Kokoro no Kenko: Understanding Mental Health Beliefs from a Culturally Grounded Perspective Using a Mixed-Methods Approach in Japan and Canada

Culture plays a crucial role in shaping how people perceive, interpret, and navigate psychological suffering. This dissertation examines cultural variations in mental health beliefs within Japan and Canada, utilizing two mixed-methods research designs. The overarching objective is to engage in interdisciplinary and culturally grounded research practices, driven by the need to address the lack of diversity, inclusion, and global perspectives in psychological science, commonly referred to as the “WEIRD” problem. These research practices entail critically reflecting on the generalizability of Western biomedical models, conducting literature reviews in Japanese, and fostering collaborations with Japanese researchers. Manuscript 1 examines the differences in causal and help-seeking beliefs about mental illnesses between Japanese and Euro-Canadian students. In this study, content analysis revealed themes related to social-contextualization and unique cultural perspectives, such as filial piety and resting. Statistical analysis showed group differences in the endorsement of explanatory models across various conditions, including depression, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol use disorder, and hikikomori. Overall, Japanese students tended to psychologize and recommend social support, whereas Euro-Canadian students tended to medicalize and recommend medication and self-care. Manuscripts 2 and 3 apply cultural consensus theory to explore shared beliefs about mental health, depression, and therapeutic alliance among Japanese clinical psychologists. Using a two-phase sequential mixed-methods design, cultural domain analysis identified salient terms reflecting mental health issues and changes in licensure within Japan’s socio-cultural and historical context. Cultural consensus analysis demonstrated shared models for most domains, with exceptions in for beliefs about an incompetent clinician, a difficult client, and external barriers. This dissertation makes a valuable contribution by exploring culturally distinctive mental health beliefs and advocating for the benefits of mixed-methods approaches. It addresses the limitations of the contemporary psychological literature, which predominantly relies on theories, sampling, and methods prevalent in Western (i.e., “WEIRD”) contexts. These studies are proposed as an initial stride towards developing culturally grounded models for clinical assessment and care, catering to the needs of people from non-Western cultural backgrounds. The findings carry important implications for mental health research, policy, community care, practice, and education, especially in multicultural contexts

Iodide-Mediated or Iodide-Catalyzed Demethylation and Friedel-Crafts C-H Borylative Cyclization Leading to Thiophene-Fused 1,2-Oxaborine Derivatives

The first synthesis of dithieno-1,2-oxaborine derivatives was achieved via iodide-mediated or iodide-catalyzed demethylation of 3-methoxy-2,2'-bithiophene and subsequent C-H borylation. A wide variety of thiophene-fused oxaborines could be synthesized by the procedure

Fear of offending others in Japan and Canada: A mixed methods evaluation of the Taijin Kyofu Sho questionnaire

