Young Japanese Children Research Articles

The relationship of theory of mind and maternal emotional expressiveness with aggressive behaviours in young Japanese children: A gender‐differentiated effect

AbstractThe aim of this study was to test the relationship of theory of mind (ToM) and maternal emotional expressiveness with children's aggressive behaviours (i.e., relational aggression, physical aggression). ToM is vital to relational aggression, which involves harming others through purposeful manipulation and damaging peer relationships. However, little is known about how ToM and family emotional environment are interactively associated with aggressive behaviours. Fifty‐one Japanese children, aged 4 and 5 years, completed measures of ToM and receptive vocabulary. Mothers reported their emotional expressiveness towards their children and classroom teachers rated each child's aggressive behaviours. The results revealed that when boys have mature ToM and their mothers show high negative emotional expressiveness, they exhibit higher relational aggression in their peer relationships. Such interaction effect was not found for girls. The findings suggest that boys with mature ToM are likely to learn to use ToM for antisocial purposes via negative family emotional environments.Highlights This study examined the relationship of Theory of Mind (ToM) and maternal emotional expressiveness with aggressive behaviours in young Japanese children. When boys had both mature ToM and mothers who express high negative emotional expressiveness, they exhibited higher relational aggression in their peer relationships. The results suggest that there is a gender‐differentiated effect of family emotional environment on children's socio‐cognitive development.

Perspective‐shifting discourse training to improve young Japanese children's understanding of theory of mind

AbstractThe development of a mind‐reading ability, known as theory‐of‐mind (ToM), has been recognized as following a universal process, but the age at which the false‐belief task is passed has been reported to have wide inter‐group variabilities. Japanese children have been reported to acquire a false‐belief understanding at a slightly older age than their western counterparts. The present study investigated the extent to which Japanese‐children's understanding of ToM could be brought forward by using perspective‐shifting training in conversational discourses. Japanese children aged 4.5 years‐old, but not 4.0 years‐old, improved their false‐belief understanding after the training. However, this improvement was limited to their understanding of representation‐change. Although it is hard to isolate the influence of language experiences and socio‐culture aspects, training with perspective‐shifting discourses in interactive contexts was effective in enhancing the development of mind‐reading for 4.5 year old Japanese children.HighlightsThis study investigated the benefits of perspective‐shifting training in conversational discourses for Japanese‐children's theory‐of‐mind (ToM) understanding.Japanese children aged 4.5 years‐old, but not 4.0 years‐old, improved their false‐belief understanding after the training.Perspective‐shifting discourse training lowers the age at which Japanese children can understand ToM.

The Relationship between Phonological Short-Term Memory and Vocabulary Acquisition in Japanese Young Children

We confirmed the proposal made by Gathercole & Baddeley (1989, 1993), in experiments using the Japanese language, in which little contribution from phoneme-level phonological sensitivity is involved in vocabulary acquisition. They claimed that the capacity for of phonological short-term memory is the foundation of vocabulary acquisition, and that phonological short-term memory can be measured by nonword repetition tasks. Bowey (1996), moreover has argued that both phonological short-term memory and phoneme-level phonological sensitivity contribute to vocabulary acquisition. Thus, we have conducted two studies using the Japanese language, which has little contribution of phoneme-level phonological sensitivity. In study 1, we experimented 92 five-year-old to examine the relationship between vocabulary acquisition and phonological short-term memory using Japanese nonword. The correlation coefficient between vocabulary acquisition and Japanese nonword was r = .31. By applying the results to structural equation modeling, we confirmed Baddeley’s working memory model. In study 2, we experimented 90 five-year-old to test both Japanese nonword and English nonword as well as phonological sensitivity tasks in both Japanese and English in order to examine their correlation with vocabulary acquisition. We have found that there are significant correlations between vocabulary acquisition and Japanese nonword, as well as between vocabulary acquisition and Japanese phonological sensitivity (r = .27 with Japanese nonword, r = .30 with Japanese phonological sensitivity, whereas r = .17 with English nonword and r = .17 with English phonological sensitivity), which indicates that phoneme-level phonological sensitivity (i.e. English phonological sensitivity) has low involvement in vocabulary acquisition for Japanese children. In addition, we further discuss the relationship between vocabulary acquisition and phonological sensitivity that is unique to each specific language.

Socialization Practices Regarding Shame in Japanese Caregiver-Child Interactions.

