Yasuhiro Kotera

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Associate Professor at University of Nottingham

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common menstrual disorder that can significantly impact the physical, emotional, and social well-being of affected women. However, PMS remains a neglected problem in Afghanistan, with limited data on its prevalence and impact. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PMS and the more severe premen...

Personality structural dissociation (PSD) describes how traumatisation can structurally alter innate psychobiological system organisation and give rise to dissociative parts of one's personality. Acute, complex and severe trauma-related psychopathologies are described and, the presentations are heterogeneous. Eye movement desensitisation and reproc...

The emergence and spread of the Plasmodium falciparum multidrug-resistant 1 (Pfmdr1) allele pose a significant setback to global efforts to control and eradicate malaria infection by diminishing the efficacy of commonly prescribed antimalarial drugs, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria remains endemic. The Pfmdr1 D1246Y mutation is of...

Background and Hypothesis Psychosis refers to the state whereby one’s experience of reality differs from those around them. The ineffability of psychosis does not render the experience void of meaning, and the ways individuals integrate their experiences of psychosis into their life narratives cannot be dismissed. Meaning is an essential part of re...

Background: Suicide is a significant public health issue globally. The patterns and disparities in suicide rates may have changed with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using epidemiological comparative studies, we can identify how suicide incidence is influenced by risk factors such as personal pressures and social support. This study analyses S...

Background: Psychological safety arises from the knowledge that one will not be pe-nalised for speaking one's mind, sharing concerns , or admitting mistakes. There is a dearth of studies in the Saudi Arabian context on the subject of mindfulness-based interventions to improve psychological safety in the workplace. Objectives: This study aims to inv...

This review aimed to identify and synthesise the evidence for the positive aspects of parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To date, ASD parental research has predominantly focused on the negative aspects; parents and carers are left uninformed of how to strengthen their positive mental wellbeing. Three electronic databases—PubMed,...

The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the negative impact of caregiver burden on the mental health and well-being of family members who provide informal care for their loved ones. Personal fulfilment and strengthened family bonds are among the inherent rewards of informal caregiving. However, it is associated with physical, emotional/psych...

(1) Background:. Adolescent health and well-being is associated with sports and physical education activities. Novel therapies pertaining to athletics training, formation sporting and physical culture is important. In areas where sports facilities are scarce and not cost-effective, they can lead to poorer physical and mental well-being in adolescen...

Abstract (1) Background:. Adolescent health and well-being is associated with sports and physical education activities. Novel therapies pertaining to athletics training, formation sporting and physical culture is important. In areas where sports facilities are scarce and not cost-effective, they can lead to poorer physical and mental well-being in...

Background Although personal recovery has become a well-known concept in most Western countries, it remains under-recognised in non-Western countries. Aims This scoping review aimed to investigate how culture impacts the conceptualisation of personal recovery by evaluating how well the personal recovery framework CHIME (Connectedness, Hope, Identi...

The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the negative impact of caregiver burden on the mental health and well-being of family members who provide informal care for their loved ones. Personal fulfilment and strengthened family bonds are among the inherent rewards of informal caregiving. However, it is associated with physical, emotional/psych...

決して順風満帆ではなかった〈ふつうの研究者〉が，初めてのアクセプトから僅か7年で，いかにして研究者の生産性とインパクトを表す【ｈ指標】を40以上まで積み上げたのか？ 何をどう書けばいいのか，どのように考えれば批判に負けることなく歩めるのか。英語論文を書き続けるためのノウハウとメンタルスキルを解説する。 アマゾンリンク https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4762832715/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_ja_JP

Background: Disasters and family cancer experiences both significantly impact well-being, especially in disaster-prone areas like Japan. Disruptions in medical care and increased emotional strain make coping with cancer even more challenging. This study explores how these factors together affect well-being in Japan, highlighting the need for furthe...

This position paper highlights the dire impacts of environmental and household air pollution, which were responsible for 6.7 million deaths globally in 2019. These deaths occurred predominantly in low-and middle-income countries, with Afghanistan reporting the highest age-adjusted mortality rate. The situation worsens during large-scale disasters l...

