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This paper examines the results of a questionnaire on reading ability in English by Japanese college students, which was formerly analyzed using raw scores, from the viewpoint of Rasch measured scores. In the Rasch analysis, the basic requirements for measuring are the following: (1) reduction of experience to one dimensional abstraction; (2) comparisons among persons and items; (3) the linear magnitude inherent in positioning objects along a line; and (4) a unit determined by a process that can be repeated without modification over the range of the variable. With these requirements in mind, this article deals with the rating scale data by focusing on the idea of linearity. Results are examined along a continuum. It is concluded that reading for testing has two components: contents and skills. Contents should be authentic materials because students use skills to comprehend or draw conclusions from the contents. The eventual scores given by the tests are the end product of their comprehension. Thus the process of reading is analyzed by examining three factors: students are given authentic materials; they struggle to comprehend the material and try to use it; their scores are calculated. (6 references.) (KFT)

This highly technical, data-rich paper examines how the Many-Facet Rasch Measurement Model can be applied to communicative language test data analyses and how beneficial the model is to language teachers. The results for a 20-item conversational response test and a 15-item sociolinguistic test of oral communication ability in English for 30 university students in Japan are presented and evaluated. (Contains 15 references.) (KFT)

Purpose This study aimed to clarify the components related to midwifery care for pregnant women's continued self-care for relieving "hiesho" (sensitivity to cold) at birth centers. Methods In total, 129 midwives working at birth centers for at least five years, handling deliveries across the country, and who provided support for pregnant women's self-care for relieving hiesho at prenatal checkups were selected for this study. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. The main method of analysis was an exploratory factor analysis of midwifery care for pregnant women's continued self-care to relieve hiesho. This study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of Yokohama City University and followed all relevant ethical considerations (approval number: F221000004). Results In total, 95 valid questionnaire survey responses were received (valid response rate 92.2%). The two items that were "always implemented" (response rate of >95%) for midwifery care of pregnant women's continued self-care for relieving hiesho were "Interacting with pregnant women to be aware of the presence of the fetus" and "Interacting with pregnant women so that they can have the desire to give birth on their own." The four components of midwifery care were as follows: (1) Promoting awareness while understanding pregnant women's thoughts of continuing self-care for hiesho, (2) Motivating pregnant women to start with self-care for hiesho that they can do, (3) Creating opportunities for pregnant women to access information about self-care for hiesho themselves, and (4) Sharing information among midwives that leads to promote self-care for hiesho with respect for the individuality of pregnant women. Conclusion It was deemed important, in the context of midwifery care for pregnant women's continued self-care for relieving hiesho, to increase the intrinsic motivation of pregnant women for self-care, and related efforts were implemented at a high frequency. The four components of midwifery care extracted in this study encouraged pregnant women to continue self-care for relieving hiesho by motivating them to change their behavior, increasing their self-efficacy for self-care, creating opportunities for them to actively access information about self-care for hiesho, and implementing care that respects their individuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop a revised version of Multi-dimensional Privacy Scale for Internet users (MPS-I-R), which measures the concern about information privacy on the Internet. We added to the MPS-I the information contained in sensitive personal information and individual identification codes, as well as other information that we are currently concerned about privacy and conducted a web-based survey. Factor analysis of responses to the scale revealed four dimensions of concerns about one’s information privacy: Autobiographical and Sensitive Personal Information (12 items), Demographical Information (9 items), Identifiable Information (6 items), and Password and Personal Identification Code (6 items). The MPS-I-R is considered to be an appropriate scale of information privacy in the current social context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Home Economics of Japan is the property of Japan Society of Home Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this paper is to review research on farm structure issues using agricultural census data. From the 1970s to the 1980s, these studies presented different perspectives on the trend of small-scale farmers quitting farming and the trend of large-scale farmers expanding their scale. The factor analysis of farm structure has decreased since 2000 due to changes in survey methodology and the impact of policy changes. The future research perspective should include : first, the development of analysis of changes in farm structure through microdata analysis, second, analyzing the factors of changes in farm management by long-term panel data analysis, and third, analyzing regional farm structure by linkage with other statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to first develop a scale to measure the sense of difficulty continuing work felt by individual midwives to provide career building support for midwives working at hospitals and then test the reliability and validity of the scale. Methods Questions for the scale were selected based