Abstract
The aim of this study is to clarify the social development conditions and related factors for children in Japanese kindergarten in Shanghai, China. The target schools were three Japanese kindergartens in Shanghai, three in Wakayama, Japan, and three in Osaka, Japan. The target kindergarten children were all 5- or 6-year-olds. We used an anonymous questionnaire to the guardian of the child. The question items related to social development, lifestyle and daily activities of the child, and rearing awareness and conditions of the guardian. Social development was scored by Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ). The number of respondents was 246 (Shanghai group 72, Wakayama group 86, Osaka group 88). The median value of the score of total difficulties and prosocial behavior, SDQ subscale, and the proportion of children judged as low need showed no significant difference. Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of eating fast-foods and the rearing condition "I become anxious or lose enthusiasm for childrearing when the child is recalcitrant" were the factors relevant to prosocial behavior in the Shanghai group. In the Wakayama group, the hours spent daily watching TV was designated as the relevant factor. In the Osaka group, hours spent daily playing outdoors was found to be the relevant factor. Social development of children in Japanese kindergarten in Shanghai was the same as that of those living in Japan. The factors relevant to prosocial behavior in the Shanghai group were different from those in the two cities in Japan. This study may show the important points to keep in mind for childrearing abroad.
Highlights
A significantly increasing number of Japanese companies have expanded business overseas, with many industries setting up operations in China
Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of eating fast-foods and the rearing condition ‘‘I become anxious or lose enthusiasm for childrearing when the child is recalcitrant’’ were the factors relevant to prosocial behavior in the Shanghai group
Social development of children in Japanese kindergarten in Shanghai was the same as that of those living in Japan
Summary
We used the Japanese version of Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires for parents (SDQ) to measure the social development of the child [5, 6] It consists of 5 subscales: conduct problems (5 items), hyperactivity (5 items), emotional symptoms (5 items), peer relationship problems (5 items), and prosocial behavior (5 items). The answers for the extra question items, not included in the SDQ, to evaluate the child’s social development were divided into 2 categories: ‘‘Not true’’ and ‘‘True,’’ the latter including ‘‘Somewhat true’’ and ‘‘Certainly true.’’. We calculated the odds ratio of the number of ‘‘high need’’ to the number of ‘‘low need.’’ The number of siblings (none, 1 and more), the length of stay in abroad (\30 months, 30 months and more), 7 question items on lifestyle and daily activities, and 10 on rearing awareness and conditions of guardians were used as independent variables. Difference was considered statistically significant for a trend for p \ 0.1
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