معرفی
Junichi Saito serves as Assistant Professor at Waseda University's School of Human Sciences, where he conducts research at the intersection of psychiatry, clinical psychology, and behavioral medicine. His work focuses on developing and implementing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions for chronic medical conditions, particularly type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction, utilizing digital health technologies and ecological momentary assessment methods.
Dr. Saito holds a Ph.D. in Human Sciences with specialized training in behavioral medicine. His educational background forms the foundation for his innovative approaches to integrating psychological interventions into physical healthcare settings.
Research interests prominently feature Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Ecological Momentary Assessment, and Digital Health interventions for chronic conditions. His work bridges psychosomatic medicine and behavioral medicine, with significant contributions to scale development for ACT processes including acceptance, defusion, and value clarification. Recent studies demonstrate his leadership in applying ACT to diabetes management and sexual health, addressing critical gaps in mental-physical health integration.
Analysis of publication trends reveals a strategic evolution from foundational scale development (2015-2018) toward clinical implementation studies (2019-2024). His current work emphasizes smartphone-based ACT delivery for erectile dysfunction and diabetes management, reflecting growing emphasis on digital therapeutics and brief intervention formats suitable for real-world healthcare settings.
Scientific recognition includes:
- The 21st Ikemi Award at the 64th Congress of the Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine (2023)
- Travel Award for Outstanding Presentation at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine (2019)
Dr. Saito actively mentors graduate students through thesis seminars in Behavioral Medicine and has secured competitive funding including a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (2017-2019) supporting his pioneering work on brief ACT interventions for diabetes management. His collaborative network centers around Professor Hiroaki Kumano, with whom he has co-authored over 15 publications.
As an active member of Waseda University's Behavioral Medicine research ecosystem, Dr. Saito contributes to interdisciplinary projects connecting psychological science with clinical medicine, particularly through the Research Council within the Comprehensive Research Organization.
