Objective: This study attempted to clarify the types of developmental problems that predict low social competence among children. Method: Subjects were 3-5-year-old children recruited from all authorized child-night-care centers and attached child-day-care facilities across Japan. Caregivers filled out questionnaires regarding the child's sex and number of siblings, and childcare professionals completed the Checklist of Children with Difficulties and Social Skill Scale (SSS). The Checklist of Children with Difficulties contains 33 subscales, and the SSS consists of 3 factors: "cooperation," "self-control," and "assertion." The sample included 519 children (245 girls) evaluated by both the Checklist of Children with Difficulties at 3 years old and the SSS after 2 years. We examined the relationships between developmental problems and difficult behaviors and social competence by using multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for sex and number of siblings. Results: Significant relationships were found between low social competence and the following subscales: "Hypersensitivity for the sound" (odds ratio = 38.86; 95% confidence interval = 4.21-358.85), "Hypersensitivity for the light" (odds ratio =14.21; 95% confidence interval =2.69-75.10), "Unnatural relationship" (odds ratio = 14.10; 95% confidence interval = 3.99-49.78), "Indifference" (OR = 4.06; CI = 1.64-10.03), "Stickler for anything" (OR= 5.53; CI = 2.33-13.12), " The rage is so strong" (OR= 2.44; CI = 1.10-5.40), "Hyperkinesis" (OR= 3.46; CI = 1.75-6.86), "Rowdy" (OR= 2.47; CI = 1.02-5.98), "Defiant attitude" (OR= 6.00; CI = 2.13-16.95), "The problem of language" (OR= 6.34; CI = 2.97-13.53), "Break a rule" (OR= 9.10; CI = 3.73-22.22), and "Delay in acquiring age-appropriate habits" (OR= 4.93; CI 2.11-11.51). Conclusion: In light of the current findings, it is necessary to provide special attention and support to individual children at a very early age.

View full abstract

Introduction: This study classifies multiple-choice questions used in the Japanese national clinical engineering examination according to the assessment of ability based on knowledge level (taxonomy) and examines the relationship between these taxonomies and repetition of exams (number of times). Method: Exams were held five times during the instruction period before clinical training. Analysis of variance was performed using the number of times the exam was conducted as the within-subjects factor and taxonomies as between-subjects factors. Results: The number of times the exam was conducted was identified as the main factor for effective study, and relationships were observed between the number of times the exam was conducted and taxonomies. Multiple comparison also revealed significant differences. Relationships between interpretation and judgment skills in taxonomy II were specifically poor. Discussion: It was found that repeated study was effective for all taxonomies. Furthermore, it appears that repeated practice strongly affects the students' ability to perform higher-level intellectual tasks.

View full abstract

This study was a survey on male workers to examine lifestyle habits and workplace support that is a factor that buffers workplace stress and to determine what factors are related to obesity. Subjects were administered self-reported questionnaires asking about age, lifestyle habits and workplace support. Analysis was performed on 202 male workers (mean age: 49.6(SD9.4) years) who had a health checkup. Comparisons between groups were made using the χ-square test for categorical data. The ratio of obese workers with a body mass index (BMI)≧25.0 was 37.6%. There was no significant difference in the rate of obesity according to age group. Regarding lifestyle habits, 47.6% of workers who ate between meals were obese, while only 30.5% of workers who did not eat between meals were obese, which was a significant difference (p=0.013). Regarding the workplace support scale, the ratio of obese workers was 29.9% of those in the high scoring group and 46.3% of those in the low scoring group, with the obesity rate being significantly higher in the low scoring group (p=0.016). When multivariate analysis by logistic regression analysis was conducted on factors that may contribute to obesity, eating between meals (p=0.007, OR=2.30) and workplace support (p=0.008, OR=0.45) independently played a significant role. The results suggest that, when attempting to prevent or reduce obesity in male workers, the realizable target setting which cared about the content of the eating between meals is required, and that the insufficiency of support in workplaces would lead to obesity.

View full abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to clarify how obese adults with mental retardation are and to discuss how to solve their obesity problem. Methods: Research was carried out in August 2007 with 384 adults. 217 of which (143 males and 74 females) each belong to one of five social welfare institutes in the Tokyo metropolitan area (We call them "the resident") and 167 of which (100 males and 67 females) each belong to one of five daycare institutes in Tokyo(We call them "the commuting"). We first measured height, weight, waist circumference, percent body fat, blood pressure, and then calculated BMI. Finally, we compared the measured values by sex and by living arrangement, that is, resident or commuting. We also examined if the severity of retardation(severe, moderate, or mild) make any difference in the values, using the SPSS(ver.17.0). Results: (1) The average age of males was 38.1±11.1 (institutional group 41.1±10.3,Daycare group 33.8±10.8,respectively) and average age of females was 39.5ア11.9(institutional group43.1±11.0,Day care group35.6±11.7). There was no difference by sex. The resident group had significantly higher values than commuting group in average age. (2) While commuting male had higher values than resident males, in such items as weight, waist circumference, percent body fat, blood pressure, BMI, there was no difference between resident females and commuting females. (3) Both commuting males and females had higher values than the resident in blood pressure. (4) The severity of retardation proved to make no difference in any values. Conclusion: This research clarified that persons with mental retardation tended to be obese than those without mental retardation. In particular, adults with mental retardation living with families and going to social welfare institutes during daytime had more serious obesity problem than residents of institutes for adults with mental retardation. This might be because residents are so carefully managed their diet by supplying every meal in there institutes that their diet is complete. So it seems necessary to pay more careful attention to physical activities and diet of the commuting. This research also clarified that both resident and commuting females were obese. It should be suggested that they should be made to get physically more active in their daily life.

View full abstract

Objectives: Adults with mental retardation have few opportunity of the evaluation for bone strength,, though they are said to be more liable to suffer from bone strength deterioration by aging than those without mental retardation. We measured their bone strength and examined it by sex and living arrangement (resident or commuting) to discuss how to prevent osteoporosis. Methods: Research was carried out in August 2007 with 384 adults. 217 of which (143 males and 74 females) each belong to one of five social welfare institutes in the Tokyo metropolitan area (We call them "the resident") and 167 of which (100 males and 67 females) each belong to one of five daycare institutes (We call them "the commuting"). We first measured height, weight, waist circumference, percent body fat, blood pressure, and then calculated BMI. Finally, we compared the measured values by sex and by living arrangement, that is, resident or commuting. We also examined if the severity of retardation (severe, moderate, or mild) make any difference in the values, using the SPSS(ver.17.0). Results: The average calcaneal OSI was not significantly different by sex(males 2.834±0.503, females 2.766±0.609). While the commuting indicated significantly higher OSI of the left calcaneal bone than the resident, the commuting indicated not significantly but slightly higher OSI of the right calcaneal bone than resident. Conclusion: It has been known that bone density could increase until the second half of twenties to get to the PBM(peak bone mass). Also it has reported that bone density could be affected by weight and habit of exercise. Therefore, it seems to be necessary to start a good diet early and to promote physical exercise so as to heighten the PBM.

View full abstract