Affect is both an organizing force and a product of socialization practices in communities. Shame is an affective experience that is primarily rooted in socially shared normativity, and it has featured in studies of language socialization that examine how children are socialized into their socio-culturally structured universe (Duranti et al., 2012). After the publication of Benedict’s (1946) seminal work, shame became associated with the ethos of East Asian cultures. Inspired by previous work, this paper focuses on the use, in socialization, of phrases that include the Japanese term hazukashii, which is commonly translated as shameful, in the context of Japanese caregiver–child interactions. We videotaped interactions between young Japanese children and their caregivers in natural settings and examined the gestures and speech around uses of hazukashii. The results indicate that phrases including hazukashii are often used when a child hesitates to perform an appropriate action or performs an act that is deemed inappropriate. The caregiver thereby provides an account that the action is understandable in the given context. Further, hazukashii is also used in teasing contexts. This is done to promote a cooperative and pleasant atmosphere. The word hazukashii is a powerful tool for the language socialization of children in Japanese speech communities.

Association Between Children's Theory of Mind and Responses to Insincere Praise Following Failure.

This study examined children’s interpretations of and responses to insincere praise in a situation involving failure and explored the association between these responses and the maturity of their theory of mind. Seventy-two young Japanese children (mean age = 5.70 years, SD = 0.61) completed a test battery that included tasks designed to assess responses to teacher feedback (i.e., insincere praise, no feedback) in hypothetical failure situations, theory of mind, and verbal ability. The results showed that children who failed experienced higher levels of positive emotion and self-rated performance and showed lower motivation to persevere when they received insincere praise following failure, relative to those observed when they failed and received no feedback. In addition, relative to children with less mature theory of mind, children with mature theory of mind responded more negatively to insincere praise following failure. The evidence indicated that the effects of insincere praise could differ depending on the maturity of children’s theory of mind. It highlights the importance of understanding individual differences in theory of mind in parenting and educational settings.

Hospitalization costs and length of stay of Japanese children with respiratory syncytial virus: A structural equation modeling approach.

Background:This study sought to identify factors that impact the total health care costs associated with hospitalization of young Japanese children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).Methods:Children admitted between April 2014 and March 2015 with at least a confirmed diagnosis of RSV and 2 days of hospital stay were considered for inclusion. Data analyses of hospital claims were performed using a structural equation modeling approach.Results:A total of 6811 Japanese inpatients (<5 years old) diagnosed with RSV were included. The average length of stay was 7.5 days with a mean total health care cost of US Dollars (USD) $3344 per hospitalization. Intensive care unit hospitalizations were associated with greater costs (USD +$4951) compared to routine hospitalizations. The highest procedure-related cost drivers were blood transfusions (USD +$6402) and tube feedings (USD +$3512).Conclusion:The economic burden of RSV-related infection hospitalizations in Japan is considerable. Efforts should be toward immunization and therapeutic treatment strategies that reduce severity, prevent, or reduce the duration of hospitalization.

Effectiveness of Child-Directed Interaction Training for Young Japanese Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study examined the efficacy of Child-Directed Interaction Training (CDIT), the first phase of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), for Japanese children with autism spectrum disorders. The participants were 21 mother-child dyads with children aged 4–7 years; participants were assigned to an Immediate Treatment (IT) group or to a Waitlist (WL) control group. Across eight training sessions, mothers learned positive attention skills that were adapted from traditional PCIT training. Results showed CDIT not only improved social cognition skills and decreased disruptive behavior in Japanese children, but also reduced stress/distress among their mothers, particularly in relation to their own parenting skills and their child’s problem behaviors.

