Japanese High School Students Research Articles

Longitudinal associations between proactivity, rolefulness, and school maladjustment among Japanese high school students

Longitudinal associations between proactivity, rolefulness, and school maladjustment among Japanese high school students

ACT in school settings: A pilot study of ACT-based universal group psycho-educational program among Japanese early adolescents.

The objective of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group psycho-educational intervention within school environments, administered by psychologists, for early adolescents in Japan. The effectiveness indices measured in this study were ‘clarification of value and commitment (CVC)’ and ‘experiential avoidance (EA)’ as indicators of psychological flexibility of ACT, and self-esteem and self-determination disposition as outcome indices related to well-being. The participants in this study were Japanese junior high school students with a mean age of 14.85 years (SD = 0.86), 112 in the intervention group and 143 in the control group, who completed questionnaires at three time points: before the program (pre), after attending the program (post) and three weeks after the posttest (follow-up). The intervention program, which consisted of three short-term sessions, was shown to be effective in the CVC, self-esteem, and self-determination disposition scores. Conversely, the group-time interaction did not yield a notable impact on the persistence of avoidance behaviors and EA scores, suggesting a potential avenue for refinement in intervention methodologies regarding these domains. These findings offer insight into the potential effectiveness of ACT-based group psycho-educational endeavors in school settings led by psychologists.

Hypertension in children and adolescents: perspectives in Japan.

Hypertension in children and adolescents is associated with increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. Therefore, preventing hypertension among children and adolescents is an important public health objective worldwide. Although the importance of hypertension in children and adolescents has increasingly been recognized, the field of research is relatively new and evidence for etiologies, prevention and treatment is sparse. This review mainly summarizes the content regarding hypertension in children and adolescents published in Hypertension Research in 2023/24. Highlights include the following: The prevalence of hypertension was higher in female than male Japanese junior high school students (13.7% vs. 4.7%), but there was no significant gender difference among Japanese senior high school students (7.4% vs. 5.4%). Hematological parameters, including red blood cell counts, hemoglobin counts, hematocrit and iron levels, were positively associated with blood pressure (BP) levels in healthy children and adolescents. Higher-risk longitudinal BP trajectories in early life were associated with increased risk of target organ damage (TOD) and higher combined TOD load in midlife. BP phenotypes (e.g., masked hypertension, white-coat hypertension) assessed using office and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring were not highly reproducible in children. The salt check sheet was a useful tool for evaluating the approximate dietary salt intake in Japanese children and adolescents. It is recommended that healthcare providers screen for hypertension in children and adolescents and recognize the importance of early intervention for those with elevated BP levels. Beginning in childhood, continuous education on hypertension and proper dietary salt intake are key to reducing the risk of hypertension and decreasing the burden of CVD in adulthood.

Prevalence and Factors Related to High Risk of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity among Japanese High School Students.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) onset in minors can greatly impact learning and future employment. This study investigated the prevalence of MCS and related factors in high school students to determine whether it was the same as in adults. A comprehensive survey was conducted on 80 high schools in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The survey incorporated the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory, as well as items related to allergies, the living environment, and lifestyle. Of the 4630 students analyzed, according to Hojo's cut-off value, 9.0% were classified as high-risk for MCS and 77.9% reported some allergy-like symptoms. Significant factors associated with elevated MCS risk included female sex, having various allergic conditions, having experienced living in a new home or home renovations or extensions, proximity to environmental stressors (freeways, national highway, factories, rubbish dumps, or sources of offensive odors), insufficient physical activity (exercising less than once a week outside of physical education classes), having cold hands and feet, being fatigued, having a bedtime earlier than 11 p.m., and having moderate-frequent subjective stress. Overall, 9.0% of high school students in Japan are at high risk for MCS. Enhancing awareness of MCS-like symptoms and addressing allergies, living environments, and lifestyle habits may mitigate these symptoms.

Developmental trajectories of creativity during early adolescence in a Japanese sample: Links to perceived parental autonomy support and psychological control

This study aimed to determine the developmental trajectories of creativity during early adolescence and identify parental factors that predict the differences between these developmental trajectories. We examined the development of creativity in early adolescence using a group-based trajectory modeling. Data were collected from seventh-grade Japanese junior high school students. In this prospective longitudinal study, participants’ creativity was assessed using the verbal Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking at three time points (every six months). They also reported on perceived parental autonomy support and psychological control at the first phase of the study. Results of the analysis (N = 331) suggested that the developmental trajectories of creativity during early adolescence could be classified into three groups: low, moderate, and high. In addition, multinomial regression analyses (N = 293) showed that adolescents with higher perceived autonomy support or lower perceived psychological control were more likely to be grouped into the moderate-creativity group compared to the low-creativity group. These findings provide insights into the relationship between creativity in early adolescence and parental attitudes from the perspective of heterogeneous developmental trajectories.

