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Objectives　Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common childhood disease with an increasing prevalence, affecting the quality of life of afflicted children. The onset of AD at an early age may disrupt normal sleep patterns, behavior, and relationships. Increased behavioral and discipline problems associated with AD have been documented. However, there are insufficient studies on AD at early ages, especially in Japan. This study aimed to examine the association between AD and the mental and behavioral health of children of preschool age.Methods　This study was a part of a prospective cohort study (n=20,926), and children born after April 2008 (n=7,386) were the target population of this study. Those who answered the Japanese version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) at 4 years of age (n=4,228) and answered the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 5 years of age were included in this study (n=3,862). The subscale scores of SDQ, namely, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer relationship problems, and hyperactivity/inattention, along with the sum of these 4 subscale scores, (total difficulties score (TDS), were investigated in relation to the prevalence of AD. SDQ scores were treated as continuous values for linear regression analysis and as dichotomized values for logistic regression analysis. The parental history of AD was adjusted in the final models.Results　The prevalence of AD at 4 years of age was 20.7% (n=799). The mean scores of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and TDS were significantly higher among children with AD than among those without AD. Linear regression analysis revealed increased scores for emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and TDS in association with AD. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significantly increased risk for conduct problems in children with AD.Conclusion　This study found associations between AD at 4 years of age and emotional symptoms, conduct problems and TDS at 5 years of age. Further studies to assess the severity of AD and children's mental and behavioral problems at older ages are essential.

Objectives: To clarify the effects of factors of emotional labor, defined as the suppression of own emotions to better maintain other peoples' emotional conditions, on job-related stress responses among hospital nurses, the relationship between emotional labor and job-related stress was analyzed., Subjects and Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was distributed among 147 nurses of five hospitals in Japan. Complete answers were collected from 123 nurses (83.7%, 107 females and 16 males). Emotional labor was assessed by the Emotional Labor Inventory for Nurses (ELIN) (26 items), which consisted of five subscales, i.e., "suppressed expression," "surface adjustment," "deep adjustment," "exploring and understanding" and "expression on caring." Job-related stress was evaluated using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BSQ) consisting of 57 items. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships of stress responses (BSQ) with ELIN and job stressors (BSQ)., Results: Subjects working in an inpatient department showed significantly higher total ELIN scores than those working in an outpatient department. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed the following: Scores on "anger" and "fatigue" in BSQ positively related to "suppressed expression" scores in ELIN; those on "anxiety" positively related to "deep adjustment" scores; and those on "depression" positively related to "surface adjustment" scores. Similarly, scores on negative stress responses (BSQ) such as "anger," "fatigue," "anxiety," "depression," and "somatic stress responses" positively related to scores on job stressors (BSQ), e.g., physical work load, whereas "vigor" scores positively related to "job worthwhileness" in BSQ., Conclusion: The aspects of "suppressed expression," "deep adjustment," and "surface adjustment" of emotional labor seem to be the major occupational stressors for nurses, as well as job-related stressors measured by BSQ. Working in an inpatient department appears to be a potent stressor for nurses.

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This study examined how children understand the function of emotional similes. An emotional simile has the function of clearly and effectively transmitting speakers' emotions to others. It was verified first that adults correctly recognize this function. To examine whether children can also understand the function of an emotional simile, 265 elementary school students, including 91 2nd graders (36 boys and 55 girls), 78 4th graders (30 boys and 48 girls), and 96 6th graders (48 boys and 48girls) took part in this study. Children read stories in which the main character had an emotion (happiness, sadness, or anger), and then answered this question: "What will the main character say in order to transmit his/her emotion clearly and effectively to other people?" There were no grade-level differences in understanding of the function of emotional similes, but older children more often used emotional similes when they expressed their own emotions than did younger children. The results suggest that the basis for understanding the function of emotional similes is attained during childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 50 preschoolers (28 five-year olds and 22 six-year olds) and their mothers participated in a study of how young children talk spontaneously about emotional events. Mothers were first asked to provide two positive and two negative events that their child had experienced, and one activity that the child routinely performed. Children were then individually asked to talk freely about five events. Three of these events were those generated by the mothers (one positive event, one negative event, and the routine activity), but children also provided one positive and one negative event about which they wanted to talk. Events suggested by mothers and positive events were more likely to be specific events, whereas negative events and events that the children provided were more often recurring events. Children talked more about the motherprovided and positive events. In particular, they provided more information about places and objects for the positive events, and about places, subjects, objects, and activities for events the mother generated. Children also used more emotionally positive words than negative words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between four components of assertiveness ("open expression", "control of emotion", "consideration for others" and "self-direction") and mental health. In Study 1, the analysis of interviews with thirteen high school students suggested that some components did not have a positive relationship with mental health. In Study 2, 176 high school students completed a questionnaire which included the UCLA isolation scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and a scale to measure the four components of assertiveness. The results showed that an excessively high score for "consideration for others" was associated with mental unhealthiness. This component probably has an optimum level to maintain mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of social networks on mental health among the old-old living in metropolitan areas. Data were obtained from a survey of 618 community dwellers aged 75 and over living in the Sumida ward in Tokyo. Mental health was measured by distress (Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form; GDS-SF) and life satisfaction. The findings are as follows: 1. Having a spouse was associated with lower levels of distress and higher levels of life satisfaction for men, but not for women. 2. Presence of children was associated with lower levels of distress and higher levels of life satisfaction for women, but not for men. 3. Greater numbers of local friends increased life satisfaction for men, and greater numbers of middle-distance or distant kin decreased distress and increased life satisfaction for women. The results suggested that embeddedness in traditional local kin networks was not necessarily associated with better mental health. 4. Greater level of participation in local community groups decreased distress and increased life satisfaction for women. The results suggested that local community groups were effective resources to adjust to stressful situations in old-old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]