Although bullying among Japanese youth is a current major concern, psychosocial influences on bullying are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to identify the psychosocial factors associated with physical, verbal, and indirect bullying among Japanese adolescents. Junior high school students between seventh and ninth grade (N = 2,923) completed a self-reported questionnaire. Involvement in bullying and psychosocial factors were investigated. Deviant peer influence, less serious attitude in school, poor self-control of aggressiveness and impulsiveness, poor self-assertive efficacy against bullying, and euphemistic thinking were commonly associated with physical, verbal, and indirect bullying. Experiences of victimization by physical and verbal bullying were associated with both physical and verbal bullying, whereas experiences of victimization by indirect bullying were associated with indirect bullying. Psychosocial factors associated with different types of bullying substantially overlapped. Therefore, interventions focused on these modifiable common factors could be effective in the prevention of adolescent bullying.

Objective: The purpose of this study is twofold. First, we examine the prevalence rate of workplace bullying among employees in Japan. Second, we explore antecedents of bullying exposure at work in this population. Method: 699 employees recruited in 5 labor unions in the Tokyo area (Japan) voluntarily participated in this questionnaire-based study. We provided participants with a definition of bullying and asked them to indicate whether or not they have been bullied during the last six months according to this definition (self-labeling method). We also asked participants to complete items about a number of personal (e.g., gender, individual tendencies toward depression) and organizational (e.g., team cohesion, supervisor's support) variables. Results: The prevalence rate of workplace bullying was 15%. Regression analyses revealed that female workers reported higher levels of perceptions of being bullied than male workers. Additionally, depression was positively associated with perceptions of being bullied, whereas team cohesion, supervisor's support, and an innovation-oriented climate were negatively associated with being bullied. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates the importance of considering individual differences as predictors of bullying and, in particular, suggests that mental health promotion might play a role in bullying prevention. In addition, findings indicate that organizational interventions for workplace bullying may benefit from introducing elements aimed at improving group cohesion and organizational climate.

Bruss (1987) has studied a continuous-time generalization of the so-called secretary problem, where options arise according to homogeneous Poisson processes with an unknown intensity of λ. In this note, the solution is extended to the case with random availability, that is, there exists a fixed known probability p(0 < p < 1) of availability, and the number of offering chances allowed at most is m(> 1). The case when the probability of availability depends on m is also studied.

This study evaluated the impact of a preventive intervention program focused on self‐understanding and interpersonal interactions to prevent psychosocial distress among Japanese university students. Two hundred and twenty‐two undergraduate students were divided into a treatment group and a control group to complete Time 1 and Time 2 surveys. The intervention program included eleven weekly sessions covering self‐understanding, self‐control, interpersonal relationships, problem solving, conflict resolution, and stress management. Both female and male students in the treatment group reported a significant increase in social self‐efficacy in interpersonal relationships from Time 1 to Time 2, but no significant changes were noted in the control group. Anxiety significantly decreased from Time 1 to Time 2, and no difference in depression was noted in the female treatment group, although anxiety and depression significantly increased in the female control group. The intervention program effectively prevented some aspects of psychosocial distress.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Smoking and drinking alcohol among early adolescents are serious public health concerns, but few studies have been conducted in Japan to assess their prevalence and etiology. A regional survey was conducted in eight schools in two Japanese school districts to identify psychosocial factors associated with smoking and drinking behaviors for boys and girls.

This study evaluates the impact of a school-based intervention program on aggressive behavior among junior high school students in Japan. One hundred and four seventh-graders were enrolled in the program and completed Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 surveys. The program was implemented in two classes between Time 1 and Time 2 surveys (the first treatment group) and in two other classes between Time 2 and Time 3 surveys (the delayed treatment group). The program included four weekly lessons related to problem solving, stress management, and communication. The initial intervention group reported a significant increase in appropriate relationships with classmates. Aggressive behavior significantly decreased from Time 1 to Time 3 in both groups and from Time 2 to Time 3 in the delayed treatment group, but no treatment group effect was noted. Additional modification of the program may be needed to achieve decreases in aggressive behavior.