Background The Narrative Experiences Online (NEON) Intervention provides self-managed web-based access to mental health recovery narratives (n = 659). We evaluated effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in improving quality of life for adults resident in England with mental health problems and recent psychosis experience. Methods Prospectively regis...

Background Peer support workers provide support for people experiencing mental health conditions based on their own lived experience of mental health problems. Assessing fidelity to core ingredients of peer support is vital for successful implementation and intervention delivery. Modifications to its implementation are needed when scaling up to dif...

Recovery Colleges (RCs) are learning-based mental health recovery communities, located globally. However, evidence on RC effectiveness outside Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries is limited. This study aimed to evaluate associations between cultural characteristics and RC fidelity, to understand how culture imp...

Definition Cross-cultural psychology evaluates how cultural factors influence people’s behaviour and mental processes. Cross-cultural psychology aims to understand individual differences and commonalities, and to develop an appreciation, respect, and knowledge of cultures distinct from one’s own. Compassion refers to the emotional response of under...

We aimed to validate the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4-J). People in Japan, especially healthcare workers (HCWs) suffer from high rates of mental health symptoms. The PHQ-4 is an established ultra-brief mental health measure used in various settings, populations and languages. The Japanese version of the PHQ-4 has no...

Introduction and background Non-consensual sex, including rape and sexual assault, has been a global concern and may have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, information on this topic is limited. Therefore, our objective was to survey the incidence rate of non-consensual sex among Japanese women aged 15-79 years between April and Sep...

In October 2023, Herat Province in Afghanistan was devastated by three earthquakes, resulting in 1,480 fatalities and 1,950 injuries, affecting approximately 154,000 people. The destruction included over 21,300 buildings, including 40 healthcare facilities, intensifying an existing humanitarian crisis under Taliban rule since August 2021. A compreh...

This book will explore the application of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in international contexts, addressing the cultural nuances of mental health across different regions. By integrating compassion with cultural sensitivity, the book will serve as a practical guide for mental health professionals to adapt CFT to various global settings. Throug...

Climate change has a substantial impact on human health, and the rising levels of climate change anxiety have led to a global call for action. However, data exploring the relationship between climate change, mental health, and individuals with parental responsibility is limited. This study examined the association between parental climate anxiety a...

This study aimed to investigate the advantages, disadvantages, working methods, and support needs of physicians practicing teleradiology from home in Japan, as well as to explore challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 physicians (12 radiologists and 3 neurosurgeons) engaged in teleradiology serv...

This short report presents an international research group, Research Ensemble for Advancement in Cross-cultural Healthcare (REACH). REACH is an independent research group, and no one is paid to do research for REACH. All members participate because they are intrinsically motivated to pursue cross-cultural healthcare. REACH consists of 28 healthcare...

Preschool teachers in Japan often face mental health challenges due to high work stresses, and regulations enforced during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may serve to exacerbate these stressors. This can lead to further degradation of the mental health of preschool teachers. The study aimed to measure how new behaviors and regulat...

Background: Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) has been attracting attention in mental health practice and research. CFT is effective in reducing a variety of negative mental health symptoms. Positive mental health (PMH) focuses on an individual’s functioning, quality of life, and well-being, aiming to achieve fulfilment. A need for PMH has been incr...

A child’s autism diagnosis is life-changing for their parents, due to the complex and long-term nature of the condition. Furthermore, research about the increased prevalence of autism suggests that more parents are being affected globally. However, limited studies have investigated parents’ lived experience of their child being diagnosed with autis...

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how critical discourse analysis (CDA) frameworks can be used in cross-cultural mental health recovery research. CDA is a qualitative approach that critically appraises how language contributes to producing and reinforcing social inequalities. CDA regards linguistic productions as reflecting, consciously o...

UNSTRUCTURED The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how critical discourse analysis (CDA) frameworks can be used in cross-cultural mental health recovery research. CDA is a qualitative approach that critically appraises how language contributes to producing and reinforcing social inequalities. CDA regards linguistic productions as reflecting,...

Recovery Colleges (RCs) are mental health learning communities, operated in 28 countries across cultures. However, the RC operational model is informed by Western countries sharing similar cultural characteristics such as individualism and short-term orientation. How RC operational model needs to be adapted to non-Western culture remains unknown. W...

