Japanese High School Students’ Perceptions of the Gender-Neutral Naming Trend

Self-regulated learning explores learners' complex intrinsic factors, including their learning strategies and motivation to learn. It offers learners the opportunity to become autonomous – a situation that is essential for ensuring that Japanese students acquire English proficiency. This study aims to explore the factors involved in self-regulated language learning of Japanese senior high school students and to identify the different types of self-regulated English learners. A 45-item questionnaire covering learners' cognitive, behavioral, and affective aspects was distributed among 1076 students from seven prefectural senior high schools in Japan. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the presence of five factors. Cluster analysis was used to classify students into four distinct profiles, and a follow-up interview was conducted with six students extracted from each cluster group. The findings confirmed that Japanese high school students have very complex internal factors that affect their learning. These results offer pedagogical implications and emphasize the importance of EFL teachers' roles in Japan. They suggest that teachers should strive to understand each student's readiness and internal factors in order to transform them into autonomous learners.

Although haiku has gained attention as a pedagogical tool in second language (L2) instruction, its use in junior high school EFL classrooms remains underexplored. This study examines how Japanese junior high school students navigate the limitations of haiku to create meaningful and imaginative expressions of language. A qualitative descriptive analysis was conducted on 52 student-written haikus from a classroom-based writing activity. Findings reveal students demonstrate lexical creativity through vivid sensory imagery, nature-based vocabulary, emotional expressions, and modern references. Syntactic creativity emerges in omitted subjects and verbs, unconventional word order, and fragmented structure. Figurative language use, including metaphor and symbolism, enables students to convey complex emotions and abstract ideas. Thematic analysis highlights recurring themes such as seasonal imagery, nostalgia, personal reflection, and contemporary influences like technology. The study highlights haiku’s pedagogical value in fostering self-expression, linguistic precision, and cultural engagement. This demonstrates that structural limitations can serve as a catalyst for linguistic and creative development in young EFL learners.

The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) was used to evaluate malocclusion in Japanese high school students (n = 409, ages 15-18 yr). The purpose of this study was to obtain basic data concerning malocclusion in Japanese high school students. This study used a sample of students from randomly selected urban and rural high schools in Japan's Kyushu district. The DAI scores for urban and rural high school students, as well as the total DAI scores from these two areas were significantly higher than that of American high school students. These results showed that the number of students with an acceptable dental appearance among Japanese high school students is significantly lower than among American high school students. This indicates a higher need for orthodontic treatment among Japanese high school students.

Backgrounds: Smoking in childhood has become an important public health concern. Previous studies have reported on secular trends in childhood smoking rates and compared with smoking rates at fixed ages. They also described secular trends regarding the prevalence of smoking at fixed ages. The variations in smoking rate of young children and adolescents by follow-up groups have not been studied by follow-up groups at a national level. Objective: We looked at trends and generational impacts on smoking rate by using follow-up groups of male Japanese high school students to quantitatively assess differences in trends, based on multiple nationwide data from the Japanese Youth Tobacco and Drinking Surveys gathered every 4 years between 1996 and 2008. Methods: The surveys were nationwide, cross-sectional random sampling surveys given every 4 years from 1996 to 2008, using the single-stage cluster sampling methodology. The cluster unit of the sampling was school. The survey targeted junior and senior high school students from schools selected through Japan using the National School Directory. Students enrolled in the sampled schools were subjects of the study. Participants were 53,925 high school students from 7th grade to 11th grade in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. We divided the three follow-up groups every 4 years from 1996 to 2004 for male junior high school students in 7th grades, age 13. The end periods were 4 years later when they had become 11th graders, age 17, from 2000 to 2008. Main outcome measures in this study were life time smoking, current smoking within 30 days and daily smoking at 7th or 11th grade and the trend of the smoking rates between 7th to 11th grades. Results: Life time smoking rate, current smoking rate and daily smoking rate in Japanese high school students decreased at 7th grade from 1996 to 2004. They also decreased at 11th grade from 2000 to 2008. However, the slopes differed among their follow-up groups. The increments in their smoking rates from 7th grade to 11th grade in male high school students were smaller in recent follow-up groups both in 2000 and in 2004 than in follow-up groups in 1996. Then, those increments in follow-up groups between in 2000 and in 2004 were similar in lifetime smoking rate and current smoking rate. Conclusions: We have shown that monitoring trends by follow-up group are important in studying smoking for public health. Values of smoking rates from a young age to adolescence by follow-up group should be examined. Values of smoking rate and regular changes in smoking rate are important because smoking rate changes dynamically during adolescence. Not only trends in smoking rates at fixed ages, but also generational impacts should be considered by using follow-up groups to study smoking behaviors among students. We need to continue careful monitoring of follow-up group smoking prevalence. When long-term health promotions are planned or assessed, policy makers need to look at changes in follow-up groups.

