Introduction Guided parent-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (GPD-CBT) is an evidence-based, low-burden treatment programme for childhood anxiety disorders with demonstrated efficacy, cost-effectiveness and accessibility. However, it has been tested primarily in Western countries, and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness have not been evaluated in Japanese families. The current study aims to examine GPD-CBT’s efficacy and cost-effectiveness in Japanese samples and explore potential cultural adaptations of the programme. Method and analysis This study is designed as a Bayesian single-blind randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups: GPD-CBT (intervention group) and a waitlist control group. The primary outcome is remission of primary anxiety disorders evaluated through diagnostic interviews by independent evaluators. Secondary outcomes include child and parent-reported child anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and life interference. Additionally, measures of parental psychological characteristics, programme acceptability and quality of life are collected. We will conduct qualitative interviews with parents who participated in the programme and therapists who delivered the intervention to explore potential cultural adaptations. We aim to recruit 54–170 families, depending on the results of sequential Bayesian analyses. GPD-CBT consists of seven weekly 20 min sessions and a 1-month follow-up session. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 13 weeks post randomisation (primary endpoint for between-group comparison), with an additional 25 weeks post randomisation. The waitlist control group will receive GPD-CBT after the 13-week assessment. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committees of Chiba University and the University of Tokyo. We will disseminate results through academic conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications. If the GPD-CBT intervention proves efficacious, we will promote wider implementation in Japan through the development of training programmes for mental health professionals and key stakeholders. Trial registration numbers jRCT1032250421 ( https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT1032250421 ) and jRCT1030250422 ( https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT1030250422 ) registered on 9 October 2025.

Abstract The Parent Overprotection Measure (POM) is a promising scale to measure parent overprotection toward a child from the parent’s perspective. However, no Japanese translation of the scale has been developed, and whether the POM can be applied to a Japanese population is unknown. This study translated the POM into Japanese and examined its psychometric properties. Parents of 380 children aged 4 to 7 years (including 190 mothers and 190 fathers) completed online questionnaires. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated that the Japanese translation of the POM has a bi-factor structure, including one general factor (general overprotection) and two specific factors (care/attention and control/prevention). The measurement invariance of reports from mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives was confirmed by multiple group CFA. The McDonald’s Omega was acceptable for all factors, but the general overprotection factor explained most scale variance. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were more than .20 between the control/prevention factor and child anxiety symptoms in both mother and father reports. The correlation between the control/prevention factor and parent anxiety according to fathers’ reports also exceeded .20. These results provided the factor structure and supported the reliability of the POM among a Japanese population; however, further investigation of the validity of the scale is needed.

There are few evaluations of early intervention for the prevention of anxiety disorders in East Asia, and those that exist generally evaluate outcomes to a maximum of 6-12 months. The current study evaluated the long-term effect (5 years) of an anxiety prevention program presented to preschool children and their parents in Japan. Participants for the study were 10 inhibited children 5-6 years old and their parents. The parent's and children's program comprised group sessions of a cognitive-behavioural program. Parents and teachers completed the anxious/depressed, withdrawn and behavioural inhibition at pre-post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. Five years after starting the intervention, participants were invited to a diagnostic interview, Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS) to examine a long-term preventive effect of the intervention. The majority of children showed a reduction in anxious/depressed, behavioral inhibition, and approximately half showed reliable change according to parents' and teachers' reports. Moreover, the results indicated that 9 of the 10 children did not met the diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. These results suggested that the early intervention had preventive effects because the diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders were not met in the follow-up assessment conducted five years later.