SENSITIZATION PATTERN FOR INHALED AND FOOD ALLERGENS IN JAPANESE RECURRENT WHEEZERS UNDER 60 MONTHS OF AGE

Allergen sensitization differs according to countries and regions. Understanding the characteristics of allergen sensitization in one's own country is useful for the treatment of patients with allergic diseases. Recently, Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) sensitization is increasing in young Japanese children. Therefore, we evaluated allergen sensitization patterns in under 60-month-old Japanese recurrent wheezers using multiple allergen tests. Allergen tests for 204 Japanese recurrent wheezers between April 2010 and April 2016 were reviewed. Children were divided into 10 groups by age, in 6-month intervals, from 0 months and analyzed by age group. Seventy five percent of children were diagnosed as bronchial asthma. Children under 12-months showed sensitization to food allergens, such as egg white (13.3%) and cow's milk (3.3%), and no sensitization to inhaled allergens. However, house dust mite (HDM) and JCP sensitization increased significantly in children 1 to 2 year of age (HDM; 7.7-32.1%, JCP; 3.9-17.9%) and both sensitization increased to most frequent in children over 36 months of age. JCP sensitization was also frequently detected in children with HDM sensitization (47.1%). Sensitization to inhaled allergens was significantly increased in Japanese recurrent wheezers over 12 months of age and sensitization to HDM and JCP increased to most frequent over 36 months of age. JCP sensitization was established from early childhood and detected frequently in Japanese recurrent wheezers under 60 months of age. These characteristics are the same with HDM sensitization.

The role of pitch pattern in Japanese 24-month-olds’ word recognition

Abstract Previous research has demonstrated that Chinese-learning children use lexical pitch pattern to disambiguate words throughout development but English-learning children do not. To determine which linguistic properties lead children to retain such sensitivity, we focused on Japanese, a pitch accent language in which pitch pattern accompanies every word but plays a far weaker role in word discrimination than in Chinese. We observed Japanese-learning 24-month-olds’ responses to a familiar word with an incorrect pitch pattern in a picture fixation task. The results show that children could identify the referent familiar object, although they needed more time to do so than when the word was presented with the correct pitch pattern. These results suggest that young Japanese children do not treat pitch pattern as a determinant of word meanings, although they can easily detect changes in pitch patterns. The findings are discussed in terms of the language properties that affect children’s sensitivity to lexical pitch information.

Nine-year Longitudinal Study Of Obesity In Japanese Young Children

PURPOSE: Childhood obesity is increasing worldwide. Tracking, or the tendency for an individual to maintain his/her disease risk factor rank level relative to his/her peers through time, leading to adolescence and adult obesity is observed even in early childhood. Childhood obesity is associated with increased risk of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in adulthood, independent of adult weight. Therefore, intervention, and prevention of obesity in young children is important in reducing the risks of obesity and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. However, little is known about the process and tracking of obesity during the years of young childhood because of a lack of longitudinal studies. Consequently, prevention and treatment of obesity in the young childhood has made little progress. The purpose of this study is to investigate the trends in degree and tracking of obesity in young children over nine years. METHODS: The subjects were 58 young children (22 boys and 36 girls). They were followed up for height, weight, and obesity index from 3 to 11 years old. Obesity index ((actual weight - standard weight)/standard weight×100) was calculated using the standard weight for Japanese children, which was determined according to the formula: Male y=1.83×10-3x2-0.071x+4.43, female y=2.34×10-3x2-0.157x+7.71 (y: standard weight, x: height). Obese was defined as having an obesity index of more than +15%. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and χ2 test were used to estimate the effects of age on frequency trend and tracking of obesity. Statistical significance was p<0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity was 17.2% (n=10) in 3-year-old children and 20.7% (n=12) in the same children at 11-years-old. There were no age-related differences in frequency of obesity. The obesity index at 3-years old was significantly correlated with that at 4-years-old (r=0.861), 5-years-old (r=0.774), 8-years-old (r=0.630), 9-years-old (r=0.548), 10-years-old (r=0.559), 11-years-old (r=0.512). Among 10 young children who were obese at 3-years-old, 3 showed tracking of obesity from 11-years-old. CONCLUSIONS: The status of many obese young children is likely to track, but the chance of a decrease in obesity over nine years is not small in young childhood.

Assessing health-related quality of life in young Japanese children with chronic conditions: Preliminary validation of the DISABKIDS smiley measure

