the benefits of group learning. Practical teaching exercises using case studies demonstrated some effectiveness in promoting understanding of the Yogo teacher’s expertise and role in interdisciplinary collaboration.

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