The present article reviews the current status of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions for anxiety and depression in Japanese youth. First, a literature review of youth CBT programs for anxiety and depression is provided. Through this process, we identify which program/protocol has been most researched within Japan. Second, through a systematic interview to the authors, the development process of four predominant programs is outlined. The programs included were a family CBT program for anxiety disorders (the Japanese Anxiety Children/Adolescents Cognitive Behavior Therapy program), two school-based prevention programs for anxiety and depression (Journey of the Brave and Phoenix Time), and a transdiagnostic protocol for anxiety and depression (Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents). Third, cultural adaptation and modification of the programs are discussed from the scope of user-centered design principles as described by Lyon and Koerner (Sci Pract 23:180-200, 2016). As a result, changes in program content and material, as represented by the use of culture-friendly program names, acronyms, illustrations, and characters were endorsed in all of the programs. Structured but flexible session formats helped increase learnability and efficiency while keeping the cognitive load of providers and consumers low. A careful selection of providers, as well as quality training and consultation are important factors to maximize competency and ensure appropriate implementation. Application of existing time frames and staff who work in each setting were effective ways to increase scalability. Overall, it was shown that many of the modifications adopted overlap among successful programs; these represent the most basic and essential requirements for a program to be applicable to a wide range of contexts. Implications and further directions are explored.

本研究は、小学6年生に対して社会的問題解決訓練を実施し、訓練効果・維持効果、および、ストレス反応に及ぼす影響について検討した。児童175名は、それぞれ訓練群84名と統制群91名に割り付けられ、訓練群の児童は、担任教師によって4セッション(各45分)からなる介入を受けた。その結果、訓練を受けた児童は、友人とのトラブル場面においてポジティブに問題を捉える問題志向を向上させ、解決の目標としての認知的解決スタイルを習得し、それらは訓練終了3カ月後も維持されていることが明らかとなった。解決策の案出数は、訓練終了11カ月後も訓練効果が維持されていた。また、訓練群の児童では、訓練直後においてストレス反応のうち不機嫌・怒りに低減効果が示された。中学校進学後の11カ月後フォローアップ測定において、解決策の案出数以外に介入の維持効果はみられなかった。中学校入学後の維持促進の操作の必要性が示唆された。

本研究の目的は、小学生児童(5、6年生)を対象とした抑うつ低減のための認知行動的プログラムの効果を検討することであった。217名(10、11歳)の児童がスクールベイスドの介入群と統制群に割り当てられた。プログラムの内容は、多様性のあるコーピング、リラクゼーションを習得することを目的とした。対象児は、プログラムの実施前後に自記式質問紙を用いて抑うつとコーピングについて評価された。その結果、抑うつ症状について時期と群に有意差がみられ、もともと抑うつの高い児童において、プログラム前に比べ、プログラム後に抑うつの有意な低減がみられた。コーピング得点は、プログラム前に比べて、プログラム後のほうが有意に高かった。このことから、多様性のあるコーピングとリラクゼーションに焦点を当てたプログラムが、児童の抑うつの低減に対して効果的な技法であることを示された。最後に、本研究は児童の抑うつに対するスクールベイスドのプログラムとして、有効性が示唆された。

本研究および基課題は，小中学校におけるメンタルヘルス研究として，抑うつ，ストレス反応の改善・軽減といった「治療的効果」にとどまらず，「予防教育的な効果」をテーマとしている。学校教育に求められるのは，現時点の治療的効果だけでなく，将来にわたって心と体の健康を維持促進するための予防教育的な効果検討である。さらに海外で開発された心理的介入が，わが国の教育体制，文化において効果的かどうかわが国への文化適応性を検証することも目的とする。 本研究は，基課題を発展・加速させるためにUniversity of Oxford, Dr. Creswellらが蓄積してきた知見も参考に，あらたなプログラムを開発する。そして，新たに開発した介入プログラムについて，わが国の教育体制および文化への適応性の国際間比較も行う。基課題で取り組む介入プログラムを発展させたJapanレジリエンス・プログラムを開発し，効果検証を行う。 研究１として，これまでに日本で収集したデータを解析し，メンタルヘルスの保護要因であるレジリエンスに概念整理を進めていく。レジリエンスなど子どもと若者のメンタルヘルスに関する保護要因については実証的な研究が不足しており，その実態も不明確な点が多い。具体的には，現在収集している国内データについて共分散構造モデリングによる探索的因子分析を行い，レジリエンスの構成因子を詳細に整理していく。対象者：小学5-6年生，中学校1－3年生。