AHA15001 Stress science

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Lecture Code AHA15001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name ストレス科学

Subject Name
（Katakana）ストレスカガク

Subject Name in
English Stress science

Instructor KASHIHARA JUN

Instructor
(Katakana) カシハラ　ジュン

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 3rd-Year, First Semester, 2Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2T) Thur1-4：IAS L201

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Lecture-oriented class, Group discussion, and Presentations.

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 24 : Social Sciences

Course Area（Discipline） 06 : Psychology

Eligible Students

Keywords SDG_03, stress, mental disorders, psychological measurement, psychological network approach, process-based therapy

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) We will learn processes of how stressors can lead to mental disorders and methodologies to study psychopathologies. This course is an advanced one in the educational program to explore mental disorders and psychopathology research.
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) Integrated Arts and Sciences
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・Knowledge and understanding of the importance and characteristics of each discipline and basic theoretical framework.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline Human lives are full of stressors, and stress reactions differ from person to person. In this course, we will systematically learn diverse and complex stress processes and obtain perspectives and methodologies that are necessary to research practices. Although the lectures will focus mainly on mental disorders, you need to think deeply about daily processes of stress through discussions, literature search, and academic reports.

Class Schedule Lesson 1. Introduction: Basic theories of psychopathology and diversity in stress processes
Lesson 2. Mental disorders as complex systems: Process-based therapy
Lesson 3. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (1): Depressive and bipolar disorders
Lesson 4. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (2): Social anxiety and panic disorders
Lesson 5. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (3): Obsessive-compulsive disorder and PTSD
Lesson 6. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (4): Schizophrenia and eating disorders
Lesson 7. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (5): Personality disorders and dark personality
Lesson 8. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (6): Developmental disorders
Lesson 9. Measurements of stress processes (1): Cognitive experimental tasks and neurobiological tests
Lesson 10. Measurements of stress processes (2): Experience sampling method and lifelog data
Lesson 11. Analyses of stress process (1): Introducing psychological network approach
Lesson 12. Analyses of stress process (2): Practicing psychological network analyses
Lesson 13. Groupwork: Presentations based on literature reviews of previous studies on mental disorders and related topics
Lesson 14. Future directions of stress and psychopathology research: How to pursue the hub-science
Lesson 15. Conclusion: How to develop your own ‘stress science’

You will have some discussion or Internet searching regarding the relevant topics in each class. After each class, you need to hand in a short report to summarize what you have learnt. You also need to search literature related to the mental disorders introduced in Classes 3-8 and to have a presentation based on your search within small student groups. Finally, you must hand in a final report based on the presentation.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Textbook:
We will use a textbook written in Japanese. See the Japanese syllabus for details.

Reference books:
Hofmann, S. G., Hayes, S. C., & Lorscheid, D. N. (2021). Learning process-based therapy: A skills training manual for targeting the core processes of psychological change in clinical practice. New Harbinger Publications.
Isvoranu, A. M., Epskamp, S., Waldorp, L., & Borsboom, D. (Eds.). (2022). Network psychometrics with R: A guide for behavioral and social scientists. Routledge.

More reference books will be introduced during the classes.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Handouts, Other (see [More Details]), moodle

(More Details) PC-necessary. PowerPoint slides and mini-report assignments for each class will be delivered via Moodle. Although you do not have to bring the textbook to the lecture room, you need to read corresponding chapters before/after the classes. Bring your own laptops to take notes in discussion and search materials related to the class content.

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Lesson 1. Understand the basics of the stress-vulnerability model and think over what kinds of stress processes you experience in your daily lives.
Lesson 2. Utilize tools of process-based therapy to visualize and analyze your own stress processes.
Lesson 3. Experience the cognitive reappraisal technique frequently used in treatments of depression by using a worksheet to review your recent stressful events.
Lesson 4. Experience relaxation techniques frequently used in treatments of anxiety disorders and share what you felt and thought during the relaxation.
Lesson 5. Review stressful situations you have experienced and create a hierarchy to overcome your anxiety.
Lesson 6. Discuss stress processes coming from SNS use and social norms to understand the psychological processes behind eating disorders.
Lesson 7. Answer a short version of big-five questionnaire and clarify strengths and weaknesses regarding your personality.
Lesson 8. Pick up one developmental disorder and clarify similarities and differences with your own personality.
Lesson 9. Try some cognitive experimental tasks by using your own laptops and discuss how these tasks measure stress processes.
Lesson 10. Discuss what you can do to reduce participants’ burden during studies using the experience sampling method.
Lesson 11. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using the psychological network approach, compared to the traditional latent disease model, in psychopathology and stress research.
Lesson 12. Conduct psychological network analyses by using the free statistical software JASP and some open data. Share the results with each other.
Lesson 13. Share the results of literature search regarding mental disorders and have discussions to find further research questions.
Lesson 14. Discuss how to apply what you have learnt in other courses to activate psychopathology and stress research.
Lesson 15. Think over how to apply what you have learnt during this course to the research topics you want to explore.

Requirements

Grading Method Your grade will be based on short reports for each class (20%) and the final report (80%). Inactive attitudes during the classes will reduce your marks.

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it My training experience as a certified clinical psychologist will be reflected in the lectures about mental disorders and psychopathology research.

Message Bring a laptop to class. This class requires quite active participation, and you will find how wonderful and beautiful the research is as you work hard. I hope that this course will serve as a stepping-stone to develop your own ‘stress science!’