Taijin Kyofusho (TKS) has long been considered a Japanese culture-bound social anxiety disorder in the Western literature. One of the defining features of TKS is the fear of offending others, whereas the existing understanding of the "Western" form of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the fear of embarrassing the self. TKS, however, does not appear to be as culturally specific as previously thought, and has been reported across different cultural contexts. The Taijin Kyofu Sho Questionnaire (TKSQ: Choy et al., 2008) was developed to assess symptoms of TKS in American and Korean patients with SAD. The scale, however, has not yet been validated in Japan nor in other Western cultural contexts. Cognitive processes and contextual factors shaping the experience of completing the TKSQ, as well as the item functioning and cross-cultural equivalence of the TKSQ, need to be examined in a comprehensive research design. This study examined the validity and psychometric properties of a recently developed measure of TKS symptoms, the 30-item Taijin Kyofu Sho Questionnaire (TKSQ: Choy et al., 2008), using a mixed-methods design. The specific objectives were: (1) to evaluate translation errors, questionnaire designs, and unique socio-cultural factors influencing the participants' responses on the TKSQ to better understand TKSQ across cultural contexts; and (2) to evaluate the cross-cultural equivalence of the TKSQ. Cognitive Interviewing (CI), a well-established qualitative method for evaluating survey questions was conducted with Japanese (n = 12) and Euro-Canadian (n = 9) university students with high levels of TKS symptoms. In the quantitative component of the study, two datasets were used to examine the validity of the scale. First, the TKSQ was administered to students in Japan (n = 190) and Canada (n = 78). Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses were conducted to detect items with item bias in TSKQ (Dataset 1). The external validation study was conducted in a separate dataset to examine correlation analysis among TKSQ, TK-S, SIAS, and SCS, also in Japan (n = 124) and Canada (n = 114). Analysis of CI results showed that the major source of error was related to clarity of the scale for the Euro-Canadian sample. Different interpretations of certain items by Japanese participants appeared to be due to translation errors. DIF analysis identified three items demonstrating DIF in Dataset 1, although the TKSQ was positively correlated with TK-S, SIAS, and Interdependent Self-Construal for both groups in Dataset 2. Both CI and quantitative findings have implications for studying cross-cultural differences in TKS-related symptoms and syndromes in Japan and Canada. The novel research design used in this study could strengthen cross-cultural survey development and assessment, providing a more nuanced and integrated view of psychopathological phenomena across cultural contexts.Le Taijin Kyofusho (TKS) a longtemps été considéré, dans la littérature occidentale, comme un trouble d'anxiété sociale lié seulement à la culture Japonaise. Un des aspects distinctifs du TKS est la crainte d'insulter ou d'offenser les autres, tandis que la conceptualisation 'occidentale' prévalente du trouble d'anxiété sociale est la crainte de se mettre soi-même dans l'embarras. Cependant, le TKS ne semble pas être aussi intimement lié à la culture japonaise qu'on ne le pensait, et des cas ont déjà été rapportés au sein d'autres cultures. La recherche sur les mécanismes sous-jacents au TKS n'en étant qu'à ses débuts, le Taijin Kyofu Sho Questionnaire (TKSQ : Choy et al., 2008), créé au États-Unis, n'a pas encore été validé. En conséquence, les processus cognitifs et les facteurs contextuels qui façonnent l'expérience du TKS, ainsi que le fonctionnement et l'équivalence interculturelle du questionnaire TKSQ doivent être examinés dans le cadre d'une recherche exhaustive. Cette étude propose un modèle de recherche à méthodes mixtes qui intègre les méthodes qualitatives et quantitatives pour: (1) évaluer les erreurs de traduction, les modèles de questionnaires, et les différents facteurs socio-culturels ayant une influence sur les réponses des participants au questionnaire TKSQ, afin de mieux comprendre le phénomène du TKS au sein de diverses cultures; et (2) déterminer la validité statistique de l'équivalence interculturelle du questionnaire TKSQ. L'entrevue cognitive (Cognitive Interviewing, CI), une méthode de recherche qualitative reconnue et respectée, a été utilisée pour mener cette étude sur des étudiants Japonais (n = 12) et Euro-Canadiens (n = 9) à risque. Dans la phase quantitative de l'étude, deux ensembles de données on été utilisée pour examiner la validité de l'échelle. Tout d'abord, des étudiants au Japon (n = 190) et au Canada (n = 78) ont complété le TKSQ. Une analyse 'Differential Item Funtioning' (DIF) a été menée sur ces échantillons (Ensemble de données 1) dans le but de déceler les sections du questionnaire TKSQ (30 questions) comportant des items biaisés. Une analyse de validation externe fut ensuite menée sur un ensemble de données séparé, laquelle consista en une analyse corrélationnelle des relations entre les TKSQ, TK-S, SIAS, et SCS. Ce second ensemble de données comprenait des échantillons recueillis au Japon ( n = 124) au Canada (n = 114). Les résultats de l'analyse de l'entrevue cognitive démontrent que la principale source d'erreur est associée à la clarté de l'échelle pour l'échantillon d'Euro-Canadiens. Par ailleurs, les erreurs de traduction semblent être un des facteurs les plus problématiques pour les participants Japonais. L'analyse quantitative a aussi identifié trois items faisant preuve de DIF dans l'ensemble de données 1, bien que le TKSQ soit corrélé positivement avec les échelles TK-S, SIAS, et Interdependent Self-Construal dans les deux groupes culturels dans l'ensemble de données 2. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que les deux types d'analyses, qualitative et DIF, sont liées par des disparités dans l'organisation des réponses des participants au questionnaire. De plus, les résultats ont également d'importantes implications en termes de différences interculturelles dans la compréhension du phénomène du TKS au Japon et au Canada. Pour conclure, dans les contextes interculturels, le modèle de recherche innovateur employé dans cette étude a le potentiel d'améliorer le développement des techniques de sondage et aussi d'offrir une vision plus complète et intégrée du phénomène à l'étude

学生がメンタルヘルス支援を受ける中で経験した困難と助かったこと―利用者視点の探索的研究―

メンタルヘルスの問題を抱える学生は多く、支援の需要は高まっている。支援の評価 ・改善においては利用者の視点を取り入れることが重要であり、そのためには支援の利用経験を質的に理解する必要がある。本研究では、大学生・大学院生がメンタルヘルス支援を受ける中で感じた、困ったこと・助かったこと・支援への希望を、個別インタビュー・テーマ分析を行い明らかにした。対象者は支援継続中あるいは終了後数年の7名であった。困ったことでは、支援を受ける際に電話・メール・外出などの【必要とされることができない】、支援者の言葉や支援の仕組みに関して【支援に嫌な気持ちや不満を感じる】、授業・学務手続き等に関して【学業や生活に困難が生じる】、病気かどうか分からないなどで【支援が始まらない】という4テーマが生成された。助かったことと支援への希望に関しては、気持ちや症状が【楽になる対応をしてくれる】、支援の【選択肢が多く仕組みが柔軟】、負担が減るよう【学業や生活を助けてくれる】という3テーマが生成された。通常の支援過程では聞き取ることが難しい内容が語られ、支援を改善するための示唆が得られた