Yozan Uesugi was a Daimyo (feudal lord) who governed an area called Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan from 1767 to 1823. Yonezawa was originally an impoverished provincial government which under his leadership regained a healthy financial status. His leadership style was unique among Daimyos, yet respected and regarded as an ideal by many incl...

This study aimed to examine the experiences of Japanese martial arts (JMA) practitioners during the COVID-19 to understand how JMA impacted on their mental wellbeing. Using online semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, we explored the first-hand experiences of JMA practitioners in COVID-19 regarding their mental wellbeing. 12 practitione...

The shift of power to the Taliban had negatively affected the mental health of businesswomen due to the current restrictions on women. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the experience of mental health issues among businesswomen in Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power. We examined the mental health challenges they faced, what helped dea...

Climate change has a substantial impact on human health and the increased symptoms of climate change anxiety have led to a global call for action. However, data exploring the relationship between climate change, mental health, and individuals with parental responsibility is limited. This study examined the association between parental climate anxie...

Work motivation is important to many organisational outcomes, including employee mental health and productivity. Japanese workforce suffers from low levels of work motivation, associated with poor mental health and compromised productivity. One established measure of work motivation is the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS), base...

Breast cancer incidence is increasing globally, including in populations of childbearing age. Infertility risk from cancer treatment can negatively impact mental health in breast cancer patients and survivors, in part due to a lack of understanding of the risk and mitigating options ahead of treatment. In this commentary, recent literature on under...

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health problems increased as access to mental health services reduced. Recovery colleges are recovery-focused adult education initiatives delivered by people with professional and lived mental health expertise. Designed to be collaborative and inclusive, they were uniquely positioned to support people...

In this review, we examine the impact of media and self-compassion on the mental well-being of Nigerian youth, particularly in suicide prevention and promoting positive mental health outcomes. Nigeria faces socioeconomic challenges contributing to poor mental health and high suicide rates among young people. Despite this, the influence of media and...

This commentary highlights two cross-cultural issues identified from our global mental health (GMH) research, RECOLLECT (Recovery Colleges Characterisation and Testing) 2: self-enhancement and ingroup biases. Self-enhancement is a tendency to maintain and express unrealistically positive self-views. Ingroup biases are differences in one’s evaluatio...

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives Social support and quality communication are crucial in suicide prevention. This systematic review aimed to identify and summarize the research on the link between these variables and suicidal behavior in adults, and their differences depending on gender. Methods Suicide The Web of Science, Scopus and PsycInfo da...

Background: Adolescents grappling with social anxiety may experience poor school satisfaction, resorting to school-related avoidance behaviors, exemplified by absenteeism, as a coping mechanism. Understanding the role of family support in alleviating the adverse effects of social anxiety on school satisfaction is imperative for fostering supportive...

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted and reshaped effective leadership practices by introducing working-from-home protocols (WFH) and the hybrid workplace model. The current study sought to identify and understand leadership practices adopted in WFH and the transition to the hybrid model, the effectiveness of these practices, and the implications of the...

Background Stakeholder engagement is essential to the design, implementation and evaluation of complex mental health interventions like peer support. Theory of Change (ToC) is commonly used in global health research to help structure and promote stakeholder engagement throughout the project cycle. Stakeholder insights are especially important in th...

(1) Background: This systematic review presents an overview of psychological interventions in suicide published between 2013 and 2023 in Spain and Japan, sparked by Spain’s alarming recent increase in suicide rates and the potential exemplar of Japan’s reduction efforts. (2) Methods: Following the PRISMA checklist, the databases Web of Science, Sco...

Recovery Colleges (RCs) are mental health learning communities, operated in 28 countries across cultures. However, RC operational model is informed by Western countries sharing similar cultural characteristics such as Individualism and Short-Term Orientation. How RC operational model needs to be adapted to non-Western culture remains unknown. We in...

Recovery Colleges (RCs) are learning-based mental health recovery communities. RCs are supported by a variety of organisations including primary and secondary healthcare, non-governmental organisations, and education providers, and are located in many countries. The evidence base for how RCs can help mental health recovery is under-developed, espec...

Background Peer support in mental health is a low-threshold intervention with increasing evidence for enhancing personal recovery and empowerment of persons living with severe mental health conditions. As peer support spreads globally, there is a growing need for peer support training programmes that work well in different contexts and cultures. Th...