BackgroundAlthough there is an increasing need to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and adolescents with chronic conditions in Japan, there is currently no standardized measure in which young children can directly answer questions about their HRQOL. The DISABKIDS Smiley measure uses face emoticons to measure HRQOL and distress caused by illness and related treatments among young children. We tested the reliability and validity of the DISABKIDS Smiley measure in a sample of young Japanese children.MethodsAfter translating the child and parent questionnaires into Japanese, a pre-test was performed to test the content validity in accordance with guidelines from the DISABKIDS Group. In total, 60 child-parent pairs were recruited to participate in the survey. We measured internal consistency of the scales using Cronbach’s alpha as well as Guttman split-half, test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) at a two-week interval, and ICCs between child- and parent-reported scores. Convergent validity of the scale was also examined against the Kiddy-KINDL scale.ResultsBoth child-reported and parent-reported scales showed good internal consistency and split-half reliability. Test-retest reliability of the child-reported version (ICC = 0.53, p = 0.004) was lower than that of the parent-reported version (ICC = 0.80, p < 0.001). Moderate to good agreement between child- and parent- reported scales was observed in both the first (ICC = 0.75, p < 0.001) and second administration (ICC = 0.71, p < 0.001). Moderate to very strong positive correlations were observed with the total score of the Kiddy-KINDL child-reported version (r = 0.51, p < 0.001), and facets of the Kiddy-KINDL parent-reported version (ranging from r = 0.364 to r = 0.60, p < 0.001) and total score (r = 0.71, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe psychometric property of the instrument showed that the Japanese version of the DISABKIDS Smiley can be applied to assess the HRQOL of Japanese children with chronic conditions. Further investigation will be needed to explore the reliability and validity for repeated use of the instrument in clinical practice as an indicator of clinical significance.

Ontogenesis of Letters as a Mediational Means of Thinking in Young Japanese Children :

Ontogenesis of Letters as a Mediational Means of Thinking in Young Japanese Children :

The Necessary Items for Inclusion in a Questionnaire for Assessing the Nutrition Knowledge of Young Japanese Children.

It is well known nutrition education for 3- to 5-y-old children is important, and it is necessary to assess their nutrition knowledge before and after nutrition education to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program. This study aimed to determine the necessary questions for inclusion in a questionnaire designed to assess the nutrition knowledge of young Japanese children in order to assess the effectiveness of the Shokuiku nutrition education program. Eighty and 124 children from 9 nursery schools in Japan participated in the intervention and control groups, respectively. A 15-item questionnaire was completed by the intervention group before and after total of 16 nutrition education lessons. The control group completed the questionnaire only once. The necessary questions for inclusion in the questionnaire were evaluated by comparing the frequency of correct answers given by the pre- and post-intervention groups using McNemar and Wilcoxon's signed rank sum tests, and by the post-intervention and control groups using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. The frequency of correct answers given to questions in all categories except "Breakfast and life rhythm" significantly differed between the pre- and post-intervention groups (p<0.05). The frequency of correct answers given by the post-intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group only in the category of "Three colors food groups" (p<0.05). The results suggest that it is necessary to include questions about functions of food and nutrients such as the role of food groups to assess the nutrition knowledge of young Japanese children in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Shokuiku program.

Rate of eating in early life is positively associated with current and later body mass index among young Japanese children: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

The possible effect of eating rate on promoting obesity has attracted considerable attention among various age groups, but little is known about these associations in an early stage of life. We investigated the hypothesis that eating rate in early childhood influences current and later body mass index (BMI) among young Japanese children. The study participants were 492 Japanese mother-child pairs from a prospective birth cohort study. Information on rate of eating (slow, medium, or fast), macronutrient intake (protein, fat, and carbohydrate), and dietary fiber intake were collected from the mothers using a diet history questionnaire when the children were aged 29 to 39 months. Height and weight as measured at 30 and 42 months of age were used to calculate BMI at each age. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between eating rate in early childhood and BMI at 30 and 42 months. There were strong positive associations between eating rate and BMI at 30 and 42 months of age that were robust to adjustment for confounders including maternal BMI, socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and child's nutrient intake. In comparison with children in the “slow” rate of eating group, the size of the difference in BMI (95% confidence interval) at 42 months of age was 0.49 (0.17-0.80) and 0.67 (0.24-1.10) kg/m2 greater among children in the “medium” and “fast” groups, respectively. In conclusion, a higher rate of eating in early childhood was positively associated with not only current BMI but also BMI measured 1 year later in young Japanese children.

Pre- and Postnatal Smoking Exposure and Risk of Atopic Eczema in Young Japanese Children: A Prospective Prebirth Cohort Study.

