The number of unemployed men is increasing rapidly as a result of the company’s downsizing usually called “re-structuring” in Japan. Though “re-structuring” seems to be an up-to-date topic under the depression, few attention has been paid to its impact on mental health of dismissed workers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the physical and psycho-social impact of the “re-structuring” and its related factors based on the intensive interviews of 4 unemployed men (two of them were severely deteriorated, others were positively affected). The relationship between financial condition, work commitment to the previous company, social support and mental health were examined so as to get a hint of building of supporting systems for those people. Findings showed that (1) their dairy life were compelled to change its usual styles, (2) not only having enough money and social support but also being independent from the previous company psychologically may be important to keep their psychological state in good condition.

The present study attempted to examine the relationships between an individual’s empowerment and school power that is embedded in school community. There are all sorts of schools and each school has original collective stories that are often told and shared by their school members. These collective stories are peculiar to each school community and they will create the school communal narratives that sustain individual’s personal stories.

Some students may be able to enjoy their school life and grow by participating in the school events and gain mastery over issues of concern to them. However, other students may not be able to adjust themselves to their school and they will be in danger of becoming a marginal man gradually. The major difference between the former, who are defined as “an empowered student”, and the latter, who are defined as “a disempowered student” is the way of accessing to their communal narratives. In this study, it is concluded that the personal stories of empowered students are rooted in their own communal narratives that will develop their personal stories as renewable. On the other hand, the personal stories of disempowered students were not shared by others and therefore they could not access to their communal narratives, and consequently it was difficult for them to renew their personal stories in positive way.

The purpose of this study was to examine the functions of a Bulletin Board System. A BBS for socially withdrawn people was selected because of the increasing number of such cases and the difficulties for mental health professionals to treat and/or access these people. An analysis of the posted discourses showed that the BBS would work as a self-help resource providing participants with opportunities for self-disclosure and extending supportive discourses. Interviews with the systemoperator and participant observation in the off-line meetings found a unique advantae of the BBS. It served as mediator for on-line relationships among the participants leading toward real or live face-to-face relationships.