Effectiveness of Morita Therapy-Based Consultation for a School-Refusing Adolescent with Psychogenic Fever

Abstract

Morita therapy, developed by Shoma Morita (1874-1938) in Japan, is a type of psychotherapy that has been applied to deal with neurotic symptoms. This therapeutic approach is based on the conviction that neurotic symptoms are universal issues that eventually subside if the symptoms are accepted and everyday activities are carried out. By examining a school-refusing female adolescent suffering from somatic complaints (mainly psychogenic fever), the present study explores the effectiveness of Morita therapy-based consultation on the adolescent’s school refusal tendencies. The findings indicate that, after the school counselor provided Morita therapy-based consultation to the parents of the school-refusing adolescent and the school staff members, the adolescent returned to school and psychogenic fever became afebrile after several days of resuming regular school attendance. The implication of the results is that Morita therapy can be effective for dealing with school-refusing adolescents suffering from neurotic symptoms.