Extracted tissue-specific atelocollagens have distinctive textural properties

Food texture is a very important factor for elderly persons, children, and patients who have difficulty swallowing. Collagen and its hydrolysis product, gelatin, are used as ingredients in foods, dietary supplements, and medical materials. In this study, we extracted atelocollagen from nonedible porcine tissues, including ear, nose, and skin, and analyzed the biophysical properties of each tissue. Extracted whole auricle collagen (AEC) showed superior springiness, while only the skin region of auricle collagen (ASC) showed superior hardness, springiness, and brittleness. Body skin collagen showed high hardness but low springiness. In a shear stress test, ASC gels showed high shear strength, and their strains coincided with hardness in a textural examination, while nose and AEC showed low maximum strains. In viscosity, the auricular collagens showed higher viscosity regardless of the region of the ear. Fibril formation in collagen from each tissue and organ varied a great deal in width and morphology. We found that the same type of collagen had a unique texture and viscosity under physiological conditions depending on the tissue or organ of extraction. The results show that the collagen extracted from each organ has a unique texture and unique possibilities to serve as an ingredient in food or supplements

Evaluating Emotional Outcomes of Medical Students in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Telesimulation

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged the feasibility of traditional in-person simulation-based clinical training due to the public health recommendation on social distancing. During the pandemic, telesimulation training was implemented to avoid multiple students and faculties gathering in confined spaces. While medical trainees’ perceived emotions have been acknowledged as a critical outcome of the in-person simulation-based training, the impact of telesimulation on trainees’ emotions has been unexamined. We conducted an educational team-based simulation study with a pediatric case of septic shock. Seventeen and twenty-four medical students participated in the telesimulation training and in-person simulation training, respectively. The institutional pandemic social restrictions at the time of each training session determined the participant assignment to either the telesimulation training or in-person simulation training. All participants responded to the Japanese version of the Medical Emotion Scale, which includes 20 items rated on a five-point Likert-type scale before, during, and after the simulation sessions. The measured emotions were categized into four emotion groups according to two dimensions: positive or negative and activating or deactivating emotions. The one-way analysis of variance between the telesimulation and in-person simulation training revealed no significant differences in the emotions perceived by the participants before, during, and after the simulation training sessions. The perceived emotions of medical students were comparable between the telesimulation and in-person simulation training. Further longitudinal studies with larger samples and multiple variables are needed to generalize the effectiveness of telesimulation

A biogenic geodesic dome of the silica skeleton in Phaeodaria

Abstract Unique architectures of microbial skeletons are viewed as a model for the architectural design of artificial structural materials. In particular, the specific geometric arrangement of a spherical skeleton 0.5–1.5 mm in diameter of shell-bearing protists, Phaeodaria (Aulosphaera sp.), is remarkably interesting because of its similarity to a geodesic polyhedron, which is a hollow framework with 6-branched nodes that requires minimal building material for maximal strength. A phaeodarian skeleton composed of silica rods 5–10 µm in diameter was characterized as a distorted dome that is based on an icosahedron sectioned with a 7-frequency subdivision. The major difference of the biogenic architecture from the ideal geodesic dome is the coexistence of 7- and 5-branched nodes with the distortion of the frames and the presence of radial spines. From a microscopic perspective, the frames and radial spines were revealed to be hollow tubes having inner fibers and lamellar walls consisting of silica nanoparticles 4–8 nm in diameter with interlayer organic matter. The high degradability of the silica skeleton in seawater after cell mortality is ascribed to the specific nanometric composite structure. The biological architectonics sheds light on the production of environmentally friendly, lightweight structural materials and microdevices

Increased Tropism of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Palmitic Acid-Treated Hepatocytes to Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells

Myofibroblast-like activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs), which produce collagen, a major cause of liver fibrosis, are specific target cells for antifibrotic treatment. Recently, several reports have indicated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in cell-to-cell communication through their tropism for specific cells or organs. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify aHSC-directed EVs by focusing on cell-to-cell interactions in the liver under pathological conditions. EVs were derived from the hepatocyte cell line AML12 treated with or without palmitic acid (PA) and evaluated for their physical properties and uptake by the aHSC cell line LX-2. AML12-derived EVs had a mean particle diameter of 110–130 nm, negative charge, and expressed the exosomal makers CD9 and CD63. PA-treated AML12 cells released larger EVs with higher protein levels than those without PA treatment. The intracellular uptake efficacy of EVs derived from PA-treated AML12 cells into activated LX-2 cells was significantly higher than those without PA treatment. Our study revealed that PA treatment induces hepatocytes to release EVs with aHSC-tropism. These findings may contribute to the development of an EV-based drug delivery system (DDS) for aHSC-targeted therapy and provide new insights into the role of steatotic hepatocyte-derived EVs in physiological or pathophysiological functions