Yamanaka Lab | University of Tsukuba

We hope that our studies will contribute to elderly care and aging society.
  • Japanese
  • English

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Katsuo Yamanaka (Ph.D) is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Human Sciences, in the University of Tsukuba, Japan. He is a clinical psychologist, and his major is clinical geropsychology (generally speaking, psychology for the elderly). He is particularly interested in nonpharmacological interventions, including psychosocial approaches for people with dementia, and the development of assessments to examine the effects of the approaches. He mainly teaches students in master's and doctoral programs in Neuroscience in the University of Tsukuba. (https://www.neurosci.tsukuba.ac.jp/)

Self-introduction

Hello Everyone,
I'm Katsuo Yamanaka. I have been mainly studying psychosocial approaches for people with dementia, and the development of assessments to examine their effects, for a long time. It is important for us to bridge evidence with practices. The ultimate goal of my life as a practical researcher is to create better dementia friendly communities, where people with dementia have many chances and resources so that they can share happiness with others. I welcome students and researchers from around the world who are interested in the following academic themes which are being studied in my laboratory:

  • Psychosocial approaches for people with dementia: structured group activities for people with dementia (cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, etc.); interventions to challenging behaviors in people with dementia.
  • Assessments of cognitions, mood, behaviors, and quality of life of people with dementia.
  • Methods to support carers, regardless if they are professionals or nonprofessionals.
  • Attitudes into people with dementia and knowledge about people with dementia.
  • Geropsychological themes closely related to practices for people with dementia and their surrounding people.

Academic Papers

Matsuda, K., Nishida, K., Yamada, T., & Yamanaka, K. (2025). Smile Detection in Real-World Dementia Care Setting: A Pilot Study Toward Objective Evaluation of the Quality of Life of Persons with Dementia, Advanced Biomedical Engineering, 14, 241-250. https://doi.org/10.14326/abe.14.241

Yamanaka, K. (2025). Inclusive Perspective of Aging, Dementia, and Society. Ida, Y., et al. (ed). Human Diversity and Educational Equity in Japan: Well-Being in the Human Sciences Landscape. Springer, 231-241.

Yamanaka, K., Noguchi, D., Sato, S., Kosugi, N., Kanemoto, H., Yoshiyama, K., Ikeda, M., & Kazui, H. (2025). How do caregivers successfully cope with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia? A web-based, preliminary analysis using a hybrid approach. International psychogeriatrics, 100050. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpsyc.2025.100050

Noguchi, D., Kazui, H., Yamanaka, K. (2023). A short staff training system for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in care facilities, based on functional analysis and positive behaviour support: a single-arm pre- and post-comparative study. Psychogeriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.13066

Yamanaka, K., Todo, N., Yoshizawa, M., Uchida T. (2021). Cross-sectional survey of the replacement of the Japanese term for dementia: Did it reduce discomfort in family members? Brain and Behavior, 11(3):e02012. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2012

Niikawa,H., Kawano,Y., Yamanaka,K., Okamura, T., Inagaki, H., Ito, K., Awata, S. (2019) Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of a self-report (DEMQOL) and carer-proxy (DEMQOL-PROXY) measure of health-related quality of life in people with dementia? Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 19(6):487-491. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13646

Amano, T., Yamanaka, K., & Carpenter, B. D. (2019). Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale. Dementia 2019, Vol.18(2) 599-612. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301216685943

Yamanaka, K., Ueda,Y., & Chihiro Matsuda: CST (2017). International perspective; Japan (Chapter 11).Yates, L., A., Yates, J., Orrell, M., Spector, A., Woods, B., Eds.: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Dementia: History, Evolution and Internationalism (Aging and Mental Health Research). Routledge, 220-232.

Warren, N. J., Kamimura,A., Trinh, H. N., Stephens, E., Omi, K., Kanaoka, A., Ishikawa, A., & Yamanaka, K. (2015). Perceptions of aging and disability among college students in Japan. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(33), 52-60.

Yamanaka, K., Kawano, Y., Noguchi, D., Nakaaki, S., Watanabe, N., Amano, T., & Spector, A. (2013). Effects of cognitive stimulation therapy Japanese version (CST-J) for people with dementia: a single-blind, controlled clinical trial. Aging & Mental Health, 17(5), 579–586. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2013.777395

Noguchi, D., Kawano, Y., & Yamanaka, K. (2013). Care staff training in residential homes for managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia based on differential reinforcement procedures of applied behaviour analysis: a process research. Psychogeriatrics, 13(2), 108–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12006