Psychosocial Characteristics of Subjects Who Hoped to Receive Psychotherapy as Part of a Research Study in Japan

Abstract

Aims: This study examined the psychosocial characteristics of subjects who hoped to receive psychotherapy, but were not receiving psychiatric medication as part of a research study using quantitative methods to measure psychometric properties in Japan. Methods: Subjects were examined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, Global Assessment of Functioning, a questionnaire (including the resilience scale, social desirability scale, and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI)) and psychological assessments. Results: Of the 67 people who initially volunteered, 22 came to the clinical centre at Tokyo International University. Of these, 16 completed a psychiatric diagnostic interview. They all had a fair IQ and were highly resilient and functioning well. Nine subjects had an Axis I disorder that could be classified as a life-long prevalence or 12-month prevalence. The subjects were diagnosed as follows: depressive episode group (N=7), manic episode group (N=1), anxiety disorder group (N=7), and eating disorder group (N =2). There were no significant differences between the subjects with (N=9) and without (N=6) a psychiatric diagnosis except for GAF. The results of a Mann-Whitney test between subjects with or without a desire to seek psychotherapy revealed that the former (N=7)