Support for the supporters is essential. In this study, we reviewed studies on support for supporters (i.e., social workers) at child guidance centers in Japan, based on the following three perspectives: (1) the working environment, (2) stress responses and support needs, and (3) the provision of support. The results revealed the importance of improving the organizational structure, strengthening the plans for human resource development, building support systems in the organization, and increasing the variety of support. In addition, emotional support was not as developed as learning support, suggesting that accumulating research findings and practice is inevitable. We have made recommendations, based on these results.

This study examined the interrelationship between linguistic characteristics and individual cognitive factors that contribute to developmental dyslexia among readers of alphabetic systems, Japanese syllabaries, and Chinese morpho-syllabaries. Among alphabetical languages. English has a complex syllable structure and opaque orthography; therefore, literacy acquisition requires particularly precise phonological skills. Deficiencies in phonological skills may lead to developmental dyslexia. The prevalence rate of developmental dyslexia is relatively high among English speakers. Japanese has an orthographically transparent syllabary and a simple syllable structure; therefore, the prevalence rate of hiragana dyslexia is less than 1%. Visuo-orthographic knowledge and morphological and syllabic awareness are required for literacy acquisition in visually complicated Chinese hanji. Children with dyslexia often exhibit deficiencies in these functions. Across the script types, an awareness of the linguistic level represented in each script is essential for literacy acquisition: phonemic awareness for the alphabetic script, syllable awareness for hiragana, and syllable and morphological awareness for hanji. Impaired rapid automatized naming is commonly observed among individuals with developmental dyslexia across all three script types. This impairment is likely because of foundational processing difficulties involved in language-script conversion.

Amid demographic and social changes in contemporary Japan, the growing prevalence of loneliness and social isolation has emerged as a critical societal issue. This comprehensive review examined domestic research trends in Japan and addressed the definitions, underlying mechanisms, and measurement challenges of these concepts. By using structural topic modeling with the J-STAGE database, this article analyzed cross-disciplinary domestic research trends on loneliness and social isolation over time, revealing the significant expansion of the field since the 2000s—particularly in psychology and medicine. Theoretical frameworks underlying the concepts of loneliness, social isolation, ostracism, and social exclusion are introduced, with particular attention to the implications of interpersonal relationships on health, including stress-buffering and main effect models, and developmental and evolutionary perspectives on loneliness. This review also critically evaluated methodological issues, including the classical statistical problem of dichotomizing continuous variables and the challenges in categorizing individuals by using arbitrary thresholds in loneliness and social isolation scales. In conclusion, meaningful progress in the field requires a thorough understanding of theoretical foundations, as well as methodological considerations in measuring loneliness and social isolation.

Numerous observational studies have demonstrated the critical role of social connectedness in addressing the challenges of a super-aging society and enhancing individual well-being (WB). However, the extent to which interventions targeting social connectedness within local communities can improve WB among older adults remains unclear. The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of intervention studies focused on promoting social connectedness in community settings and enhancing WB. Sixteen studies were identified that quantitatively assessed the effects of interventions. Approximately one-half of these studies reported that the interventions increased social connectedness and improved WB. However, the robustness of these effects could not be firmly established. Research in this area remains in its early stages, with notable gaps in the use of theory-based interventions, and challenges related to sample size, study design, and measurement indicators.

The purpose of this paper is to present the progress and prospects of spatial prescription research in prevention of isolation and loneliness. The study focuses on research developments in spatial planning and residential design by reflecting on basic studies related to intervention methods at the group level. Spatial prescriptions were examined for ‘whereabouts in town’ as long-term support, ‘placemaking’ for changing the context and social infrastructure, and ‘area management’ for considering economic and social factors. These spatial prescriptions at the group level were positioned in stages, and a multilayered isolation and loneliness prevention model was developed, including primordial and primary prevention.