Contingencies of Self-Worth, Contentment of Sources of Self-Worth, and Self-Esteem among Japanese High School Students

Contingencies of Self-Worth, Contentment of Sources of Self-Worth, and Self-Esteem among Japanese High School Students

‘We’ in English language textbooks for Japanese high school students

‘We’ in English language textbooks for Japanese high school students

Japanese cultural adaptation and validation of the social emotional health survey-secondary for junior high school students

The Social Emotional Health Survey–Secondary (SEHS-S) assesses adolescents’ psychological dispositions associated with positive psychosocial development. The present study extended SEHS–S research by validating the SEHS-S with a nonwestern sample of Japanese junior high school students (Grades 7–9; N = 1,181) and investigating sex and grade level difference in Covitality and four domains of positive psychological dispositions (Belief-in-Self, Belief-in-Others, Emotional Competence, and Engaged Living). The confirmatory factor analyses supported the internal validity of the SEHS-S with a second-order model. Higher Covitality scores predicted higher life satisfaction, school connectedness, and prosocial behavior and lower emotional symptoms, conduct problems, inattention/hyperactivity, and peer problems, evidence of concurrent validity. Analyses supported the factorial invariance for different sex and grade level. Females reported higher Belief-in-Others and Emotional Competence and lower Belief-in-Self and Engaged Living than males. Grade 9 students reported higher Covitality, Belief-in-Self, Emotional Competence, and Belief-in-Others than Grade 8 students. These results support expanding the use of the SEHS–S as a universal wellness screener in Japanese junior high schools to identify the social–emotional strengths of all students. Further study needs to establish how to use the SEHS–S most effectively with Japanese junior high school students in a culturally sensitive manner.

What are Japanese High School Students’ Imagined English-Speaking Future Selves?

The research presented in this article was informed by the notion of language learners having a second language future-speaking self-image and how it can have an effect on their motivation to learn a second language. As part of a larger project, the researcher investigated the presence of L2 (second language) future self-images among 12 Japanese high school students (aged between 15 and 18), who took part in one-to-one interviews with the researcher. A thematic analysis of their responses was conducted to examine the extent to which their L2 future self-images had an influence on their L2 motivation. The results showed that the majority of the participants possessed L2 future self-images which are unique to them and that these have had an effect on their motivation to study English. The qualitative data gathered from one-on-one interviews between the researcher and the participants showed how individual language learning experiences can shape and alter L2 future-selves in multi layered and often complex ways.

Computer-Based Listening Test with Full Video, Visual-Limited Video, and Audio: A Comparative Analysis Based on Difficulty, Discrimination Power, and Response Time

ABSTRACT This study aimed to compare item characteristics and response time between stimulus conditions in computer-delivered listening tests. Listening materials had three variants: regular videos, frame-by-frame videos, and only audios without visuals. Participants were 228 Japanese high school students who were requested to complete one of nine listening test forms. Results showed that item difficulty did not significantly differ between conditions, but item discrimination was much weaker in regular video versions than in the other two conditions. Response time was not different in the three conditions in any quantile. This suggests that listening items full of visual information have different aspects of the general (traditional) listening construct, despite the possibility of construct-irrelevant factors being affected.

Relationship between menstruation-related experiences and health-related quality of life of Japanese high school students: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundRecently, there has been a growing global movement concerning menstruation, a healthy and natural physiological phenomenon in women. The disadvantages caused by menstruation are “gender-based obstacles.“ Adolescent girls are also under its influence and perhaps in a more vulnerable situation than adult women. This study investigated the experiences related to menstruation that affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of high school students in Japan.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at a municipal high school in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The study population comprised 233 female students among which 198 completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire contained items about menstruation and HRQOL measured by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).ResultsApproximately a quarter had experienced difficulties in obtaining sanitary products in the past year, whether for economic or non-economic reasons. Menstruation-associated symptoms, impact on daily life, trouble with menstruation at an unexpected time, usage of painkillers, unhealthy lifestyle, and negative perception of menstruation were significantly associated with lower HRQOL scores, particularly in the mental component summary scores of the SF-36.ConclusionsFor the high school students with severe menstruation-associated symptoms that interfere with their daily lives, the results of this study suggest that improving access to medical care, information, and education can contribute to a better HRQOL.

