Journal Naikan to be done in daily life is one of the important forms of popular Naikan because Intensive Naikan must be performed for one week in seclusion. However, there is much psychological research yet to be done on the effects of Journal Naikan.
Here is a report on three aspects: (1) How much personality change does it bring? (2) Does it provide the same efficacy with two months' sustained practice as Intensive Naikan? (3) How does it compare with the results of two former studies showing that. Intensive Naikan resulted in two years and one-to-four years of Naikan thinking and quality of life?
Methods and results: Forty-three university students majoring in psychology were divided into two groups. The Naikan group (n=18) experienced Journal Naikan for two months and the other group (n=25) experienced no Naikan during the same period. Both groups were given the YG personality test before and after that period. As a result, positive personality changes were revealed by the YG test. The quantitative and qualitative effects of Naikan were as marked in the Journal Naikan group as in the Intensive Naikan group. A followup survey (n=9) showed continued effects after three years.
Conclusions: Journal Naikan can be said to have the possibility of similar qualitative and quantitative efficacy of Intensive Naikan, but perhaps to a lesser degree.
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