Epidemiological evidence regarding the effect of perinatal smoking exposure on atopic eczema in children continues to be inconclusive. The aim of this prospective prebirth cohort study was to investigate the association between prenatal smoking exposure and postnatal living with household smokers and the risk of atopic eczema in Japanese children aged 23 to 29 months. Study subjects were 1354 Japanese mother-child pairs. Information on the variables under study was obtained through questionnaires which were completed by mothers, first prior to delivery, then shortly after birth and subsequently around 4, 12, and 24 months after delivery. Eczema in the last 12 months was defined according to the criteria of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Physician-diagnosed atopic eczema was considered present if reported by mothers. Compared with no perinatal smoking exposure, prenatal smoking exposure only was associated with an increased risk of physician-diagnosed atopic eczema (adjusted odds ratio = 7.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.43 to 27.8). Postnatal living with at least one household smoker only was not associated with the risk of physician-diagnosed atopic eczema; neither was the combination of both prenatal smoking exposure and postnatal living with at least one household smoker. No association was observed between perinatal smoking exposure status and the risk of eczema as defined according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood criteria. Our findings suggest that maternal smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of atopic eczema in young children. In the present prebirth cohort study, we assessed the independent and additive effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoking on atopic eczema in children. Compared with no perinatal smoking exposure, prenatal smoking exposure only was significantly associated with an increased risk of atopic eczema. Postnatal smoking exposure only was not associated with the risk of atopic eczema; neither was the combination of both pre- and postnatal smoking exposure. This is the first epidemiological study to show a positive association between prenatal smoking exposure only and the risk of atopic eczema.

Early sugar-sweetened beverage consumption frequency is associated with poor quality of later food and nutrient intake patterns among Japanese young children: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

Evidence from Western countries shows that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with lower quality of young children’s diets, but little is known about these relations in non-Western countries with relatively low consumption levels of SSBs. We hypothesized that SSB consumption in infancy would be associated with poor quality of later food and nutrient intake patterns among Japanese young children. The study subjects were 493 Japanese mother-child pairs from a prospective birth cohort study. Dietary data on children were collected from the mothers using self-administered questionnaires when the children were aged 16-24 months and 41-49 months. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between SSB consumption frequency in infancy and later intake of foods and nutrients. At 16-24 months of age, more than half of the children (56.4%) consumed SSBs less than once a week, whereas 11.6% consumed SSBs at least once daily. More frequent consumption of SSBs in infancy was associated with higher intake of confectionaries and SSBs and lower intake of fruits and vegetables at 41-49 months of age. These associations were still evident after adjustment for maternal SSB consumption and socioeconomic status. At the nutrient level, SSB consumption frequency was positively associated with energy intake and inversely associated with intake of many nutrients, such as protein, dietary fiber, and most of the micronutrients examined. In conclusion, higher consumption frequency of SSBs at an early age is associated with poor quality of overall dietary intake among young Japanese children 1.5-2.5 years later.

The Relationship Between Birth Month, Physical Size, Motor Ability and Physical Activity Evaluated by Kindergarten Teachers Among Japanese Young Children

The Relationship Between Birth Month, Physical Size, Motor Ability and Physical Activity Evaluated by Kindergarten Teachers Among Japanese Young Children

ハウスダスト特異的IgE抗体陽性のアレルギー性鼻炎日本人低年齢児に対するハウスダスト急速皮下免疫療法の安全性と効果の検討

ハウスダスト特異的IgE抗体陽性のアレルギー性鼻炎日本人低年齢児に対するハウスダスト急速皮下免疫療法の安全性と効果の検討

Association of prenatal exposure to maternal smoking and postnatal exposure to household smoking with dental caries in 3-year-old Japanese children

BackgroundEpidemiological studies of the association between smoking exposure and dental caries are limited. ObjectiveThe purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between prenatal and postnatal secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and the prevalence of dental caries in primary dentition in young Japanese children. MethodsStudy subjects were 6412 children aged 3 years. Information on exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal SHS exposure at home was collected via parent questionnaire. Children were classified as having dental caries if one or more primary teeth had decayed or had been filled. ResultsCompared with never smoking during pregnancy, maternal smoking in the first trimester of pregnancy was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of dental caries in children (adjusted odds ratio=1.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.80). Postnatal SHS exposure was also positively associated with dental caries, with a significant positive exposure–response relationship. Compared with children not exposed to prenatal maternal smoking or postnatal SHS at home, those exposed to both prenatal and postnatal smoking had higher odds of dental caries (adjusted odds ratio=1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.23–2.11). ConclusionOur findings suggest that maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal SHS exposure may be associated with an increased prevalence of dental caries in primary dentition.

Bento Rangers: An Innovative Nutrition Education Program for Young Japanese Children

Bento Rangers: An Innovative Nutrition Education Program for Young Japanese Children