Aim Depression is a heterogeneous disorder that has various subtypes. In Japan, however, a prevailing misunderstanding is that the term utsu‐byo (clinical depression) indicates only the melancholic type. Consequently, a subtype called ‘modern‐type depression’ (MTD), which has contrasting features to those of melancholic or traditional‐type depression (TTD), is severely stigmatized in Japan these days. The present study conducted a cross‐cultural comparison of perceptions of TTD and MTD between Japan and the USA to examine how the Japanese collectivistic culture contributes to negative biases toward MTD. Methods Undergraduate students in Japan (N = 303) and the Midwestern USA (N = 272) completed the survey. They read two vignettes that described the conditions of fictional individuals with either TTD or MTD, and then reported their perceptions of each vignette. Results Mixed analyses of variance revealed significant interactions between nation (Japan or the USA) and vignette (TTD or MTD) on most perception items. These interactions and subsequent analyses with Bonferroni corrections mainly indicate the following: (i) Japanese are more likely to suppose that conditions of MTD are milder compared with TTD; and (ii) Japanese are more likely to hold stronger aversive attitudes and weaker willingness to provide support toward people with MTD than toward those with TTD. Conclusion These results indicate that people with MTD are more likely to be accepted in the US independent culture than in the Japanese collectivistic culture. Discussion highlights that cultural diversity education potentially reduces stigma of MTD in Japan.

Negative impressions of the patient with MTD may be partly explained by causal attribution to internal and controllable factors.

Since the late 1990s, Japanese psychiatrists have reported the appearance of a Modern Type Depression (MTD), which has different features from melancholic depression. Using a case vignette method, we looked at one of the distinctive features of MTD; that is, "insisting on depression". In particular, we examined whether the statement "I think I may have depressive disorder" can be accepted as an excuse for not fulfilling ones' duty when one does not show any symptoms of depressive disorder. Participants comprised 344 Japanese undergraduates who were presented with a short scenario describing social predicaments and who subsequently assessed the excuse value in terms of impression and behavioral reaction on the transgressor. Results showed that even though the transgressor did not show any symptoms of depressive disorder, insisting that one may have depressive disorder seemed to be accepted. Additionally, consistent with Weiner's cognitive (attribution)-emotion-action model, the more positive impressions observers have on the transgressor, the more they are motivated to react kindly to the transgressor. Some unexpected findings and limitations of the present study were discussed.

We developed the Interpersonal Sensitivity/Privileged Self Scale (IPS) to measure personality traits related to "modern-type depression," and assessed its validity and reliability through three surveys completed by 804 undergraduates. Factors for validity were examined by confirmatory factor analysis. As predicted, the scale comprised two superordinate factors: interpersonal sensitivity (IS) and privileged self (PS). Criterion-related validity for the IPS scale was assessed by examining its relationship with depressive symptoms and typus melancholicus, and by comparing subscale scores regarding depression types (i.e., melancholic, atypical). All subscale scores were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Correlations between typus melancholicus and subscales showed that the interpersonal sensitivity subscale was positively correlated with typus melancholicus, while the privileged self subscale was not correlated. An analysis of variance revealed that the "self-righteousness" score was significantly higher for the atypical depression group compared to the melancholic depression group. The test-retest correlation indicated good test-retest reliability for all subscales. Overall, the findings indicated that the IPS has high validity and reliability.

Although "modern-type" depression (MTD), having different features than melancholic-type depression, has become problematic in Japan especially since the late 1990s, there are few psychological studies of MTD. Sakamoto, Muranaka, and Yamakawa (2014) proposed a psychological framework depicting the onset of MTD, and coined a new concept of interpersonal sensitivity/ privileged self, which is assumed to be a vulnerability factor for MTD. In the present study, we examined the validity and reliability of the Interpersonal Sensitivity/Privileged Self Scale (IPS; Muranaka, Yamakawa, & Sakamoto, 2014), which has two superordinate factors, namely Interpersonal Sensitivity (IS: 16 items) and Privileged Self (PS: 9 items). Because MTD is presumed to overlap with atypical depression, it was expected that the IPS score in an atypical depression group would be higher than in a melancholic depression group, and the IPS score would be positively correlated with the depressive symptoms. Participants were 112 (70 male, 42 female) Japanese undergraduates, aged 18-25 years (M = 19.19, SD = 2.07). Cronbach's α of the IPS was 0.90 (IS: α = 0.91, PS: α = 0.72). As we predicted, the IPS, IS, and PS were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. ANOVAs revealed significant differences in the scores of the IPS, IS, and PS among depression types. Post-hoc analyses showed that scores for anatypical depression group were significantly higher than those for a melancholic group and an unclassified-type group. These results support our prediction that IPS scores manifest differently in MTD and melancholic depression; validity and reliability of the IPS were confirmed.