on the literature and past studies on the sense of difficulty continuing work that focused on midwives, and a draft scale to measure the sense of difficulty continuing work among midwives working at hospitals was developed. Experts assessed the appropriateness of the questions, and a revised draft of the scale was developed with 47 questions. Questionnaires were subsequently administered to 694 midwives working at hospitals and clinics to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Results Valid responses were received from 509 midwives (response rate: 87.8%). Nine items were removed based on the results of item analysis. Factor analysis was conducted (major factor method, promax rotation) and the number of items was adjusted according to the criteria. The final scale had a five-factor structure comprising 23 items: five items in factor I [Factors related to building relationships]; five items in factor II [Factors related to duties as a midwife]; five items in factor m [Factors related to utilizing expertise]; five items in factor IV [Factors related to flexible adjustment of work methods]; and three items in factor V [Factors related to work roles]. The temporary model was examined using confirmatory factor analysis, which showed an acceptable fit. Known-groups validity comparisons revealed significantly higher total scores for midwives who wanted to quit than for midwives who wanted to continue working and midwives who wanted to continue working for a fixed term (p<0.001). Strong correlations were observed between total scale score and the subscales of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (r=-0.55 to -0.78). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.91. Stability was confirmed with the re-test method (r=0.77). Conclusions The scale to measure the sense of difficulty continuing work among midwives working at hospitals comprised 23 questions in five factors and was confirmed to be both reliable and valid. This scale may be an effective tool for assessing the sense of difficulty continuing work in midwives working at hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Home Economics of Japan is the property of Japan Society of Home Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Japanese Journal of Clinical Educational Psychology: JJCEP is the property of Japanese Society of Clinical Educational Psychology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the present study was to develop a reflective questionnaire scale for undergraduate students majoring in physical education teacher education, to examine the reliability and validity of the scale, and using the scale, to examine the changes in scale score before and after physical education mock lesson and examine the practical feasibility. A total of 112 students (51 male students and 61 female students) participated in the preliminary research, and 222 students (120 male students and 102 female students) participated in the main research. To examine the changes in scale scores before and after the physical education mock lessons, 63 students (32 male students and 31 female students) participated in the post-survey research. Six factors were obtained by factor analysis of the reflective questionnaire scale: “overall structure of the physical education classes”, “childrenʼs appearance “teaching process”, “teaching skills”, “application to physical education” and “the theory of physical education”. After examining the scale, it was found that the reflection scale demonstated a certain degree of reliability and validity. Using the scale, it was found tha post-test ratings on the five factores were significantly higher than the pre-test ratings. From the above, it was suggested that a reflective questionnaire scale for undergraduate students in physical education teacher training course has a practical potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Asia Guidedog Breeding Network (AGBN), behavior assessment test has been caried out to evaluate suitability for guide dogs. In this work, factor analysis was applied to the behavior assessment records of 693 Labrador Retriever evaluated from 2015 to 2018, and three principal factors were extracted as candidate traits for selection. The three factors were interpreted as composure, concentration on handler and ability to control stress. High heritability (0.71) was estimated for composure, whereas concentration of handler and ability to control stress showed low to moderate heritability (0.24 and 0.30). Genetic correlations were estimated to be high (0.65) between composure and ability to control stress and moderate (0.29) between concentration on handler and ability to control stress. Negative genetic correlation (-0.30) estimated between composure and ability to control stress would be an obstacle for simultaneous improvement of these two traits. Genetic trend in composure, that has been the trait emphasized in breeding of guide dogs in AGBN, showed a positive change after 2005. A positive genetic change was also estimated in concentration on handler, which would be a correlated response to the improvement of composure. Ability to control stress tended to decline presumably due to the negative genetic association with composure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies for motivating the regulation of behavior are crucial for promoting active learning. This study explored the structure of motivational regulation strategies for university physical education classes as liberal education through the development of a scale and investigated the relationship between the use of motivational regulation strategies and perceived utility and self-efficacy. A questionnaire survey of university students (n=591) taking physical education classes was conducted. The survey questions asked about motivation for exercise, perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, and items for developing a scale for motivational regulation. Exploratory factor analysis of the motivational regulation strategy scale showed a factor structure comprising 4 factors: “intrinsic