In the digital age, adolescents increasingly rely on online sources for health-related information. eHealth literacy-defined as the ability to find, evaluate, and apply online health information-plays a crucial role in health outcomes. However, limited research exists on eHealth literacy among Japanese high school students, particularly on its association with menstrual health and psychological well-being. This study aimed to assess the eHealth literacy of Japanese female high school students and examine its association with premenstrual symptoms, psychological distress, loneliness, and self-esteem. A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted in December 2024 among 1607 female students from 2 public high schools in Sendai, Japan. A total of 909 students with regular menstrual cycles completed all survey items. The survey included the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a numerical rating scale for menstrual pain. Statistical analyses, including Student t tests, chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and logistic regression analyses, were used to examine the relationships between eHealth literacy and various health outcomes. The mean eHEALS score was 22.8 (SD 7.3), with 32.1% (292/909) of participants classified as having high eHealth literacy (eHEALS≥26). Students with higher eHealth literacy reported significantly lower levels of loneliness and higher self-esteem. The severity of premenstrual symptoms, particularly feeling overwhelmed, was significantly lower in the high eHealth literacy group. Additionally, interpersonal difficulties related to premenstrual symptoms were less prevalent among students with high eHealth literacy. Pearson correlation analysis indicated negative associations between the eHEALS score and psychological distress (K6) and loneliness, whereas a positive association was observed with self-esteem. Logistic regression analysis showed that high self-esteem was significantly associated with high eHealth literacy. This study highlights the importance of eHealth literacy in adolescent health care. Higher eHealth literacy is linked to lower levels of loneliness, higher self-esteem, and reduced premenstrual symptom severity, particularly feeling overwhelmed. Although the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions, these findings suggest that higher eHealth literacy is associated with better mental and reproductive health in adolescents. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs, include more diverse populations-such as male adolescents-and explore additional contributing factors to better elucidate these associations.

Factor-analyzed correlations among items of the Japanese Adolescent Reinforcement Survey Schedule by Japanese high school students (N = 939) and college students (N = 500) were compared to investigate the changes in reinforcers between mid- and late adolescence, gender differences, and the specific groupings of reinforcers which suggest certain interventions for either or both groups of adolescents. The factor analysis yielded ten interpretable factors in both groups. These factors were similar and did not suggest a dramatic shift in reinforcers between mid- and late adolescence. Items related to heterosexual activities and antisocial behaviors were rated as more pleasurable by males and items related to interpersonal relationships and academic activities were rated as more pleasurable by females. Since both groups of students attach high reinforcement value to interpersonal interaction with peers and family members, interventions focusing on social skills development might be popular and well attended.

