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) had significantly lower GAF scores as well as lower Perceptual Organization scores than the latter (N=7). Conclusion: Regardless of whether or not they had a psychiatric diagnosis and were motivated to receive psychotherapy, the subjects intended to participate in a study on the psychotherapeutic process. The results suggested that the subjects in this study were a mix of people who had mistaken opinions about their psychological problems and those who truly hoped to receive psychotherapy. Since little is known about reluctant subjects, further larger studies using diagnostic, quantitative, and qualitative methods will be needed.