Yasu Kotera
@yasukotera.bsky.social
Top 0.06% Global Researcher, Past 5 Yrs (ScholarGPS) / Top 0.01–0.02% in Cross-Cultural Studies & Motivation / REACH Lead (http://reach-global.org) / Dad of 1+Triplets
Great time at Ulm University for the Global Teaching Lab on “Shaping International Teaching.” I shared our work on cross-cultural mental health recovery and nature therapy. Thanks to Ramona for organising such a meaningful event. Looking forward to the next sessions!
Future DSM. Wainberg et al argue for systematic integration of socioeconomic, cultural, environmental determinants, alongside intersectionality. Culture is not just context: can shape how distress is understood, expressed, diagnosed, treated, recovered. psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
Psychiatry Online
PsychiatryOnline.org is the platform for all American Psychiatric Association Publishing journals, DSM, and bestselling textbooks, as well as APA Practice Guidelines, and continuing medical education.
psychiatryonline.org
New protocol paper led by my PhD student, Carlo Lazzari, exploring how compassion from others is interpreted through religious, secular, and blended frameworks, and how this relates to psychological well-being. Well done, Carlo! 👏 www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...
Frontiers | Mapping compassion from others: a mixed-methods research protocol on religious and secular compassionate acts and their association with psychological well-being
IntroductionCompassion is central to moral and relational functioning, yet its determinants and systemic effects remain a subject of debate. The study linked...
frontiersin.org
Useful @bmj.com methods paper on component network meta-analysis (CNMA): how to identify which components of complex interventions drive effects, including additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects. Practical guidance on model selection. doi.org/10.1136/bmj-...
Analysing complex interventions using component network meta-analysis
Systematic reviews with network meta-analysis frequently evaluate complex interventions combining multiple healthcare interventions (known as components). Components may act separately of each other o...
doi.org
3 studies on compassion from others, led by my PhD student Carlo Lazzari. Examine organisational/social contexts & religious/secular interpretations. Well done, Carlo! www.cambridge.org/core/journal... www.cambridge.org/core/journal... www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
The Impact of Compassion from Others on Organisational Mental Health and Corporate Relations | European Psychiatry | Cambridge Core
The Impact of Compassion from Others on Organisational Mental Health and Corporate Relations - Volume 69 Issue S1
cambridge.org
A review of 63 US health communication studies found that 86% called their approach culturally tailored, but only 25% were coded as tailoring. Design/language were common; deeper cultural values less so. Cultural adaptation needs to go beyond surface features. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38961665/
Cultural Tailoring and Targeting of Messages: A Systematic Literature Review - PubMed
Cultural targeting and tailoring are different, yet they remain intertwined in the literature inhibiting theory development and limiting the possibility of determining their effects. This preregistered systematic literature review describes these constructs and provides a framework for cultural tail …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Pleased to share our new book chapter (in English), “Academic Motivation: Keys to Activate Meaningful Learning,” published in Pedagogy with the Senses (Universitas, 2026). We discuss how academic motivation can support meaningful and engaged learning. universitas.es/producto/ped...
PEDAGOGÍA CON SENTIDOS. EPISTEMOLOGÍA, AFECTIVIDAD Y TRANSFORMACIÓN DEL APRENDIZAJE - universitas
ISBN: 978-84-7991-695-4 Autores: Oscar Gavin Chocano - Lara Checa Domene - Marcos A. Payá Gómez -Elena Granado de la Cruz Nº de Páginas: 176 Edición: 2026-1ª
universitas.es
Leadership was moderately associated with employees’ adaptive performance (r=.37) in a meta-analysis of 31 studies (N=11,640). No leadership style clearly outperformed others, suggesting that context and relationships matter. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
A review of 52 studies found innovation, teamwork and result orientation among the most studied dimensions of organisational culture. Culture was shaped by external conditions, leaders’ traits and values, and practices brought from previous workplaces. doi.org/10.1080/2331...
Organizational culture: a systematic review
Organizational inefficiency and ineffectiveness are often linked to identity crises within the organizational context. This systematic review seeks to enhance the comprehension of Organizational Cu...
doi.org
Stigma can deter mental health help-seeking, but disclosure and confidentiality may be especially important. A review of 144 studies (N=90,189) highlights the need for confidential, welcoming and dignity-preserving care. @CambridgeUP doi.org/10.1017/S003...
Universities can serve the public good by co-creating knowledge with communities. This paper shows how universities, cultural organisations, creative industries and young citizens can “meet in the middle” through living labs. doi.org/10.1080/0013...
