This presentation will deal with the mental health of children and young adults in Japan. First, some industries in Japan such as the service and tourism industries have been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and statistics show an increase in suicides among women and young adults who work in these industries.
Then there is the issue of how the changes brought by Covid-19 has affected households with children. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been biggest in single parent households of low socio-economic status, where surveys report a worsening of mental health and self-esteem in children.
Furthermore, although there has not been an change in number of dropouts in Universities as classes have made the transition to online teaching, there has been an increase in mental health issues and suicides among university students.
Lastly, this presentation will touch on the support which exists to deal with the above-mentioned situations, besides the financial support provided by the government. These are exemplified by the possibility of doing online consultations, as well as private organizations providing children with a replacement for the children’s cafeterias which were closed due to Covid-19. As such many private organizations provide the support and activities which children and young adults are lacking.
About
I have worked as a counsellor in psychiatric emergency settings and university health centres. I have also conducted nationwide surveys on psychiatric day care and forensic psychiatric wards and surveys of campus social workers.
I hope that the research I am involved in can help those who are working on the frontlines of mental health care to feel that their work is rewarding, even if just a little bit. My main books include The Mental Health Welfare and Medical Care White Paper (Chuohoki Publishing) and The Mental Health Survival Guide for Entrance-Exam Takers (Kadokawa Gakugei Shuppan), among others.