The relation between self-esteem and smoking, drinking and drug use in Japanese high school students was examined. A total of 2506 first- and second- (tenth and eleventh) grade high school students in seven prefectures completed a self-report questionnaire designed to assess their smoking, drinking and drug-use behavior and future intention to smoke, drink alcohol and use drugs. We verified the reliability and validity of assessing self-esteem using a Japanese language version of Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale. In males, self-esteem was significantly and negatively related to smoking behavior, and those who did not intend to smoke in the future had significantly higher self-esteem scores than those who intended to smoke. In male experimental smokers, those who did not intend to smoke in the future had significantly higher self-esteem scores than those who intended to smoke. On the other hand, no relation was found between female high school students' self-esteem and smoking behavior and intention to smoke. Nor was any relation found in the self-esteem of both genders and drinking and drug-use behavior and intended future drinking and drug use. The results of this study indicate that high self-esteem and education to raise self-esteem is important in preventing smoking in male high school students in Japan.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between daily television (TV) viewing duration and weekly fast food consumption of Japanese high school students.Design/methodology/approachThe total of 325 Japanese high school students from Miyazaki, Japan (148 female and 176 male students and one student with no gender identification) answered the survey in order to assess their daily TV viewing duration and weekly fast food consumption.FindingsThe results indicated that low TV viewers spent significantly less money on weekly fast food consumption than either moderate or high TV viewers; and male students spent significantly more money on weekly fast food consumption than female students.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to the limited sample size, the results of this study might lack generalizability. Further research on this issue should be conducted in the future.Practical implicationsSimilar to studies conducted in different countries, the results of the present study provided evidence to suggest that cumulative exposure to TV was linked to the increase of fast food consumption in Japanese high school students.Originality/valueThere were few studies that investigated the media effects on fast food consumption of Japanese high school students. This study might be the first one.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a vocabulary size test is a valid and reliable measure of longitudinal growth in vocabulary size (VS), and to investigate the relationship between growth in VS and use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS). Kasahara''s (2006) revised version of Mochizuki''s (1998) Vocabulary Size Test (VST) was administered to 209 Japanese senior high school students at three time points during their course of study. In addition, a VLS questionnaire based on Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy was administered and used to investigate the relationship between vocabulary growth and patterns of strategy use. Cronbach alpha for the three administrations of the VST ranged from .79 to .85, indicating adequate reliability of the VST. A cluster analysis of strategy use yielded three distinct patterns: low, medium, and high frequency use of strategies. A two-way mixed ANOVA with year as the within-subjects factor and strategy cluster as the between-subjects factor found a significant mean effect for year and strategy use, but no effect for the interaction. The large effect size for year supports the claim that the revised VST is a valid measure of vocabulary size for Japanese high school students. The relationship between VS and strategy use confirms the potential of the revised VST for investigating theoretical and pedagogical factors affecting vocabulary growth.

Japan is a super-ageing country. Constructing the community-based integrated care system in local communities is urgently needed. Mutual aid in local communities is critical for this system. In order to clarify the status of perception of mutual aid in Japanese high school students and to clarify the factors related to the formation of the perception, we conducted a questionnaire study of high school students in a city in Japan (n = 8,687). The results indicate that Japanese high school students show a tendency to have perception of mutual aid for local people (70.8%) rather than the local area (38.9%). Significantly fewer male students have perception of mutual aid than female students (p < 0.01). Factors that affected the perception significantly (p < 0.05) were: i) willingness to stay in the local area for 10 more years, ii) recognition of persons in need of care in the local area, iii) memories of experiencing communication with handicapped and/or elderly people, and iv) experience of taking care of local children. It is important to create opportunities for high school students to communicate with local residents, especially handicapped and/or elderly people in order to foster students' perception of mutual aid.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the consumption of non-alcoholic beverages (such as non-alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic cocktails, and non-alcoholic wine) and alcohol drinking behavior among Japanese youths. Data from the Japan Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2011 were analyzed. The study subjects were 9775 high school students (5026 males and 4749 females) randomly selected from the 10th to the 12th grade in 102 high schools throughout Japan. The results indicated that the percentage of youths who had consumed non-alcoholic beverages was 25.8% among males (11.5%: “one time”; 14.3%: “two or more times”) and 26.1% among females (12.2%: “one time”; 13.9%: “two or more times”), which suggested that at least one in four Japanese high school students had consumed non-alcoholic beverages. Those students that had consumed non-alcoholic beverages were at a significantly higher risk for alcohol-related behaviors, including “ever drank alcohol”, “current alcohol use”, “current frequent alcohol use”, and “chugging”, when compared with students who had never consumed non-alcoholic beverages. The risk for alcohol-related behaviors was higher for students who had consumed non-alcoholic beverages two or more times than for those who had consumed them one time. Specifically, the odds ratio for “ever drank alcohol” in the “one time” group was 5.16 (95% CI: 4.22 - 6.30) for males and 4.27 (95% CI: 3.53 - 5.16) for females, while it was markedly high for those in the “two or more times” group, with males at 9.78 (95% CI: 7.88 - 12.14) and females at 7.59 (95% CI: 6.20 - 9.29). The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to continuously ascertain the prevalence of non-alcoholic beverage consumption among Japanese youths. In addition, alcohol drinking prevention in youths requires attention be paid not only to their consumption of alcoholic beverages, but also to their consumption of non-alcoholic beverages.