Meeting in the middle: Cultural co-creation, transformative partnerships, and ecosystems for public good
This paper explores quadruple helix ecosystems, cultural hubs, and living labs as models for transformative partnerships for higher education institutions (HEIs) as they move towards more open, co-...
doi.org
A qualitative study (n=7) in Greek community residential facilities found all five CHIME recovery processes in participants’ accounts. Recovery appeared in everyday life: relationships, meaningful activity, work, autonomy and hope for the future. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Experiences of Recovery in EPAPSY’s Community Residential Facilities and the Five CHIME Concepts: A Qualitative Inquiry
In the context of the reform of psychiatric services in Greece, the debate about the concept of recovery is still growing. Recovery is defined as a path through which individuals facing mental health ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
SR/MA in Lancet Psychiatry: culturally adapted psychological interventions reduced common mental disorder symptoms in people of Chinese descent across 67 RCTs (N=6,199): self-rated g=.77; clinician g=.75. Culture is not an add-on. doi.org/10.1016/S221...
Redirecting
doi.org
Our new preprint: systematic review and meta-anlaysis on self-compassion & help-seeking. Across 21 studies (N=18,535), self-compassion was linked with better help-seeking attitudes (r=.22) and intentions (r=.20). Small, heterogeneous effects. doi.org/10.21203/rs....
doi.org
Interesting paper from 2000 on cultural variation in placebo effects. Across trials of the same treatment for the same condition, placebo effectiveness ranged from 0% to 100%, and patterns differed by illness. doi.org/10.1525/maq....
Medical Anthropology Quarterly | AAA Journal | Wiley Online Library
An analysis of the control groups in double-blind trials of medicines demonstrates broad variation—from 0 to 100 percent—in placebo effectiveness rates for the same treatment for the same condition. ....
doi.org
Our international study (preprint) found self-compassion is not only about how we treat ourselves, but whether it's socially accepted. Across cultures, this can be shaped by responsibility, spirituality, productivity, gender and generation. www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-1...
Cultural Meanings of Self-Compassion: Authorising and Contesting the Compassionate Self Across Diverse Contexts
Self-compassion is often presented as an intrapersonal capacity, but this framing can obscure a prior cultural question: what kind of self is a person invited to become, and when is that position soci...
researchsquare.com
Nature supports wellbeing through more than physical exposure. This review highlights cultural benefits including recreation, spirituality, identity and social connection, while showing major gaps across vulnerable groups. @sciencedirect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
Redirecting
doi.org
A systematic review of 32 studies (>32,000 adolescents) found parental mediation can reduce some risks of social media use. None examined whether parents can help young people gain its benefits, such as connection and social support. @plosone.org pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Parental mediation and the use of social networks: A systematic review
Social networks are used daily by almost all adolescents and young people. They are used extensively, and their positive aspects are well-known, but they present multiple risks. Parents’ mediation (PM...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
New paper: digital stress, AI motivation, school connectedness in Pakistani adolescents. AI motivation mediated links btwn digital experiences & school connectedness; girls reported stronger connection, boys higher digital stress, sensitivity, AI motivation www.emerald.com/eisfl/articl...
Impact of digital stress and digital sensitivity on school connectedness among Pakistani adolescent students: the mediating role of AI motivation
Purpose. Adolescents' engagement with digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly associated with psychological experiences and school-related outcomes, particularly in devel...
emerald.com
SR of 172 cross-national studies covering 12M+ adolescents across 166 countries. Most mental health problems showed similar patterns across LMICs and HICs, eg anxiety, depression. Clearer difference: traditional bullying was more often reported in LMICs. gh.bmj.com/content/10/7...
Cross-national research on adolescent mental health: a systematic review comparing research in low, middle and high-income countries
Background Although 90% of the global adolescent population resides in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), cross-national mental health research has primarily focused on high-income countries. Th...
gh.bmj.com
A systematic review of 38 studies examined mental health stigma in Iran. Public stigma was less pronounced. Internalised/perceived stigma was high among people w mental health conditions and caregivers, as was stigma among healthcare professionals. @apajournals.bsky.social doi.org/10.1037/sah0...
APA PsycNet
doi.org
Social support is culturally shaped. European Americans reported more emotional/practical support, while Japanese participants reported more attentiveness, caring without necessarily directly intervening. Different motivations helped explain these patterns. doi.org/10.3389/fpsy...
