Delivering Rumination-focused Cognitive-behavioral Therapy in Japan

Rumination, defined as “repetitive thinking about the symptoms, causes, circumstances, meanings, and consequences of negative mood” (Watkins & Roberts, 2020), is a cognitive vulnerability factor that leads to multiple mental disorders transdiagnostically. Rumination-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (RFCBT) is a novel approach of CBT that directly addresses rumination. The effectiveness of RFCBT in the treatment and prevention of depression has been demonstrated through multiple randomized controlled trials, all of which are conducted within Western cultures. Nevertheless, previous studies indicate that the consequences of rumination may differ across cultures. Therefore, cultural adaptation is a key in introducing RFCBT to the Eastern culture. The present article focuses on the endeavors undertaken thus far to introduce RFCBT to Japan, with specific focus on intervention studies and dissemination work. Future directions are discussed to build the evidence-base and promote dissemination within Japan and the Eastern countries.