The value of extracurricular activities to Japanese junior high school students: focusing on the expression of a school’s attractiveness in writing

This study explores the value of extracurricular activities to Japanese junior high school students and how this value can be transmitted to junior students through essay writing. The study participants involved Japanese seventh graders; the essay focused on school attractiveness and covered the following three conditions: (1) “control condition,” where juniors (sixth graders) are assumed to be readers, (2) “emphasis condition,” where the teacher requested participants to assume a more specific view of the juniors, and (3) “emphasis–visualization condition,” where the teacher requested participants to assume a more specific view of juniors and where the participants visualized the characteristics of juniors before completing the writing assignment. More information regarding extracurricular activities was provided in the emphasis–visualization condition. This suggests that when Japanese junior high school students are highly aware of their juniors, they evaluate extracurricular activities as an attractive school feature and readily transmit this value to younger students.

Current status and factors of periodontal disease among Japanese high school students: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the prevalence of periodontal disease and the factors of the disease among high school students.MethodThe participants were all students aged 15–18 years (n = 1202) at a high school in Japan. The data on oral health perceptions and behaviours were collected by a questionnaire survey. The prevalence of periodontal disease among them was investigated with the partial community periodontal index (PCPI). A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the PCPI.ResultsA total of 1069 students (88.9%) participated in this study. The prevalence of gingival bleeding, calculus, pocket depth of 4–5 mm, and pocket depth of 6 mm or more were 44.2%, 42.2%, 11.4%, and 1.6%, respectively. Approximately one-third of the students had a fear of dental treatment, and only 28.4% used dental floss. The results of logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex and school year, showed that not visiting dentists regularly, not using dental floss, brushing teeth for less than 5 min, fear of dental treatment, and drinking sports drinks frequently were positively associated with periodontal conditions.ConclusionThis study identified a high prevalence of periodontal disease among Japanese high school students aged 15–18 years and its risk factors, such as poor oral health behaviours and fear of dental treatment.

Impact of Debate Instruction and Pair Practice on Japanese High School Students’ Speaking Skills and Critical Thinking

The revised course of study guidelines for senior high schools in Japan now features a new subject, “Logic and Expression”, designed to enhance communication skills through the formulation and elaboration of logical structures. This addition underscores a rising societal emphasis, both locally and globally, on fostering the ability to articulate thoughts logically and convincingly, anchored in critical thinking (CT). Existing research reveals a positive correlation between CT and speaking skills, crediting English debate, pair practice, and peer assessment as effective strategies. This study seeks to examine the impact of utilizing the “format” in debate instruction and implementing pair practice to augment high school students’ speaking skills and CT. Interviews were analyzed through the lens of the Modified Grounded Theory Approach to derive our core hypothesis: the instruction of debate “format” exhibits a synergistic relationship with pair practice. This research endeavors to illuminate the mechanisms through which debate “format” instruction and pair practice influence the growth of CT and speaking skills from the learners’ perspective. It underscores the value of collaborative learning in a secondary educational environment, projecting potential applications across diverse speaking instruction practices.

Comparability Between Graded Readers and the Common Test in Japan in Terms of Text Difficulty Perceived by Learners

ABSTRACT Proponents of extensive reading argue that test-oriented language teaching and learning could discourage extensive reading practice. However, this has not been examined empirically. Given the possibility that the consistency of reading texts used in extensive reading and entrance examinations is one source of washback, the present study employed a two-facet Rasch measurement to examine the comparability between graded readers and the Common Test in Japan in terms of text difficulty perceived by Japanese high school students. It was found that perceived difficulty of the Common Test texts was not statistically different from that of some graded reader texts, providing positive evidence for the consistency between the Common Test and graded reader texts. Implications for future research on the relationship between entrance examinations and extensive reading are discussed in detail based on study findings and limitations.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Leisure Screen Time and Eating Habits of Japanese High School Students: A Comparison between before and during the Pandemic.

