【Purpose】To clarify therapeutic interventions for rape victims, we compared outcomes in patients who had their first psychiatric examination within three months following rape (the acute phase) with the outcomes in patients who received their first psychiatric examination after more than three months from the day of the rape incident (the chronic phase).

【Method】Over three and a half years, we collected and analyzed information from medical charts on patients’ psychiatric examination after rape, including the evaluation of their condition and outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy.

【Result/Discussion】The average number of days from the day of rape to receiving a psychiatric examination were much lower for those who were in remission compared with those who were not in remission. Therefore, we can consider the possibility that obtaining a psychiatric examination in the early stages after being afflicted by rape will lead to a better prognosis. In the acute phase, the symptoms of all seven individuals who reinforced the use of cognitive behavioral therapy were relieved.

【Conclusion】Providing cognitive behavioral therapy to a rape victim at an early stage after rape will be effective in reducing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.

The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between stress factors during pregnancy and stress responses based on the conceptual framework that stress coping is significantly correlated with social support, the level of satisfaction with life, and mental health status. Between April 25, 2011 and March 9, 2012, a questionnaire survey was conducted involving a total of 573 pregnant women (175, 207, and 191 women during the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively).

As a result, no significant differences were noted in the stress factors or stress response score among the 3 trimesters. The possibility of receiving social support was high in all trimesters, and the level of satisfaction with life was high for items regarding husbands. The stress of pregnancy was weaker when the level of satisfaction with life was higher and the degree of mental fatigue was lower. On the other hand, the stress of pregnancy was stronger when daily stress was greater. Both the statements regarding stress factors and coping most commonly included information about husbands. Thus, while husband-related matters served as stress factors, these matters also played an important role in stress coping.

The results of the present study suggest that, to relieve stress factors and facilitate stress coping, it is important for pregnant women to increase their level of satisfaction with life and decrease the level of mental fatigue, particularly to nurture their relationship with their husbands and promote support from them.

[Objective] This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of unidentified complaints and feelings about child-rearing of young children’s mothers by a type of school. [Methods] A cross-sectional survey was conducted with mothers who raised children aged 1 to 6 years and used a preschool or nursery school for day care. Contents of questionnaire were the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12), feelings about child-rearing, and the degree of the unidentified complaints. [Results] Based on the answers collected from 739 mothers of 3 preschools and 6 nursery schools, the following results were obtained. 1) Mothers using the nursery schools had low mental health degree. 2) Preschoolers’ mothers had strong feelings of “burden from the restraint of child-rearing” and those whose children attended nursery schools had strong “sense of anxiety toward child-rearing”. 3) 71.3% of them were aware of unidentified complaint and the mothers of the nursery schools were more aware of it than preschoolers’ ones. Their highly complaining symptoms were “fatigue”, “bad mood”, “stiff shoulders” and “a feeling of weariness”. 4) Regardless of daycare types, those who had low mental health degree or were aware of unidentified complaint had strong negative feelings of child-rearing and low positive feelings of that. Multiple factors affecting negative feelings of child-rearing were confirmed in the preschoolers’ mothers, but not in the mothers of the nursery schools. [Discussion] It is necessary to consider childcare support and health support measures based on the actual conditions of mothers to reduce mothers’ emotional burdens.

The present study attempted to develop a handbook for sexual assault victims during the acute phase and evaluate its utility among support providers.

Method：We developed a handbook based on prior research and interviews with sexual assault victims. We revised the draft based on interdisciplinary specialists’ opinions. Handbooks were distributed to support givers who were requested to use them with victims. We distributed self-administered questionnaires to participants comprising support givers to victims of severe sexual assault experiences.

Results：Of the 104 survey respondents (55.9% response rate), 95.2% were female and the mean age was 54.1±13.1 years. Overall, 18.3% of the respondents used the handbook to provide victims with support during the survey. More than 80% of the respondents commented that the content was useful for supporters and sexual assault victims. More than 70% reported that the content was easy to understand, 41.3% stated that it contained extensive information, and 10.6% replied that support providers’ burdens increased when victims used the handbook.

Discussion：This handbook was utility among a group of support providers. Nonetheless, it is necessary to conduct a detailed examination of its content in the future.