A study of the home visit support as the family therapy
to the non-attendance at school and social withdrawal in Japan

Saito,C., Wakashima,K. & Komaba,Y.
20th Anniversary Conference, International Academy of Family Psychology,
May 13-16, 2010 Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia USA.

Summary

　　　　　In Japan, non-attendance at school and social withdrawals the social matter among the young generation. As for home visit activity,　possibility as the support that made use of local resources to those children.  This study will show possibility to effective support was shown to a those problem by therapeutically making use of the change of the family system which occurred.

Background

　　　　　In Japan, non-attendance at school and social withdrawal (called HIKIKOMORI in Japanese) is the social matter among the young generation. Non-attendance at school (called HUTOUKOH in Japanese) is defined that student who absent from a school over 30days in the year, cause of psychologically, emotionally, physically, or social factor be background, even one who hope to go. That is not including any sickness or economical reasons. Social withdrawal is defined that people who is disadvantaged to belong any social participations, so as to work or to study, staying at home for long time, cause of many reasons.

　　　　　As for home visit activity (its defined that visiting to the home for kids where the family have the problems like non-attendance at school and social withdrawal. Most of the time, Mental Friend is a College student. ), possibility as the support that made use of local resources to those children(IP) with social withdrawal or non-attendance at school that still remarkable decrease is not seen in is expected. On the other hand, the rate of interruption of such activity presents unique difficulties when trying to maintain suitable support.

Study 1

Methods
　　　　　
　　　　　In study 1, we examined the effectiveness of home support visits by interview from various viewpoints using a qualitative method. The interview was executed to 27 people who visited the home.

Results

　　　　　The results revealed that visit support activity should be established on a <needs precedence> basis. It was considered necessary that the relationship with the supporting person should be kept flexible, while aiming for <a long-term continuation of the relationship>. This type of structure was considered to be ideal. There was a need <to continue the relationship so that it could be matched with the IP>,< while attempting to adjust the circumstances to the case as a whole>. On the basis of this structure, a form of support termed <joint ownership of multi-layered changes> characterized by cooperation with the family was considered desirable.

Conclusions

　　　　　Development of mutual interference through “change and continuity” and sharing of change to produce IP and adaptation to the “whole circumstances” were considered necessary to maximize the effectiveness of visit support.

Study 2

Methods

　　　　　we carried out an interview for a family of the IP. The interview was executed to 13 parents who received the home visit.  

Results

　　　　　Through the following processes, significance of the family therapy in the home visit activity was recognized. �@Home visit activity is introduced into the place where the coping of the family becomes the vicious circle state. �AThe family realizes exception construction for the problem of the IP by the visitor. �BThe family manages the activity. �CThrough home visit activity, the family gets the re-making themselves into a coping.

Conclusions

　　　　　　From these results, possibility to effective support was shown to a those problem by therapeutically making use of the change of the family system which occurred by home visit support.