The need for psychotherapy outcome research is growing in Japan as the societal demands for psychotherapy have increased in recent years. Although researchers in Japan recognize the importance of integrating clinical practice and empirical research in evaluating psychotherapy outcome, most Japanese studies to date have relied heavily on qualitative case studies (Haebara, 1997; Kanazawa, 2004; Tanno, 2001). With the help of six translators and 116 native Japanese pilot respondents, this study adapted the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ; Lambert et al., 1996), one of the most common quantitative measures of clinical outcome, for use in Japan. The translation of the original OQ into Japanese followed Beaton et al. (2000) to include forward translation, synthesis, back translation, and expert committee meetings. The study produced 4 pre-final versions, 2 pretests, and a pilot. With permission from the original questionnaire developers, a few items were modified to achieve cultural equivalence. The rigorous translation and adaptation processes, evaluated through the Translation Validity Index (Tang & Dixon, 2002) and Content Validity Index (Polit et al., 2007), sought semantic, content, and conceptual equivalence between the English and Japanese versions of the OQ. Study limitations and suggestions for further development of the Japanese OQ are discussed.

This study examines the intersection of religion, mental health, and psychotherapy, specifically focusing on the concept of religious injury or harm. The literature review reveals a gap in research regarding the identification of religion as a potential source of emotional pain in religious individuals. To address this gap, this longitudinal study utilized intake data from 1303 clients and follow-up data from 748 clients three months after the completion of psychotherapy treatment. Primary objectives of the study were to examine whether religious commitment changes over the course of psychotherapy, explore if religious commitment influences mental health counseling outcomes, and better understand the relationship between psychological distress, religious commitment, and therapy outcomes among individuals who perceive religion as having harmed them. The results demonstrate that regardless of religious injury status, psychological distress decreased throughout the treatment period. Furthermore, psychotherapy not only reduced psychological distress but also altered client's religious commitment. Higher religious commitment at follow-up appeared to mitigate the negative effects of religious harm on therapy outcomes, resulting in lower levels of religious harm and improved therapy outcomes. These findings suggest that psychotherapy can effectively alleviate psychological distress and modify religious commitment for individuals who perceive religion as harmful. This research contributes to the existing literature on psychology and religion and emphasizes the need for further exploration of the complex relationship between religion, mental health, and therapeutic interventions.