regulation strategy”, “cooperation strategy”, “self-consequating strategy”, and “shame avoidance strategy”. Internal consistency for subscales and test-retest correlations were examined to check reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis and correlations with self-determination motivation for the exercise scale were used to assess validity. The results of both analyses were satisfactory. Next, the relationship between the use of motivational regulation strategies and perceived utility and self-efficacy was examined using multiple regression analysis. The results showed that: (1) Perceived utility had a positive association with the use of all strategies. (2) Self-efficacy had a positive association with the use of “intrinsic regulation strategy,” “cooperation strategy” and “selfconsequating strategy.” (3) Self-efficacy had a negative association with the use of “shame avoidance strategy.” These findings suggest that self-efficacy and perceived usefulness both support the employment of motivational management tools in university physical education classes for liberal arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Society of Plant Engineers Japan is the property of Society of Plant Engineers Japan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study developed a compact scale with improved validity and reliability for assessing satisfaction with university life. We reconstructed the “Satisfaction of University Life” Scale (SoULS-21) developed by Okuda et al. (2010b), which has four subscales: Commitment to the University Life, Companionship Satisfaction, Study Satisfaction, and Absence of Anxiety. We conducted a factor analysis using student data from five universities (N=934). The results extracted 12 items with the identical four-factor structure as the SoULS-21 (SoULS-12). The SoULS-12 had high reliability. We also investigated the construct validity of the SoULS-12 by examining correlations between these four subscales and related scales, which indicated an acceptable correlation. These results supported the reliability and validity of SoULS-12 for assessing satisfaction with university life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local community acceptance is of great importance to successfully realize offshore wind farm projects. This paper determines the influence factors to explain community acceptance. The factor analysis and the optimization of the multiple regression models provide eight optimum factors as follows: impression of the existing onshore wind farm and its projection to the offshore project, economic prosperity, reputation, global protection, local protection, interest in the project, tradition and culture, and evaluation of the nuclear power generation. In addition, local residents are clustered based on these factors, and their attitudes to offshore wind farm projects are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture Science Tokyo is the property of Tokyo University of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, the causal structure of loyalty formation in sport relationship marketing was analyzed to gain insights into long-term competitive advantage. A Japanese professional baseball team, Hiroshima Toyo Carp, has been successful in establishing strong customer loyalty and profitability for 45 years independently without a parent company. Based on customer satisfaction index and service quality review approaches, a comparative quantitative survey was conducted for Hiroshima Toyo Carp and two other teams. First, a factor analysis indicated a difference in evaluation of service quality at each stadium and the value proposition for each team. Carp fans had an internal connection with other fans and self-actualization through watching a game, enabling strong customer satisfaction regardless of winning or losing. Second, a covariance structure analysis showed that, for all three teams, factors related to the game strongly affected customer satisfaction and loyalty, whereas stadium experience factors that were less related to the game did not necessarily affect these items. Furthermore, in the results for all teams, customer satisfaction and loyalty led to assimilation and cooperative intention. An implication of this study is that it is important to understand the value required by customers and strengthen subjective and objective benefits, which contribute to a deep and lasting relationship between companies and customers. We conclude by identifying future research based on fans of other teams or market segmentations.

Food education has been particularly focused upon the school-lunch issues. To further enhancement of food education, the private sector is expected to play a role in this area. Thus, this paper investigated the consciousness and challenges of food education programs as a CSR activity conducted by dairy manufacturers in Japan, which has been little explored despite having a long history of food education and playing an important role. Based on a questionnaire survey to dairy manufacturers in Japan, we employed a factor analysis and regression model and found that small manufacturers are likely to less active than larger manufacturers. Thus, more collective action of the dairy industry will be effective with knowledge and experience sharing among the manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using microdata of a nationwide survey by MAFF, this study aims to examine the drivers of food waste. We adopt an ordered probit model to examine the drivers. The results statistically show that the level of food waste is influenced by gender, age, job, eating-out frequency, food safety awareness, efforts to reduce food waste, checking food packaging, and food management. The efforts to reduce food waste have a positive effect in reducing food waste, while the awareness of food waste does not exert such an effect. The findings conclude that a gap exists between awareness and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a "Scale for Teamwork in Sport" (STS) and examine its reliability and validity. