[in Japanese]

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The purpose of this case study was to examine the developmental process of peer relationships among junior high school non-attendants in the context of a two-week camping program (Dokidoki Wakuwaku Ikiiki Camp: DWI Camp). This program was held as part of a year-round camping program that consisted of six day camps, a two-week summer camp, and a one-week winter camp. The two-week program was planned as an integrated camping program with regular campers. A total of eight school non-attendant campers and 13 regular campers participated in this program. This case study focused mainly on the peer relationships. Sociometric tests were administrated nine times to analyse new peer relationships. In addition, To interpret the developmental process of the non-attendant peer relationships, qualitative data were also gathered from minutes of the camp counselors' meetings. These data were interpreted qualitatively as a case study. For school non attendant campers, it was not always easy to adapt them camping environment. But sociomeric tests showed that campers were successful to make friends during the camp. Probably, firm commitment by counselor and peer campers helped their adaptation. Future practice, it is necessary to examine the length of term and the plan of regrouping during the camp.

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The purpose of this case study was to examine the developmental process of peer relationships among junior high school non-attendants in the context of a two-week camping program. This program was held as part of a year-round camping program that consisted of six day camps, a two-week summer camp, and a one-week winter camp. The two-week program was planned as an integrated camping program with regular campers. A total of eight school non-attendant campers and 13 regular campers participated in this program. Of the non-attendant campers, this case study focused mainly on the peer relationships among three male students. To get a more indepth understanding of the campers, we also investigated their personal backgrounds. The AN EGOGRAM for Children (Akasaka and Nezu, 1989) and the Peer Relationship Questionnaire (Horide, 2003) were administrated 2 weeks before, and on the 8th and 13th day of the camp. In addition, sociometric tests were also administrated to analyse new peer relationships. To interpret the developmental process of the non-attendant peer relationships, qualitative data were also gathered from minutes of the camp counselors' meetings, camp counselors' personal notes, and the first author's notes. These data were interpreted qualitatively as a case study. The main findings were as follows: 1) In this two-week program, the three junior high school non-attendants established a close triad peer relationship. 2) The qualitative data showed that camp activities and living together for the camp's duration were related to and influenced changes in peer relationships among these three individuals. 3) Regrouping in the latter half of the program also made a contribution to the extension of peer relationships and mutual trust among them. 4) This case study suggested that the two-week camping program was effective for improving peer relationships among junior high school non-attendants. Future studies may wish to employ similar camping programs as a means of solving peer relationship problems among other school non-attendants.

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The purpose of this study is to examine the development of children's problem-solving skills. There is a hypothesis that experience in a natural setting will help develop these skills. To test this hypothesis a questionnaire was used which was created with 3steps consisting of 60 questions dealing with problem-solving skills. 1944 elementary-school students (second, fourth and sixth-grade students) filled out questionnaires. Of these, 1630 of the returned questionnaires were usable. A computer was used to correlate and perform a factor analysis on these 1630 completed questionnaires.
The results showed that there were ten factors which influenced a student's problem-solving skills: (1) desire to improve (2) having friends (3) insight and intelligence (4) consideration (5) power to act (6) maturity (7) imagination (8) trust and responsibility (9) experience (10) physical strength. Of the 60 questions of the questionnaire, a computer analysis selected these ten factors as being the most reliably correlated with 40. Using these 40 questions and ten factors, titled “A Scale for Measuring Problem-Solving Skills of Elementary-School Students”. A second survey was conducted, using this questionnaire, on 60 elementary-school students. These students were also asked to fill out a supplemental questionnaire to determine the extent of their experience in natural settings.
The results of these research showed:
(1) “A Scale for Measuring Problem-Solving Skills of Elementary-School Students” was created with some processes.
(2) The greater the degree of experience in a natural setting that the student had, the higher the level of the student's problem-solving skills. This result is more evident after some processes of creating the questionnaire.

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It has been said that children's mental problems are affected by their mother's mental condition. Studies show that this influence often serves as a form of social support helpful to the promotion of children's health and growth. This study examined whether children's perception of social support from their mothers changed as a result of their participation in an organized camp. In addition, the study examined these mother-child relationships through the mother's self-description. Nineteen boys, aged 8-13 years, participated in a weeklong organized camp program. The Perceived Social Support, measured by the Scale of Social Support, was assessed just before and ten days after of the camp. Post-score of Social Support did not increase compared with prescore. However, three items, ‘When I want to complain about something, my mother listens (p<.05) ’, ‘When I can't do something for myself, my mother helps (p<.10) ’ and ‘When I am distressed with human relationships, my mother gives advice (p<.10) ’, of social support significantly increased compared with pre-score. At the same time, review of mother's report indicates that mothers perceived some growth in their children (ex.'My son began to help me with after dinner clean up'). Consequently, mother's perceived social support from their children was favorably changed by the organized camp experience. This suggests in part, that the child's interpersonal perception, mother's support or both changed in response to the child who experienced the organized camp. Therefore, it can be proposed that an organized camp experience is one of the measures to help promote perceived social support.

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The objectives of this study are to collect the basic data, regarding the instruction about guidance of ‘yuuei’, water safety, and prevention against drowning accidents. This survey was made in the summer-time ‘yuuei’ lessons, which held as the ‘yuuei’ activities for boys and girls conducted in the natural swimming places by Usuki Yamauchi Traditional Swimming School in Usuki bay in Oita Prefecture for over 180 years. This survey was made by using camera and interview methods. The results are as follows:
1. Asforthe ‘yuuei’ teaching, and the swimming style learned, it is a ‘yuuei’ skill in the sea coping with the waves, current and tide, peculiar in this region, in the natural swimming places. The original Japanese style of swimming in the sea and its teaching and learning has been traditionally handed down from older generation to younger generation.
2. As for water safety and, prevention of drowning accidents, the good organization with long tradition, the safety policy for ‘yuuei’ the experienced leaders and the group supervision have achieved the activities without any accidents up to the present.

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