Introduction Depressive symptoms during adolescence may impair vigilant attention, yet the association has not been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and vigilant attention in Japanese high school students. Methods We recruited a total of 426 high school students (ages 15–17) from two high schools in Japan. Each participant completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and underwent the Brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B) to measure vigilant attention. Two primary indicators were derived from the PVT-B: response speed (reciprocal reaction time) and lapse (number of reaction times ≥355 ms). For the analysis, the worst 20% of students on each PVT-B metrics (response speed and lapse) were defined as having impaired vigilant attention. Gender-stratified analyses were conducted to examine potential differences between male and female students. Logistic regression was used to compare students with CES-D ≥20 to those with CES-D &amp;lt; 20, adjusting for age, BMI, sleep duration, caffeine intake, and time from awakening to conducting PVT. Results In the total participants, depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥20) were associated with slower response speed (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97–2.67) with marginal statistical significance (p=0.08). Lapse was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.16–3.28, p=0.01), suggesting that students experiencing depressive symptoms showed reduced vigilant attention on the PVT-B. Gender-stratified analyses revealed no significant associations between response speed and lapse among male students. However, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with slower response speed (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.14–4.52, p=0.02) and higher lapse (OR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.34–5.55, p=0.01) among female students. Conclusion The present study showed that depressive symptoms are associated with impaired vigilant attention in female high school students, but not in male one. Support (if any) This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant JP22H00496, JP23K19780.

Objective. To investigate the perception and actual use of mobile phones among Japanese high school students while riding their bicycles, and their experience of bicycle crash/near-crash. Methods. A questionnaire survey was carried out at high schools that were, at the time of the survey, commissioned by the National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health to conduct school safety research. Results. In the survey, we found that mobile phone use while riding a bicycle was quite common among the students during their commute, but those who have a higher perception of danger in this practice, and those who perceived that this practice is prohibited, were less likely to engage in this practice. Male students and students commuting to school by bicycle only were more likely to have used phones while riding. There was a significant relationship between phone usage while riding a bicycle and the experience of bicycle crash/near-crash, although its causality was not established. Bicycle crash/near-crash experienced while using a phone was less prevalent among the students who had a higher perception of danger in phone usage while riding, students who perceived that this practice is prohibited, and students with a shorter travel time by bicycle during the commute. Conclusions. Since mobile phone use while riding a bicycle potentially increases crash risk among cyclists, student bicycle commuters should be made aware of this risk. Moreover, they should be informed that cyclists' phone usage while riding is prohibited according to the road traffic law.

This study explored patterns of health-risk behaviors among Japanese high school students and examined if a cluster and an accumulation of health-risk behaviors existed. Self-administered questionnaires were employed in 1999 using a sample of 1,466 students (male 50.5%, female 49.5%) in grades 10 through 12 at seven public senior high schools in Okinawa, Japan. Health-risk behaviors studied included cigarette smoking, alcohol use, thinner use, nonuse of seat belts, suicide ideation, sexual intercourse, weight loss practices, and physical inactivity. Among male and female students, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and sexual intercourse clustered. Accumulation of these risk behaviors also occurred because the observed proportion was greater than the expected proportion assuming independent occurrence. Vocational high school students and upper graders were strongly associated with accumulation of health risk behaviors. These findings identify a high-risk target group among Japanese adolescents and suggest that preventive intervention strategies should take into consideration the cluster and accumulation of health-risk behaviors.

Bulimia nervosa (bulimia) is often concomitant with alcohol and other substance abuse. To investigate the coprevalence of bulimia with alcohol abuse and smoking, we surveyed 2597 male and female Japanese high school students and obtained a group of bulimic students who fulfilled four of five DSM-III-R bulimia nervosa criteria and a control group who reported no binge-eating experience. Comparison of the groups showed significantly more alcohol abuse for both male and female bulimic students than for the non-bulimic control group. The male and female adolescents with symptoms of bulimia were similar in showing a high prevalence of alcohol abuse. The incidence of smoking was significantly higher among the bulimic females than among the female controls, but there was no significant difference between the male groups' smoking experiences.