Frontiers | Cultural differences in explicit and implicit support provision and underlying motivations for self-esteem, closeness, and relational concerns
This research explores how culture influences the motivations underlying explicit (emotional and instrumental) and implicit (companionship and attentiveness)...
doi.org
New paper, led by Carolina: How might spa and wellness environments support emotional and attentional regulation after trauma? We propose 3 interacting processes, while stressing that wellness settings complement clinical care. @tandfresearch.bsky.social doi.org/10.1080/2472...
A narrative review of positive psychology–informed wellness environments in trauma-organised emotional and attentional dysregulation
Trauma-organised emotional and attentional dysregulation – often described within diagnoses such as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) or borderline personality disorder (BPD) – is in...
doi.org
New open-access paper: The Gratitude to Nature (GRAN) Model reframes forest bathing as a reciprocal relationship. Rather than only asking what nature gives us, it asks how gratitude, humility, care may support both wellbeing & sustainablity @springer.springernature.com doi.org/10.1007/s121...
Gratitude to nature (GRAN): A relational model explaining the mental health benefits of forest bathing - Current Psychology
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, has gained international recognition as a nature-based intervention for mental health, commonly explained through frameworks such as Attention Restoration Theory, Stress Reduction Theory, and Biophilia Hypothesis. While these models emphasise sensory restoration and physiological recovery, they largely adopt a one-directional, human-centred orientation. This article introduces the Gratitude to Nature (GRAN) Model, a novel conceptual framework re-interpreting forest bathing as a reciprocal, co-regulative relationship with nature. Unlike existing frameworks, the GRAN Model integrates insights from ecological and environmental psychology with cultural worldviews, particularly the Japanese Shinto philosophy of reverence for nature, to explain how gratitude operates as a psychological and relational mechanism of healing. Drawing from cultural traditions where nature is approached with gratitude, the GRAN Model emphasises mutual attunement between humans and the living world. Reciprocity in this model refers to both behavioural expressions (e.g., offering, care, conservation) and psychological states (e.g., gratitude, humility, respect). Rather than extracting benefits from nature, individuals cultivate gratitude that strengthens emotional regulation, prosocial motivation, and ecological awareness. This framework positions gratitude as a mediating process linking nature connection to both personal wellbeing and sustainable behaviour. The GRAN Model expands the theoretical landscape of forest bathing by integrating social, cultural, and relational dimensions into practices of nature connection and well-being. Future empirical work is needed to test this model.
doi.org
When ‘disorder’ doesn’t translate: diagnostic categories help services act, but may not capture lived illness or social recognition. This paper explores “layer misalignment” across cultures, using taijin kyofusho. doi.org/10.1192/bjb.... @universitypress.cambridge.org
When ‘disorder’ doesn’t translate: DSM categories, lived illness and social sickness across cultures | BJPsych Bulletin | Cambridge Core
When ‘disorder’ doesn’t translate: DSM categories, lived illness and social sickness across cultures
doi.org
How can clinicians meaningfully integrate patient values & preferences into care? This systematic review identifies 4 approaches: concern, competence, communication, and congruence. A useful framework for making patient-centred care more concrete. @bmj.com pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Integrating patient values and preferences in healthcare: a systematic review of qualitative evidence
To identify and thematically analyse how healthcare professionals (HCPs) integrate patient values and preferences (‘values integration’) in primary care for adults with non-communicable diseases (NCDs...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Pleased to publish our paper on virtual nature for mental health in Ukraine, with colleagues in Ukraine 🇺🇦 and Czech Republic 🇨🇿. We propose virtual forest bathing when access to nature and care is limited. @rcpsych.bsky.social @universitypress.cambridge.org doi.org/10.1192/bji....
Virtual nature for mental health of people in Ukraine | BJPsych International | Cambridge Core
Virtual nature for mental health of people in Ukraine
doi.org
New paper. Our scoping review of 67 studies maps the evidence on digital nature interventions and positive psychological outcomes. Findings are promising, but major gaps remain, especially in low-resource settings. www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/16...
mdpi.com
New in Psychiatric Times: Shared decision-making can feel like support—or withdrawal of expertise. A 60-second “wind check” helps adapt recovery and SDM across cultures. www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-win...
The Wind Check: How to Adapt Recovery and Shared Decision-Making Across Cultures | Psychiatric Times
Why shared decision-making stalls in mental health—and how a quick “wind check” adapts recovery care to culture without losing autonomy.
psychiatrictimes.com
Tested the Three Circles Model: threat—drive—soothing. Digital circle ratings shifted w rumination & recovery, alongside changes in heart-rate variability, supporting their use to study emotion regulation in compassion-focused interventions @elsevierconnect.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.br...
Redirecting
doi.org