Onset study of English-speaking temporary residents in Japan.

This is a study of the onset time of psychiatric episodes of 103 English-speaking temporary residents in Japan. The onset time is defined as the interval between the time of arrival in Japan and the request for treatment. The best-fit model was composed of 13 factors and had a highly significant effect on onset time. The existence of a past history of psychiatric disorder was linked with a high vulnerability. Higher proficiency in the language and experience of having been married indicated a lower vulnerability. Vulnerability defined by onset time may share a certain common ground with liability defined by prevalence.