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2025Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code	AHA15001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	ストレス科学
Subject Name （Katakana）	ストレスカガク
Subject Name in English	Stress science
Instructor	KASHIHARA JUN
Instructor (Katakana)	カシハラ　ジュン
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, First Semester, 2Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(2T) Thur1-4：IAS L201
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face
Lecture-oriented class, Group discussion, and Presentations.
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	24 : Social Sciences
Course Area（Discipline）	06 : Psychology
Eligible Students
Keywords	SDG_03, stress, mental disorders, psychological measurement, psychological network approach, process-based therapy
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	We will learn processes of how stressors can lead to mental disorders and methodologies to study psychopathologies. This course is an advanced one in the educational program to explore mental disorders and psychopathology research.
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	Integrated Arts and Sciences （Knowledge and Understanding）・Knowledge and understanding of the importance and characteristics of each discipline and basic theoretical framework.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	Human lives are full of stressors, and stress reactions differ from person to person. In this course, we will systematically learn diverse and complex stress processes and obtain perspectives and methodologies that are necessary to research practices. Although the lectures will focus mainly on mental disorders, you need to think deeply about daily processes of stress through discussions, literature search, and academic reports.
Class Schedule	Lesson 1. Introduction: Basic theories of psychopathology and diversity in stress processes Lesson 2. Mental disorders as complex systems: Process-based therapy Lesson 3. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (1): Depressive and bipolar disorders Lesson 4. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (2): Social anxiety and panic disorders Lesson 5. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (3): Obsessive-compulsive disorder and PTSD Lesson 6. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (4): Schizophrenia and eating disorders Lesson 7. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (5): Personality disorders and dark personality Lesson 8. Basic knowledge of mental disorders (6): Developmental disorders Lesson 9. Measurements of stress processes (1): Cognitive experimental tasks and neurobiological tests Lesson 10. Measurements of stress processes (2): Experience sampling method and lifelog data Lesson 11. Analyses of stress process (1): Introducing psychological network approach Lesson 12. Analyses of stress process (2): Practicing psychological network analyses Lesson 13. Groupwork: Presentations based on literature reviews of previous studies on mental disorders and related topics Lesson 14. Future directions of stress and psychopathology research: How to pursue the hub-science Lesson 15. Conclusion: How to develop your own ‘stress science’ You will have some discussion or Internet searching regarding the relevant topics in each class. After each class, you need to hand in a short report to summarize what you have learnt. You also need to search literature related to the mental disorders introduced in Classes 3-8 and to have a presentation based on your search within small student groups. Finally, you must hand in a final report based on the presentation.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Textbook: We will use a textbook written in Japanese. See the Japanese syllabus for details. Reference books: Hofmann, S. G., Hayes, S. C., & Lorscheid, D. N. (2021). Learning process-based therapy: A skills training manual for targeting the core processes of psychological change in clinical practice. New Harbinger Publications. Isvoranu, A. M., Epskamp, S., Waldorp, L., & Borsboom, D. (Eds.). (2022). Network psychometrics with R: A guide for behavioral and social scientists. Routledge. More reference books will be introduced during the classes.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Handouts, Other (see [More Details]), moodle
(More Details)	PC-necessary. PowerPoint slides and mini-report assignments for each class will be delivered via Moodle. Although you do not have to bring the textbook to the lecture room, you need to read corresponding chapters before/after the classes. Bring your own laptops to take notes in discussion and search materials related to the class content.
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Lesson 1. Understand the basics of the stress-vulnerability model and think over what kinds of stress processes you experience in your daily lives. Lesson 2. Utilize tools of process-based therapy to visualize and analyze your own stress processes. Lesson 3. Experience the cognitive reappraisal technique frequently used in treatments of depression by using a worksheet to review your recent stressful events. Lesson 4. Experience relaxation techniques frequently used in treatments of anxiety disorders and share what you felt and thought during the relaxation. Lesson 5. Review stressful situations you have experienced and create a hierarchy to overcome your anxiety. Lesson 6. Discuss stress processes coming from SNS use and social norms to understand the psychological processes behind eating disorders. Lesson 7. Answer a short version of big-five questionnaire and clarify strengths and weaknesses regarding your personality. Lesson 8. Pick up one developmental disorder and clarify similarities and differences with your own personality. Lesson 9. Try some cognitive experimental tasks by using your own laptops and discuss how these tasks measure stress processes. Lesson 10. Discuss what you can do to reduce participants’ burden during studies using the experience sampling method. Lesson 11. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using the psychological network approach, compared to the traditional latent disease model, in psychopathology and stress research. Lesson 12. Conduct psychological network analyses by using the free statistical software JASP and some open data. Share the results with each other. Lesson 13. Share the results of literature search regarding mental disorders and have discussions to find further research questions. Lesson 14. Discuss how to apply what you have learnt in other courses to activate psychopathology and stress research. Lesson 15. Think over how to apply what you have learnt during this course to the research topics you want to explore.
Requirements
Grading Method	Your grade will be based on short reports for each class (20%) and the final report (80%). Inactive attitudes during the classes will reduce your marks.
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	My training experience as a certified clinical psychologist will be reflected in the lectures about mental disorders and psychopathology research.
Message	Bring a laptop to class. This class requires quite active participation, and you will find how wonderful and beautiful the research is as you work hard. I hope that this course will serve as a stepping-stone to develop your own ‘stress science!’
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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