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 432 athletes from 45 university sports teams across Japan. Based on exploratory factor analysis, 4 upper factors, 10 lower factors, and 40 items were extracted. The 4 upper factors, "team orientation", "team leadership", "team process", and "communication" corresponded to Dickinson and McIntyre's (1997) conceptual model. The following results were obtained regarding the reliability and validity of the STS: 1) Its reliability was confirmed via sufficient internal consistency and temporal stability of Cronbach's alpha and retest reliability coefficients. 2) A significant correlation was found between the STS and factors of an existing scale. The average score for each STS factor of the team with high competition level was significantly high. Therefore, the criterion-related validity of the scale was supported. 3) As a result of confirmatory factor analysis, the goodness-of-fit of the model found in all 4 scales corresponded to the upper factors. In addition, covariance structure analysis was conducted on the validation model, and its goodness-of-fit was acceptable. Furthermore, significant path coefficients were confirmed among the elements, which excluded the path from "monitoring" to "coordination". These results support the construct validity of the STS. These findings indicate that the STS has high reliability and validity and can evaluate teamwork in sports from a comprehensive and process perspective. Hence, a new simplified scale was developed that conformed to Dickinson and McIntyre's (1997) teamwork model and could be used in sports. These results provide new insight on team building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the effects of postural intervention using a "risshin chair" (an upright support seat assisting a zazen-like posture) on posture maintenance, classroom time perception, implicit affect, mental health, and life meaningfulness in an actual high school setting. Twenty-seven second-grade high school students (15 girls and 12 boys; Mage = 16.93 years, SD = 0.27) sat on either a conventional chair or a risshin chair in A-B-A order for approximately four weeks in total. One-way ANOVA revealed that (a) mental health score was highest in the intervention period than in the pre- or post-intervention period (p < .001; p = .002), and that (b) the living in the present moment score was higher in the intervention period than in the pre-intervention period (p < .001). Twocondition within-participant serial mediation analysis also showed that the use of the risshin chair affected mental health and daily meaning in life through a higher level of postural improvement and a faster level of classroom time perception change (indirect effect = 0.27, 95% CI [0.02, 0.74]; 0.28, 95% CI [0.04, 0.66]). The need for examining the effectiveness of longer-term postural interventions was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between morphological characteristics and performance in Japanese elite swimmers and non-athletes. The participants included Japanese elite swimmers (age: 20.8 ± 1.7 yr, height: 173.4 ± 5.7 cm, weight: 70.1 ± 6.0 kg, FINA points: 805 ± 72) and non-athletes (age: 19.8 ± 2.4 yr, height: 171.1 ± 5.7 cm, weight: 62.1 ± 8.9 kg). A 3-D whole-body line scanner (BLS; Hamamatsu Photonics) in contact with the skin was used to scan the standing whole body of each subject. Body fat was measured using an air displacement plethysmograph, which uses BODPOD (Body Composition System Mab1000) to determine body composition (body fat and lean body mass). A homologous body model (HBM) was constructed by fitting the whole-body laser scan polygon data to a generic template model based on anatomical landmarks. The HBM consisted of 20,000 vertex of the same topology, and each data point was calculated based on the anatomical landmarks. SDs were used for principal component analysis. For examining the relationship with competition performance, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) points system was adopted. FINA points scores allow comparisons of results among different events. The points (P) are calculated from the swim time (T) and the base time (B) in seconds using the following formula: P = 1000 * (B / T)³ The results obtained were as follows: (1) The data on 3-D human body shape obtained using the BLS and BODPOD revealed that in comparison nonathletes, the swimmers had a significantly higher body weight, BMI, lean body mass and chest (p<0.001), and a significantly smaller abdominal circumference/chest circumference ratio. (2) When normalized to body height, swimmers had larger chest, abdominal and latissimus dorsi muscles. (3) The FINA points score was associated with body shape. The HBM of the 3-D body shape made it possible individual differences and characteristics of body shape. These results suggest that a specific somatotype is required to reach an elite level in sport, and that there is a need to integrate somatotype data between scientific instruments for selecting talent in artistic swimmers. Principal component analysis of the HBM made it possible to establish a method for quantification of 3-D body shape. The present findings suggest that use of a HBM reveals details of body shape that cannot be achieved from morphological measurement, thus opening a new perspective for sports research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this research were to develop a scale that can assess generalization of the psychosocial skills used in competitive sports to other life domains for collegiate athletes, and to examine its characteristics and related factors. In a preliminary study, the generalization areas identified were study, career selection, relationships, and everyday life. Furthermore, 71 items representing 4 generalization areas were developed based on 10 dimensions of the required life skills for collegiate athletes (Shimamoto et al., 2013). The items were reviewed by 8 experts to confirm the content validity. Subsequently, factor analysis was conducted using the data collected from 262 participants (162 males and 100 