Structure of social support desired by adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) was investigated. In Study 1, 106 patients (aged 14-71 years; M=26.09) responded to an open-ended questionnaire inquiring about their subjective evaluation of helpful or unhelpful actions of people around them. In Study 2, 231 patients (aged 16-63 years; M=28.71) rated questionnaire items that were developed based on the results of Study 1. A factor analysis of these responses yielded four factors related to family support, four factors related to support by friends and acquaintances, and two factors related to support by physicians. The results indicated that characteristics of interpersonal relationships are reflected in the support desired from each source. In addition, the evaluation of support was partially influenced by individual differences such as gender, age, severity of symptoms, and the interaction of these factors. Specifically, young men appeared to be less receptive to support than other groups. Therefore, it is important to take sources of support and individual differences into consideration when providing support to patients with AD.

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We explored the relationships between women's cognition of the menopause and climacteric symptoms. Postmenopausal women (n=200) were asked to complete a questionnaire. Seven types of cognitions regarding the menopause were extracted by analyzing the Sentence Completion Test (SCT) descriptions on two axes; the influence of the menopause on a woman's life, and the way she coped with it: Active-Welcomer, the Passive-Welcomer, the Neutral-Active, the Neutral-Passive, Crisis, Resigned, and Ambivalent. The Kupperman Kohnenki Shohgai Index (KKSI) was used to assess climacteric symptoms. The relationships between climacteric symptoms and the seven cognitive types were analyzed by an ANOVA, which indicated a significant main effect of menopause cognition types on several climacteric symptom scores. The Neutral-Passive cognition type showed the lightest climacteric symptoms. It was suggested that women who accepted the menopause as a natural phenomenon were able to cope with it more successfully.

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A scale was developed to measure the quality of “flow” experiences during sports (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and its validity and reliability was investigated. Using this scale, subjective arousal that includes energetic arousal and tense arousal (Thayer, 2001) during sports, and its relationship to the flow level was investigated. In Study 1, the construct validity and the criterion-validity of the Sports Flow Scale (SFS) were investigated. The adaptability of the one factor model was demonstrated through structural equation modeling (χ² (9) =11.84 (p=.22), GFI=0.99, AGFI=0.98, RMSEA=0.03). Moreover, a significant positive correlation (ρ=0.41-0.71, p<.01) between the SFS and the Japanese version of the Flow State Scale was established. In Study 2, the Two-Dimensional Mood scale (Sakairi and Soya, 2003) and the SFS were administered to high school student participants (n=558 in the practice condition and n=55 in the game condition). The results of correlation analysis between energetic arousal, tense arousal and flow (total SFS scores) suggested a significant correlation between energetic arousal and flow in the practice (ρ=0.42 p<.01), and in the game conditions (ρ=0.52; p<.01). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between flow and tense arousal in the practice condition (ρ= -0.20; p<.01). There was also a moderate positive correlation between energetic arousal and certain items of the SFS, as well a weak negative correlation between tense arousal and certain items of the SFS. The results are discussed from the perspective of improving the experience of flow in sports through the adjustment of subjective arousal.

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We have developed the promotion of zest for living model (PZLM), based on the course of study undertaken by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We have assumed that PZLM is a three-tier hierarchical model consisting of (1) self-acceptance (SA), which affects school-life skills (SLS), health condition, self-growth, social support and the total number of favorite subjects, and (2) SLS, which affect the health condition, self-growth, social support and the total number of favorite subjects. We also assumed that SA and SLS were important for promoting other factors related to the zest for living. Junior high school student participants (N=424) completed the SA scale, the SLS scale, and a questionnaire inquiring about their health condition, self-growth, social support and the total number of favorite subjects. Results of structural equation modeling supported the hierarchical structure of the PZLM (GFI=0.978, AGFI=0.916, RMSEA=0.078), as well as the contention that SA, especially maturity, and SLS affected other factors related to PZLM. These results suggest that SA and SLS should be the focus of efforts to promote the other factors related to the zest for living.

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The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to measure positive or negative acceptance of body-sense. Twenty-five head-words were chosen for classification in this scale. In order to confirm the validity, difference with body-image and relation with self-positivity were examined; because body-sense is different from body-image, and the scale will measure body-sense based on self. Self-positivity scale (Tanaka, 2005) and “attractive body”, “sport competence” subscales from the physical self perception profile-Japan version (Uchida, Hashimoto, Fujinaga, 2003) were chosen for examining validity. As a result of principle analysis, 13 head-words were picked up for this scale. The internal reliability of the scale (coefficient α) was .91. In correlation analysis, with self-positivity scale was r=.71, and attractive body scale was r=.33, sports competence scale was r=.27. In addition, sex difference was not admitted (t=.51, n.s.). These results suggested that this scale can be used to evaluate the positive or negative acceptance of body-sense.

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This cross-sectional study focused on eating behaviors regarded by participants as “healthy.” How behavioral choices differ according to participant characteristics and readiness to change was examined. Questionnaires were distributed to office workers in Japan, inquiring about their most important healthy-eating behavior, readiness to change, and demographic characteristics. Descriptive analysis identified the frequency of most important healthy-eating behavior. Tabulation and chi-square tests examined participant characteristics and stages of change. Of the questionnaires, 1171 were returned (80.1%) and of these, 1155 were analyzed (78.6%; n = 1470). Results indicated that “Eating a nutritionally balanced diet” was the most popular healthy-eating behavior. Moreover, participant characteristics and stage of change differed according to the target behavior (e.g., “eating appropriately” was most popular among the oldest participants, whereas “avoiding calories” was proportionately more popular among those in action and maintenance stages). It is concluded that interpretations of healthy eating and readiness to change differ according to the characteristics of the population. Therefore, it is suggested that nutrition education should use more specific target behaviors based on associated demographic data.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an intervention with parents by using the print media, on promoting physical activities in children. The print media that was used was similar to major newspapers, because this is commonly found in most homes. Participants in the study were families (n=207). Parents of these families were assigned to one of two groups: the intervention group that received the print media once a week (n=110), or the control group (n=97). A Chi-square test and residual analysis revealed that among parents with children in Grades 3 and 4, significantly more parents in the intervention group showed a positive change in promoting and supporting their children's physical activities than parents in the control group. These results provide preliminary evidence that the intervention of teaching parents to encourage children's physical activities through the simple use of print media is effective in changing parental consciousness and behavior, such that they promote such activities in their children.

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