This study investigates the characteristics of stress-related growth in junior high school students appearing for high school entrance examinations in a few months and examines the effect of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies within the theoretical framework of stress and coping emphasizing stress-related growth.

Participants were 194 junior high school students,who were asked to answer a socio-demographic questionnaire comprising the following contents related to entrance examinations: cognitive appraisals, coping strategies, and stress-related growth. These variables were analyzed using cluster analysis and a two-way ANOVA.

Results of the cluster analysis showed that cognitive appraisal for entrance examinations was classified into 3 clusters: high severity/high challenge/low threat, low severity/low challenge/middle threat, and high severity/high challenge/high threat. Coping strategies were classified into the following 3 clusters describing students' coping styles: high coping, low coping, and support-seeking focused students. Results of the two-way ANOVA showed that the high severity/high challenge/low threat cluster had the highest stress-related growth score of the cognitive appraisal clusters. Moreover, students with high coping used comprehensive coping strategies such as support seeking, reflective coping, planning, preventive coping, and proactive coping, and showed high stress-related growth score.

These findings suggest that cognitive appraisals and coping strategies for anticipated high school entrance examinations affect students' stress-related growth. In summary, students who identified examinations as high severity/high challenge/low threat coped by using inclusive high coping strategies and reported high levels of stress-related growth. Therefore, it is possible that students' stress-related growth can arise from the process, or result in stress and coping.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the health teaching self-efficacy of Japanese elementary school teachers. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire which had four categories- “comprehension” “interest” “active learning” “cooperative learning”- was given to 52 elementary school teachers who were taking part in voluntary society on physical education.

The main results were as follows: 1) Self-efficacy for health teaching is at nearly the level of “agree”, 2) Self-efficacy for “comprehension” for health teaching is a little high, and for “cooperative learning” slightly low, 3) The teachers who are experienced in the teaching profession for ten years or more had the self-efficacy for health teaching higher than the teachers for less than ten years, 4) Self-efficacy for health teaching is correlated with participation in teacher training, availability of useful teaching materials and motivation for teaching health education and physical education.

The present study investigated the effect of a one-time sleep-education lecture for elementary school children. The sample consisted of 317 children in the fifth and sixth grades attending two elementary schools. The sleep-education differed between the two schools: children and their parents both attended the lecture at one school, while only parents attended the lecture at the other. Data on sleep and lifestyle, psychological and physical health, and knowledge regarding sleep were collected pre-lecture and post-lecture. The percentage of respondents reporting regular wake-up times increased in the parents-only group (n ＝ 206). In contrast, the percentage of respondents in the children-and-parents group (n ＝ 111) reporting regular wake-up times increased, as well as regular bedtimes, and knowledge about sleep hygiene. These results indicate that children who heard the sleep-education lecture with their parents were more likely to improve the regularity of their bedtimes and wake-up times and to increase their knowledge about sleep hygiene than those who did not. However, the actual wake-up times, bedtimes, and psychological and physical health showed no immediate affect from the one-time sleep-education lecture. We pointed out the importance of interventions and self-monitoring in efforts to change children's sleep habits.

The purpose of this study was to investigate Yogo teacher management (YTM) in school management and clarify its influence by type of school and principal. We analyzed (1) the number of years' experience as a principal or, (2) experiences as a health director, student guidance director, and study and training director during teacher training'. This was done using a questionnaire that targeted principals assigned to primary, middle, and high schools in one prefecture. The questionnaire was administered in March 2014. The targeted number for analysis was 323 principals.

The results were as follows:

1) YTM yielded 10 factors: (1) Support to strengthen yogo teacher' performance; (2) The establishment of an in-school organization for lesson, school guidance/counseling and special support education to promote collaboration between yogo and other teachers; (3) The promotion of staff collaboration in management of the school health room and yogo teacher practice; (4) The promotion of yogo teacher' participation in school health and safety management; (5) The promotion of yogo teacher' participation in lessons and studies; (6) The promotion of yogo teacher' participation in school guidance/counseling; (7) The understanding of yogo teacher' practice from multiple angles; (8) The activation of communication between yogo and other teachers; (9) The establishment of an in-school health organization to promote collaboration between yogo and other teachers; (10) The promotion of yogo teacher' participation in special support education.

2) YTM was found to have had the greatest influence by type of school, and was found not to have been practiced significantly at high schools. Secondly, the significance of YTM was related to years of principal experience. The higher the number of years' experience the principal had, the greater common understanding and consensus building was.