females) to select a list of items. The initial 40 items were extracted and the content validity for all items was developed. In the main study, a total of 391 university student athletes (234 males and 154 females, and 3 not specified) were asked to respond to a questionnaire. The survey included questions about socio-demographic and psychosocial skills used in competitive sports (Ueno and Nakagomi., 1998), required life skills for athletes (Shimamoto et al., 2013), and questions about factors related to generalization (similarity of action and awareness of generalization possibilities). In addition, they responded to 40 items designed to assess generalization of the psychosocial skills used in competitive sports to other life domains derived from our preliminary studies. Confirmative factor analysis of the generalization of psychosocial skills items indicated a 10-factor structure with 30 items. Reliability was verified in terms of internal consistency. Convergent validity was confirmed by correlations with psychosocial skills used in competitive sports and required life skills for collegiate athletes. The scale derived from these results was named the "Generalization Scale of Psychosocial Skills for Collegiate Athletes" (GSPS-CA). In terms of demographic variables (gender, grade, and individual or team events), gender and grade differences were observed in some dimensions of the GSPS-CA, and individual or team event differences were not observed in any dimension. One-way ANOVA of each dimension of the GSPS-CA revealed interaction with factors related to generalization (similarity of action and awareness of generalization possibilities). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale for measurement of students' perception of feedback behavior in junior high school physical education classes, in order to consider effective feedback through comparisons of gender, grade level, and learning outcomes. First, 36 items for assessment of feedback behavior in physical education classes were developed based on the feedback frameworks of Takahashi et al. (1991), from various previous studies on teacher behavior, and the behavior of teachers and students in physical education videos. Then, a preliminary survey of 1092 junior high school students (boys: 561, girls: 531, first year: 250, second year: 325, third year: 517) was conducted. The content of the items mainly related to negative feedback was then revised, and 36 items were selected. Next, the main survey was conducted on 1339 junior high school students (boys: 728, girls: 611; first year: 452, second year: 468, third year: 419; mean age: 13.22±.94) using the 36 items selected in the preliminary survey. Based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the cognitive structure of feedback behaviors in physical education classes was found to include 4 factors: "praise", "advice on motor skills", "reprimands for class behavior", and "criticism of motor skills". The reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's α. Furthermore, the validity was verified by the correlation coefficient and analysis of variance between each subscale based on gender and grade, and shown to be generally satisfactory. Finally, multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the effects of feedback behaviors on learning outcomes in physical education classes. The results showed that positive and corrective feedback behaviors positively affected all of the learning outcomes. On the other hand, negative feedback behavior had a negative effect on some of the learning outcomes for girls. Therefore, it was confirmed that each subscale had generally satisfactory reliability and validity. Finally, validation of the causal model and case studies to assess the goals of health and physical education were considered necessary as future issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research developed the Japanese version of the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire (RFQ-J). RFQ is based on regulatory focus theory that distinguishes between two types of self-control: Promotion focus and Prevention focus. Promotion focus emphasizes hopes and accomplishments, whereas prevention focus emphasizes safety and responsibility. 181 undergraduates completed RFQ-J, and scales for examinations of validity. The result of factor analysis showed RFQ-J has the same two-factor structure as the original. Internal consistency was adequate. The correlations between RFQ-J and the scales for validity were consistent with previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed the Communication Skill Scale for Home Visiting Staff (CHVS), consisting of two subscales: communication skills for providing home care (CHVS-U); and communication skills for cooperating with coworkers and allied health professionals (CHVS-C). We selected preliminary items for the CHVS from a survey and semi-structured interviews with randomly selected home visiting staffs (N=181) who responded to questions. Factor analysis of their responses using the maximum likelihood method and Promax rotation extracted 36 items and three underlying dimensions of each subscale. The dimensions of the CHVS-U included" Acceptance of users," "Understanding users," and" Empathetic attitudes," and in the CHVS-C," Collaborative attitude," "Information sharing," and "Teamwork." The test of reliabilities and Good-Poor analysis indicated the adequate reliability of the CHVS(CHVS-U: α=.97, CHVS-C: α=.96). Moreover, the inter-rater reliability using intra-class correlation coefficients showed high agreement. The internal consistencies of the factors were significantly associated with the ENDCOREs for assessing general communication skills, confirming the scale's criterion-related validity. The CHVS showed preliminary evidence of reliability and validity. Investigating factors determining communication abilities of home visiting staff is expected to have practical uses in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed the Quality of Life Scale for Pregnant Women (QOLPW). Data of 351 women (M_age = 