This study aimed to determine whether adolescents' leisure screen time differed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to before the pandemic, and to identify factors that affect leisure screen time among Japanese high school students. The Health Behavior in School Children questionnaire was used to investigate differences in eating habits and physical and mental health. The results showed that the leisure screen time of Japanese high school students was 2.6 h (SD = 1.4) before the pandemic, and 3.2 h (SD = 1.5) during the pandemic. The factors that increased leisure screen time were found to differ between boys and girls. No significant deterioration in physical and mental health was observed. The impact of the pandemic on eating habits differed in boys and girls. Boys reported "not feeling great about life" as a factor that increased leisure screen time during the pandemic, suggesting that negative emotions influenced the increase in leisure screen time. The pandemic had a significant impact on girls' leisure screen time. Longer screen time should be carefully monitored because it can lead to sleep disturbances, worsening of mental health, and obesity. Compared with before the pandemic, the health status of boys and girls changed little. Eating habits tended to improve for both boys and girls.

Association Between Loneliness, Premenstrual Symptoms, and Other Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study with Japanese High School Students.

Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood where people are vulnerable to stress. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause sustained stress in the population. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation and loneliness have increased. Loneliness is associated with increased stress, psychological distress, and a higher risk of mental illnesses, such as depression. This study examined the association between loneliness, premenstrual symptoms, and other factors in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescent females in Japan. A school-based cross-sectional survey of 1450 adolescent female students in Japan was conducted in mid-December of 2021. Specifically, paper-based questionnaires were distributed in class, and the responses were collected. The Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire (PSQ), 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, 3-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale were used as measurement tools. The prevalence of loneliness was defined as a total R-UCLA score ≥ 6. The prevalence of loneliness was 29.0%. The prevalence of serious psychological distress was also high (8.2%), especially in the lonely group (16.0%). Multivariable regression analysis identified the following factors associated with loneliness: second year (odds ratio [OR] 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-2.14), longer internet use (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02-1.20), total PSQ score (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.06-1.11), and psychological distress (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.08). Adolescent females in Japan showed a high prevalence of loneliness. School year (2nd year), longer periods of internet use, premenstrual symptom severity, and psychological distress were independently associated with loneliness. For clinicians and school health professionals, special concern should be given to the psychological health of adolescent females during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationships between Three Summary Question Types, Reading Comprehension, and Writing Expression for Japanese High School Students

Relationships between Three Summary Question Types, Reading Comprehension, and Writing Expression for Japanese High School Students

Ocean literacy among Taiwanese and Japanese high school students

The sea surrounds both Taiwan and Japan, but they have adopted different marine education policies. This study used the ocean literacy framework published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to examine the ocean literacy of high school students in Taiwan and Japan. We also investigated the channels through which students acquired marine biology knowledge and whether parental education level and students’ attitudes toward the ocean affected ocean literacy. Tests were administered in Japanese and Chinese to assess students’ ocean literacy, attitude, and background. This study used descriptive statistics, the independent sample t-test, and multigroup structural equation modeling. Taiwanese students considerably outperformed Japanese students in ocean literacy, scoring significantly higher in five of the seven ocean literacy principles. In Taiwan, higher parental education level led to higher ocean literacy scores, but not in Japan. Access to information regarding marine biology also differed by country. These results provide a reference to high schools, teachers, and policymakers in Taiwan and Japan and can help improve curricula, learning environments, and marine education policies.

The Effects of L1 Transfers on L2 English Intransitive Errors by Japanese Learners

Second language (L2) learners of various native languages frequently overpassivize one type of intransitive verbs, namely, unaccusatives (e.g., disappeared, arrivedn). Previous studies have attempted to address the culprit of this issue without reaching a general consensus on the cause of such errors. This study investigates whether first language (L1) plays a role in L2 English overpassivization errors with intransitive verbs by Japanese-speaking learners. It utilizes the framework of the Unaccusative Trap Hypothesis (UTH, Oshita, 2001) and hypothesizes that learners ungrammatically passivize unaccusative verbs due to L1 lexicon and morphology. It also predicts that learners generate passive errors with unergatives (e.g., cry, smile) in the same manner as passive unaccusatives. The study examined three types of intransitives: English non-alternating/Japanese alternating unaccusatives (e.g., happen in English and okiru/okosu in Japanese); English/Japanese non-alternating unaccusatives (e.g., arrive in English and tuku in Japanese); unergatives. The study analyzed a Japanese learners’ corpus (JEFLL Corpus), consisting of approximately 70,000 words from Japanese junior high and high school students. The findings in this study are that Japanese EFL learners tend to passivize more English non-alternating/Japanese alternating unaccusatives and unergatives than English/Japanese non-alternating unaccusatives. Given the result, it can be suggested that Japanese learners passivize unaccusatives owing to the influence of their L1 lexicon and morphology.