The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of chewing gum on selective attention. A meta-analysis was conducted for each task (Flanker task, Stroop task, and Simon task) to evaluate selective attention, and the differences in the effects of chewing gum depending on the task format were also examined. The results confirmed a significant weak mean effect size for the fixed effect models in the analysis for the entire paper. However, because of significant heterogeneity across studies, we focused on the differences in task format and conducted a meta-analysis for each task assessing selective attention function. The results showed that there were no significant mean effect sizes in the fixed and random effect models for the Flanker and Stroop tasks. Meanwhile, significant mean effect sizes were found in the Simon task for both of the models. In conclusion, we can say that chewing gum has an effect of reducing the compatibility effect in the late phase of selective attention, especially when involving response selection.

Enhancing recidivism prevention is hindered by the challenge of mitigating bias against formerly incarcerated individuals in Japan, based on insufficient comprehension. A survey was conducted among residents living near two recently established correctional facilities that prioritize community collaboration (PFI prisons). The study examined the impact of interactions with correctional facilities on residents’ trust in the management system and their receptivity towards formerly incarcerated individuals (analysis participants: N = 1,782). Structural equation modeling showed that contact with prisons increased trust in the correctional system, moderated by residents’ perception and evaluation of community development. The establishment of trust heightened acceptance of formerly incarcerated individuals while reducing prison resistance. The finding suggests that building trust in correctional institutions is essential for improving the public’s understanding and support for the social reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. Furthermore, the presence of friends and family members who are privately employed or volunteers at the prison was found to foster residents’ perception of community development and the prison’s contribution to it. A collaborative system between government employees and residents served to create extended contact.

Workers’ productivity is affected not only by their mental and physical health but also by various other factors. However, many existing scales use the point of view of absenteeism. In this article, we developed the Subjective Productivity Scale (SPS), which measures the state of high productivity of workers from various factors. In Study 1, we organized the state of high productivity of workers using a bottom-up method. In Study 2, we developed the SPS. In Study 3, we verified its reliability and validity. Each of the SPS subscales was associated with work performance rather than absenteeism, suggesting that SPS measures a worker’s productivity on the basis of an approach that differs from existing scales. In addition, because individuals with high productivity have been shown to also experience negative states, the state of higher productivity needs to be understood from multiple perspectives.

The significance of measuring children’s well-being has gained prominence in recent years. In Japan, developing self-report scales for children is necessary to address various social problems. This study aimed to develop a scale for measuring children’s well-being and examine its reliability and validity. First, the scale items were created using descriptions provided by fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students. An exploratory factor analysis subsequently revealed that the well-being scale for children comprised three factors and 12 items. Finally, the results from confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis with the related concepts of mental health, self-esteem, and social support indicated the scale’s validity.

This study developed and validated a scale to measure motivation to wear masks as a preventive behavior against COVID-19. An online survey of Japanese adults was conducted in February 2023, with 747 participants in the subsequent data analysis. As evidence of the structural aspect of construct validity, exploratory factor analysis revealed that the Motivation for Mask-wearing Scale consisted of three factors: prosocial motivation, self-interested focus motivation, and wearing a mask out of concern for others’ criticism. Each subscale was highly reliable. As evidence of the external aspect of construct validity, a partial correlation analysis indicated that prosocial motivation to wear a mask was positively associated with trait prosociality and subjective well-being. Results also indicated that wearing a mask out of concern for others’ criticism was positively associated with fear of negative evaluation and positively associated with positive and negative affect. Self-interested focus motivation to wear a mask was positively associated with fear of negative evaluation and negatively associated with positive affect. These results demonstrate the structural and external validity of the Motivation for Mask-wearing Scale.

Executive functions are a broad category of cognitive processes that coordinate and control brain functions to achieve a goal. Several psychological symptoms, such as depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), are known to be associated with executive dysfunctions. Thus, evaluating executive functions is becoming a core component of neuropsychological assessment, and rating scales for evaluating such functions in the everyday context are ecologically valid measures. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) is a well-standardized and the most commonly used measure. This study explores the psychometric property of the adult version of the BRIEF (BRIEF-A) for a Japanese population. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 552 community-residing Japanese aged 20–29 years. The results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested a satisfactory fit for the proposed three-factor model, and internal consistency was sufficiently high. To investigate convergent and divergent validity, we examined correlations with two existing questionnaires and compared the scores between groups with more or less AD/HD-related symptoms. The findings indicate that BRIEF-A demonstrates sufficient reliability and validity in the Japanese sample during early adulthood.