Background: Non-consensual sex including rape and sexual assault has been a global concern and may have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, however the information on this topic is limited. Therefore, our objective was to survey the incidence rate of non-consensual sex among Japanese women aged 15-79 years between April to September 2020, fol...

Introduction Mental health recovery narratives are widely available to the public, and can benefit people affected by mental health problems. The NEON Intervention is a novel web-based digital health intervention providing access to the NEON Collection of recovery narratives. The NEON Intervention was found to be effective and cost-effective in the...

Introduction Informal carers of people with mental health problems often have unmet support needs. Mental health recovery narratives are increasingly accessible, but their relevance to and effect on informal carers have been minimally investigated. The Narrative Experiences Online (NEON) Intervention is a first-in-field intervention that provides i...

Narratives describing first‐hand experiences of recovery from mental health problems are widely available. Emerging evidence suggests that engaging with mental health recovery narratives can benefit people experiencing mental health problems, but no randomized controlled trial has been conducted as yet. We developed the Narrative Experiences Online...

Background In Japan, effective educational methods to promote understanding of developmental disorders (DD) among young people have not been established, something that is necessary for an inclusive society. Aims This paper aimed to identify both the positive aspects and areas for improvement in a problem-solving program for middle and high school...

Cyberbullying is a major public health problem among adolescents worldwide. Research shows that there is a link between cyberbullying and mental health problems. Adolescent victims of cyberbullying suffer from diverse negative effects such as stress, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, isolation, and suicidal ideation. Schools have attempted to...

Background/aim: Disasters can jeopardize breast cancer care and Japan's triple disaster in 2011 (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident) is no exception. However, detailed information is lacking regarding the care of breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) following the disaster. We aimed to explore the process by which local patients become aw...

Self-criticism and self-reassurance have been attracting attention in mental health research. People with high self-criticism tend to suffer from poor mental health whereas those with high self-reassurance tend to have good mental health. Poor mental health is a great cause for concern in Japan. Many people in Japan live with mental health issues,...

Climate change and its impact are being acknowledged through extensive media coverage. Knowledge gaps between mental health and climate change have been highlighted, which is an increasingly prevalent issue. Furthermore, mental health impacts such as climate anxiety and its implications on behaviour remain unclear. The study aimed to investigate th...

The study aimed to investigate the effect of climate change exposure on affect and pro-environmental behavioural intentions in a randomised controlled trial. An online survey was completed by 100 adult participants and included measures of affect and pro-environmental behavioural intentions pre- and post-exposure. Participants were randomly allocat...

Background Parents of children with medical complexity (CMC) have extra child‐raising responsibilities because of the time commitments necessary for care, and their social participation is often compromised. Experiencing leisure excursions with such children may be a solution to some of these problems but the first‐hand experience of excursions in...

COVID-19 impacted the mental health of many people in the UK. The negative impact was especially substantial among vulnerable population groups, including migrants. While research has focused on the negative aspects of mental health during the pandemic, the positive mental health of migrants in the UK during COVID-19 remained to be evaluated. This...

Climate change presents a significant threat to both the planet and human prosperity which impacts our physical health and mental well-being. There is an imminent requirement for significant global action. This means (a) our children have been born into unprecedented times and (b) as future adults, they will find themselves facing the major consequ...

Background Healthcare services regularly receive patient feedback, most of which is positive. Empirical studies suggest that health services can use positive feedback to create patient benefit. Our aim was to map all available empirical evidence for how positive patient feedback creates change in healthcare settings. Methods Empirical studies in E...

Partnering with people most affected by mental health problems can transform mental health outcomes. Citizen science as a research approach enables partnering with the public at a substantial scale, but there is scarce guidance on its use in mental health research. To develop best practise guidelines for conducting and reporting research, we conduc...

Awareness of mental health has been increasing rapidly worldwide in recent years, and even more so since the outbreak of COVID-19. Depression is now regarded as one of the most debilitating diseases, and wellbeing is incorporated into the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In order for all of us to have a happy life, mental health canno...

