This paper examined development of self during the transition from elementary school to junior high school by analyzing cross-sectional and longitudinal data on self esteem. More than fifteen thousand students from 4th grade in elementary school to 3rd grade in junior high school completed a sheet of questionnaire during 2000-2003 academic years. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis showed self-esteem gradually declined with grade. Longitudinal data analysis showed that self-esteem of three cohorts increased between the final term of 6th grade in elementary school (Time 1) to the first term of 1st grade in junior high school (Time 2). The participants who completed questionnaire both in Time 1 and Time 2 were categorized into three groups according to their self rating score of self-esteem at Time 1 and Time 2 : (a) self-esteem decreased at Time 2 as compared with Time 1 (SE-down group), (b) self-esteem were equal both Time 1 and Time 2 (SE-stable group), and (c) self-esteem increased at Time 2 as compared with Time 1 (SE-up group). In SE-down group, the extent of understanding school subjects and hope for the future decreased at Time 2, and feeling of daily malaise and emptiness increased. In SE-up group, the extent of understanding school subjects increased at Time 2 and feeling of daily malaise and emptiness decreased. The findings are discussed in relation to school education.

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Previous researches suggested that many children with mild mental retardation became unable to attend school from the onset of puberty, because their negative self evaluation was growing stronger due to the ill treatment of surrounding people such as teachers, parents, and peers. Howerer, some studies revealed that they showed the negative self evaluation only about their academic self, but not about global self-esteem. This was a case study of a fourth grade boy with mild mental retardation, who could not go to school during the second term but was later able to do so, was analyzed from the viewpoint of the positive or negative self evaluation and the accuracy and stability of self perception. Until he began to go to school, he couldn't express both the negative and the positive self evaluation. Before that, his self evaluation was fluctuated and quickly changed according to the situation and to other's behavior. Also, his self perception was not accurate and stable. The role of significant others who effected the modification of his self perception and self evaluation was discussed.

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The purpose of this study was to present some clues of developmental clinic supports for mothers having a child with developmental disorders, by analyzing three case reports of the 18-months health check-up. The results were as follows : First, children's developmental disorders caught at the health check-up became clearer as they grow up, so mothers' affective responses would be shaken by their suspicion whether their children should have developmental disorders or not. It is necessary for the practitioners to encourage them to take notice of developmental features of their children and the effects of useful care to their children. Second, it is important to relate mothers' recognition about disorders of children to their attachment to the children. For the support of mothers, it is necessary to open the child-care classes in their daily life. By way of participating the class, they would get some knowledge about developmental meanings of children's behaviors, peer-social supports, and experiences to take effective care of their children. Third, it is necessary to consider practitioners' specialty at the developmental clinic in the health check-up as follows : 1) assessment for the development of children, for psycho-social situations of mothers and for their relationships with children. 2) clinical correspondence with mothers to accept or to guide them in response to mothers' life stages and psycho-social situations. 3) teamwork and collaboration with other specialists such as public-health nurses, doctors, and care-takers in the community.

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This paper is a critical examination of the article of Ye.I. Ludnyewa about the criticism of L.S. Vygotsky's pedology, which was published in Russia in 1937. Its objective is to read the truth and the intention of her criticism through the examination of its content. Although her criticism was based on the broad perspectives such as the following four points, "thinking and language", "instruction and intellectual development of a child", "the research method", and "the law of the fatal restrictions under the influence of heredity and environment", it was clear that her intention was extremely ideological.

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This paper reviews the discussion on the "17-year-old problems" which went on in the Seinen Bukai (the research group for youth and adolescent problems) of Japanese Research Association of Psychological Science (JRAPS) to explore the future research tasks. At first, Adolescence in Japan was discussed from the viewpoint of history. The concept of adolescence has been established since the age of the Industrial Revolution. As adolescents were not thought grown-up or adult, they were alienated from society and driven to the peripheral area. They were likely to be eliminated from society as dangerous. Secondly, the problem was discussed from the viewpoint of student culture at junior high school. In 1996, both at school with serious problems and at those without problems, students supported those who had gone bad. In 2000, however, most students did not support those who had gone bad. Junior high school students tended to regard those who had gone bad as a different kind of students. Finally, the research group discussed mind change of juvenile delinquent girls living in reformatory. In this discussion, the loss of the basis for reliance, making negative self images and the difficulties in having sense of security in personal relationship were pointed out as unchanged aspects of juvenile delinquents. Contrarily, adhesion to their academic backgrounds, the lack of close friend, the lack of resistance to violence and the change in the relationship with their family were pointed out as their unchanged aspects. Based on the discussions above, a core problem of the recent youths and adolescents could be alienation. Especially, those who had gone bad were alienated and eliminated from society, school and family, and then driven to the peripheral area of their society. This alienation should be discussed further not only as youth and adolescent problem but that of those living in this modern society.

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