山陽論叢（2015）
山陽論叢 第第 2222 巻
巻（2015）

ReportReportStudent Counseling Room (‘Kokosapo’) Activity Report ofSanyo Gakuen University and College in 2013-2014

Ryota Masuda1,2), Reiko Kamiji1,2), Maiko Nakano2)
Key Words: Student Counseling, Study of activities, Community approach
1. Introduction
Sanyo Gakuen University and College has about 1,000 students and faculties ofNursing, Human Sciences, Food & Nutrition, Preschool Education. The nickname forthe student counseling room of Sanyo Gakuen is the ‘kokosapo’ (literally ‘kokoro nosupport’ in Japanese meaning mental support). The student counseling room wasestablished in April 2003. Ishihara (2003) reported 10 years’ worth of data from 2003
regarding the student counseling room in terms of users and services. This study
examined the client data from 2013 to 2014 and elucidated some issues regarding thefuture of the student counseling room.
2. Method
The student counseling room is open in the afternoon from 12:30 to 17:10 every
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Two clinical psychologists that teach in theFaculty of Human Science each provide counseling service one day per week, andanother clinical psychologist provides service part time during the remaining two days
per week. The client data of the student counseling room from 2013 to 2014 werecounted and added as previously reported (Ishihara 2003).

Faculty of Human Sciences Department of Psychology & Human Life, SanyoGakuen University2) Student Counseling Room (‘Kokosapo’), Sanyo Gakuen University and College1)- 137 -

Masuda・ Kamiji ・ Nakano ： StudentCounselingCounselingRoomRoom(‘Kokosapo’)(‘Kokosapo’)Activity
ActivityReport
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Masuda・Kamiji・Nakano：StudentSanyo Gakuen University and College in 2013-2014

3. Results
The number consultations decreased from 404 times in 2014 to 357 times in 2013, asdepicted in Table 1. During the last 2 years, the period of peak demand were from April
to July, and from October to November, as the university was in session. The number ofconsulted individuals 52 in 2014 and 47 in 2013, as depicted in Table 2. The
consultation contents comprised all major health matters, including mental health,which was also the most prevalent topic for consultation, with the second being school
and career issues, as depicted in Table 3. In addition, a number of stress management
and communication programs were conducted to promote adaptation to college life.
The list of psychoeducation course for students in each grade in University is describedin Table 4.

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山陽論叢（2015）
山陽論叢 第第 2222 巻
巻（2015）

Table 1. Total number of consultations
Counseling

Telephone・Letter・E-mailConsultation・Others＊

2013

2014

2013

2014

2013

2014

April

32

3900134May

47

38

91

53June443900208July

47

41

1085August

3

30000

September

20

121000October

33

330004

November

32

40

11615

December

34

290214January

2825

1050February

1171100March110101

Total

332

307

1465844＊Others included consultations for teachers, advising the parents of students, andcooperation with external expert organizations.

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Masuda・ Kamiji ・ Nakano ： StudentCounselingCounselingRoom
Room(‘Kokosapo’)(‘Kokosapo’)Activity
ActivityReport
Reportofof
Masuda・Kamiji・Nakano：StudentSanyo Gakuen University and College in 2013-2014

Table 2. The number of individuals
NewOngoingNewOngoing

cases

cases

cases

cases

in 2014from 2013

in 2013from 2012First10―109―

9Second10414235Third

16711011Fourth1672810

Graduated

426134

Subtotal

261844152439First

5―

56―

6Second30310

1

Graduated

000

101

Subtotal

80

8808Total

34

1852

232447

Grade2014
total

2013
total

University

Juniorcollege- 140 -山陽論叢（2015）
山陽論叢 第第 2222 巻巻（2015）

Table 3. Contents individual consultations
School andcareer paths

Adapting

Health andPsychologicallivingassessment

・Area of study
・Change of・Interpersonalschools

relations・Temporary

・Love or・Health・Personality

Consultation

absencesexual identity

・Economy

test

contents

or withdrawing

・Personality

・Housing

・Vocationalfrom school

・Home・Others・Career・Philosophy

・Extracurricular

・Mental healthinterest test

activities
2014

1138

302013133121- 141 -Masuda
・ Kamiji ・ Nakano ： StudentCounselingCounselingRoomRoom(‘Kokosapo’)(‘Kokosapo’)Activity
ActivityReport
Reportofof
Masuda・Kamiji・Nakano：Student
Sanyo Gakuen University and College in 2013-2014

Table 4. Psychoeducation courses for students from 2013 to 2014
No Date1Faculty2013.4.22 Nutrition

Grade

Contents ofProgram

Number ofPsychoeducation

time (min)students

50110

50115

<90127079<902645

115

50110

60

36

<90110<901290190

90

170

50110

Second Communication
program skills

2

2013.5.27 Nutrition

First

Communication
program skills

3

2013.6.3

Nursing

Third

StressManagement4

2013.7.18 HumanFirst

sciences5

2014.1.15 Human

StressManagementFirst

sciences

Career guidanceemphasizing
clinical hospital
psychology

62014.1.27 Nutrition

First

StressManagement7

2014.4.21 Nutrition

Second Stress
Management8

2014.5.7

A dormitory

First,Stressfor students Second Management
9

2014.5.26 Nutrition

FirstCommunication
program skills

10

2014.6.3

Nursing

Third

StressManagement11

2014.6.19 Nursing,

First

Human

StressManagementsciences
12

2014.6.19 Food,FirstNutrition
13

2015.1.7

Nutrition

StressManagement

First

StressManagement- 142 -

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4. Discussion
The main purpose of this study was to examine the client data from 2013 to 2014 andelucidate issues in the future of the student counseling room.
The main findings of the study showed that: 1) the total number of consultations
were about 300; 2) the student counseling room had many clients in periods duringclass hours; 3) major consultation contents were about health, including mentalhealth; 4) a number of stress management and communication programs wereconducted. The results of the present study were similar to those of Ishihara (2013).
The results of the analyses illustrate that not only psychotherapy in the student
counselling room, but also in the community, such as consultation for teachers,
advising the parents of students, and cooperation with external expert organizations,and psychoeducation programs for students have the potential to promote mental
health among students at universities.
A limitation of this study was relying solely on data from the student counsellingroom, without collecting data from students via questionnaires or interviews. Futurestudies should examine the extent to which these results are accurate using different
data such as interviews with students, parents and teachers regarding counselingneeds.
5. Notes
1)This work was presented at the 34th Annual Convention of the Japanese Associationof Students Counseling, Seijo University & Akiba Hall, Tokyo.
2) This research was supported by a research grant from Sanyo Gakuen University.
6. References
Michiru Ishihara (2013) Activities for ten years and future topics of discussion about
Student Counseling room of Sanyo Gakuen University and College. Sanyo review,
vol20, p107-120.

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