The employment of mental health peer support (PS) is recommended in national and international mental health policy, and widely implemented across many countries. The key components of PS remain to be identified. This study aimed to develop a typology of components involved in one-to-one PS for adults in mental health services. A systematised revie...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted people’s mental health negatively worldwide, including non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic) countries. Self-compassion, kindness and understanding towards oneself in difficult times, has received increasing attention in the field of mental health. Self-compassio...

Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Success

This is a Special Issue on "Comparing Mental Health Cross-Culturally"

This chapter focuses on forest bathing (shinrin-yoku), a Japanese healing practice that has been attracting attention in science globally. Historically, forest bathing developed in 1982 to counter a heightened stress at the national level, which was associated with Japan’s rapid economic growth. Considering today’s global mental health crisis, it i...

Physical activity has consistently shown to improve mental health. However, the mechanism of how those activities help mental health remains debated. Attempts have been made to explain that physical activity induces numerous molecular and structural changes in the brain that markedly improve symptoms associated with mental health issues such as dep...

Mental well-being of youth is a cause for concern in many countries. Our previous research identified challenged mental well-being among a particular group of youth, namely university students, in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Often students struggle transitioning to university life, balanc...

The sensationalized reports of adverse reactions following human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Japan in 2013 caused the government to suspend its vaccination program recommendation. This resulted in a steep drop in the HPV vaccination coverage from the previous 70% to less than 1%, which situation lasted for about eight years. Although vaccin...

Recent changes in mental health policies within Japanese organisations have been marked by the introduction of Work Style Reforms, however, workplace mental health still faces significant challenges, including an excessive reliance on psychiatric treatment and cultural stigma surrounding mental health in Japan. This commentary, therefore, suggests...

How a person perceives mental health problems impacts their mental health. Negative attitudes towards mental health problems are associated with shame, leading to poor mental health. Poor mental health is a cause for concern in Japan, especially among healthcare professionals. To date, no established measure exists in the Japanese language. The Att...

secondary traumatic stress associated with, their job. Self-compassion is associated with positive wellbeing outcomes across a variety of workforce populations and is potentially an important skill for healthcare workers, as it offers a way of meeting one’s own distress with kindness and understanding. This systematic review aimed to synthesise and...

Background. Mental health problems can significantly impact a student’s academic performance, career, health, and future if they are not identified and managed in time. The poor mental health of young people is a global problem, including in Nepal. However, the scenario of perceived stress among adolescent students residing in academic hostels is n...

Research commonly agrees on the importance of case conceptualisation within clinical therapeutic approaches; however, it has also been largely acknowledged that there is a lack of evidence measuring the reliability and quality within this initial stage. A review of the literature complicates suggestions by presenting how case conceptualisation cove...

Disasters could jeopardize breast cancer care, and the 2011 Japan’s triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident) has been no exception. However, the information is lacking regarding its details, including that concerning breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). We aimed to explore the process of becoming aware of BCRL among the local...

The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift of power to the Taliban have negatively affected women-owned companies. This study aimed to explore the external and internal challenges of women-owned businesses from March 2020 to January 2022 in Afghanistan. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2021 to January 2022 with 29 women-own...

Third Culture Kids (TCK) are children who spend a significant period living outside of their home country but reside only temporarily in a host country. TCKs upbringing can lead to a number of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, and identity and attachment issues. Accordingly, this quantitative study compares the self-rep...

Third Culture Kids (TCK) are children who spend a significant period living outside of their home country but reside only temporarily in a host country. TCKs upbringing can lead to a number of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, and identity and attachment issues. Accordingly, this quantitative study compares the self-rep...

A high prevalence of mental health problems is a global con- cern. Nearly one billion people globally experience some form of mental illness. A considerable amount of research reports that the experience of mental health varies signifi- cantly by cultures. Service disparity for minority culture groups presents a global mental health challenge today...

Parents of autistic children report higher levels of parenting stress than any other child-related disabilities, with child atypical behaviour being identified as a key contributor to stress. As stress causes many negative health problems, it is important to understand what interventions are re-ported effective to reduce parenting stress in literat...

Communication is an integral part of the relationship between dentist and patient. An anxious patient may feel more understood by the dentist when the communication between them is empathetic. However, dental education seems to under-emphasise the importance of communication between dentists and patients. We suggest an interpersonal aspect of Neuro...