The aim of the current study was to examine the psychological responses of victims during sexual assault, focusing on tonic immobility (TI). TI is characterized by immobility in situations involving the threat of death or a threat to one’s physical integrity. In the current study, 143 sexual assault victims consented to participate in the survey and completed the questionnaires. An exploratory categorical factor analysis revealed that the psychological responses of victims during sexual assaults comprised two factors: TI and fear. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that victims’ fear during the sexual assault increased their TI responses. Furthermore, the high variation of violence, which was influenced by prior relationships between victims and offenders, increased fear and TI responses.

The present study investigates the association between social skills and indicators of school adjustment: school satisfaction, loneliness, self-esteem, depression, and academic grades. A total of 1,042 junior high school students (boys = 513, girls = 529, M_age = 13.63, range = 12–15) from 33 classes in three schools participated in a questionnaire survey. The results of correlation analysis with multilevel modeling and Zou’s test revealed that (a) hairyo skills, consisting of compassion for others and maintaining relationships with peers, were positively correlated with academic grades, and (b) kakawari skills, consisting of assertion and developing relationships with peers, were positively correlated with school satisfaction and self-esteem. Both types of social skills were negatively correlated with a sense of victimization and depression. These results show multiple aspects of the effects of social skills toward school adjustment problems.

Workplace changes, such as remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused serious psychological distress for workers. The aim of this study was to examine job stressors and coping strategies among Japanese workers during the pandemic. The study was a qualitative methods approach using a web-based survey for Japanese workers in May 2020. We asked about job stressors and coping strategies with free text comments. We performed context analysis and categorized job stressors and coping strategies. Of the participants, 59.2 % suffered psychological stress from workplace changes during the pandemic. We identified 11 categories of job stressors including “work-life balance,” “lack of communication,” “overwork,” and “diminishing work role.” We also identified 16 categories of coping strategies including “distraction,” “dealing with work tasks,” “looking for ways to communicate,” “environmental coordination of work-at-home,” “online chatting,” and “psychological disengagement.” This study shows that Japanese workers tried many ways to manage their job stressors under the burden of the state of emergency. In the future, we should examine the association between coping strategies and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim and the gender of both on the estimation of the severity of stalking incidents. The study used a 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 (prior relationship × perpetrator’s gender × victim’s gender × participant’s gender) experimental design with a hypothetical scenario. A total of 1,200 participants read one of the 12 scenarios and answered items concerning the situation described. The results showed that the participants tended to estimate the severity of the incident lower when the perpetrator was an ex-partner rather than a stranger, or when the victim was a man rather than a woman. In the case of female victims, they tended to estimate the severity lower when the perpetrator was female rather than male. To deal with stalking cases as early as possible, primary prevention and training for police officers are needed to reduce these cognitive biases.

The purpose of this study is to translate the Courage Measure (CM) into Japanese and to examine the validity of the Japanese version of the CM (CM-J). Study 1 (N = 1,000) showed that the CM-J has a one-factor structure similar to previous studies and that it has sufficient measurement accuracy and good reliability based on item response theory. Study 2 (N = 366) confirmed the convergent and criterion-related validity of the CM-J in relation to optimism, pessimism, subjective well-being, Big Five personality traits, and the behavioral indicator. Study 3 (N = 200) confirmed the convergent validity of the CM-J in relation to resilience, bravery, authenticity, and grit. The CM-J is useful to the research of individual differences in courage and, in the future, for screening the clients who potentially drop out in exposure therapy.

This study aimed to develop the Japanese version of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS). The original scale was designed to assess the acceptance of one’s identity as an LGB person. We examined the reliability and validity of the translated Japanese version using data from 703 Japanese LGB people. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Japanese version of the LGBIS has a four-factor structure, in contrast to the eight-factor structure of the original version: negative image and affect toward LGB identity, identity centrality, identity affirmation, and identity uncertainty. Furthermore, internal consistency and test-retest correlations indicated that the scale has good reliability. The four subscales correlated with various identity-related measures. The correlations between indicators of mental health and both negative affect and affirmation about LGB identity were mostly consistent with the current theory of minority stress, which provide evidence of good validity for the Japanese version of the LGBIS. Thus, the Japanese version of the LGBIS is suitable for the assessment of identity acceptance among the Japanese LGB population.

Scheduling is essential for the pursuit of everyday goals. Individual differences in scheduling are known as scheduling styles. Two subtypes of scheduling styles, clock-time style (based on time) and event-time style (based on progress), have recently been focused on as being related to individual differences in self-control. This study developed the Japanese version of the Task Scheduling Questionnaire (TSQ) for assessing people’s trait-like scheduling styles. We conducted three studies to examine the relationship between scheduling styles and university students’ pursuit of academic goals. Studies 1 and 2 surveyed university and high school students. The results indicated that the Japanese version of the TSQ had good reliability and validity. Study 3, using the Japanese version of the TSQ, revealed that the event-time style was positively associated with academic engagement, learning behavior, and university students’ academic performance. In contrast, the clock-time style was not associated with academic indicators. We have discussed the limitations of this study and the relationship between clock-time style and everyday goal pursuit.

The present study examines whether the activation of visuospatial perceptual processing affects empathic responses during narrative comprehension. Specifically, using a dual-task method, we investigated the effects of load on a visuospatial memory task and capacity of visuospatial working memory on empathic response rating scores for reading. Consequently, the results revealed that the effects of load on the visuospatial memory task reduced empathic response scores for reading in the higher visuospatial working memory capacity. The results suggest that the activation of visuospatial perceptual processing influence empathic responses during narrative comprehension. Moreover, elaboration through activation of visuospatial perceptual processing plays an important role in empathic responses, particularly for readers having a large capacity of visuospatial working memory.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on exposure therapy based on an inhibitory learning approach and to comprehensively summarize the accumulation of studies on this approach and its effectiveness. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. A screening and eligibility assessment identified 59 articles on exposure therapy based on the inhibitory learning approach. The literature was categorized according to the inhibitory learning approach’s specific strategies, and the intervention’s effects were reviewed. As a result of the overview, it became clear that there was an insufficient number of studies for each study, except for those pertaining to the use of partial agonists of NMDA receptors. Furthermore, although 33 of the 59 studies showed intervention effects, the breakdown of the studies was skewed. Therefore, it is thought that the inhibitory learning approach is not adequately effective, and further research data and research methods should be devised in the future.