32.27 year; SD=4.31) in 14th to 40th weeks of pregnancy were collected from a cohort study in Ibaraki City and a pregnant women's Quality of Life survey conducted throughout Japan. The demographic variables of the participants, QOL, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores of the two studies were analyzed. Factor analysis indicated five factors: Psychological Health," "Physical Health," "Social Relationships," "Life Environment," and "Social Welfere Environment? Moreover, the QOLPW scale and its sub-scales had good internal consistency and construct validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a psychological difficulty scale for Japanese high school baseball coaches, thereby clarifying the difficulties they face in coaching “Kokoyakyu” activities. Further, it seeks to clarify what difference in “difficulties” for them according to the competition level of the baseball team they are coaching and their coaching career regarding “Kokoyakyu.” We administered a questionnaire survey to 415 high school baseball coaches in Japan. We found that their psychological difficulties could be assessed based on six factors comprising a total of 20 items. These factors were “building relationships with patrons,” “baseball coaching skills,” “career education for club members,” “legacy of Kokoyakyu,” “securing the environment for activities,” and “work-life balance.” Moreover, the higher the competition level of the team they are coaching, the higher their difficulty scores for “building relationships with patrons,” “career education for club members;” and “legacy of Kokoyakyu.” Conversely, the coaches of teams with lower competition levels had significantly higher scores for “baseball coaching skills,” “securing the environment for activities,” and “worklife balance.” Furthermore, regarding the coaching career of “Kokoyakyu,” we found that mid-career coaches obtained higher difficulty scores for “career education for club members” than veteran coaches. The results of this study clarified the structure of the unique coaching environment of “Kokoyakyu.” From the difficulties faced by high school baseball coaches, some of the difficulties in various sports coaching in Japan can be seen. Additionally, the scale developed in this study may be useful for the mental support of high school baseball coaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop the Japanese version of the parent report of the School Liking and Avoidance Questionnaire (SLAQ) and investigate its reliability and validity. Factor analysis revealed two structures similar to the original scale, with higher internal consistency. Significant relationships were found in the revised edition between enjoyment of school lives and school refusal to a similar degree as in a previous study. In conclusion, the results indicated the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the parent report of the SLAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated individual differences in responses to the new Schadenfreude Scale, which was named the Japanese Version of the Trait Schadenfreude Scale (J-TSS). In Study 1, the 54 items of the original scale were translated into Japanese, and a survey was conducted with Japanese undergraduates (n＝ 301). The items for the Japanese scale were extracted by item analysis and the content validity of the items was re-examined. Factor analysis indicated that the new J-TSS consists of two factors. The reliability of the J-TSS was confirmed, and each subscale was developed. In Study 2, a test battery consisting of the J-TSS and another scale was administered to two samples of university students (n＝183 and 184). The results of Study 2 corroborated the previous study. However, the precise validity of the scale was not established due to the procedure for examining the accurate expression of items in Japan. The future possibilities of J-TSS are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempted to develop a Representation Style Inventory (RSI) for measuring individual differences in the preference and experiences for object-visual, spatial-visual, and verbal thinking. On the basis of factor analysis, we obtained three factors in the questionnaire. A 10-item object-visual thinking scale assesses preferences and experiences for representing colorful, pictorial, and high-resolution images of individual objects or scenes; a 10-item spatial-visual thinking scale assesses preferences and experiences for representing schematic images and spatial locations of objects; and a 10-item verbal thinking scale assesses preferences and experiences for processing verbal information. Additionally, the RSI demonstrated acceptable internal reliability as well as construct and criterion-related validity. This study's results showed that the RSI is useful for measuring preferences and experiences for object-visual, spatial-visual, and verbal thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosocial behavior is one of the soft skills that should be taught in schools to develop children’s positive relationships and improve their mental health. Some studies have focused on the motivation toward prosocial behavior to elucidate the outcomes of such good action. In this study, a prosocial motivation scale for Japanese early adolescence was developed within the framework of the self-determination theory. The survey participants were 1,017 seventh to ninth graders (age range=12–15, M=13.40, SD=0.96) in Japanese lower secondary school. Factor analyses demonstrate two dimensions of prosocial motivation, namely identified and controlled regulations. After assessing the reliability and validity of the scale, we refer to the sex-related differences in prosocial motivation cross-sectionally. This has implications for sex-related differences in prosocial behavior. Finally, the future direction and the limitation of the present study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a self-confidence scale for senior midwives and to verify its reliability and validity. Methods A self-confidence scale for senior midwives was developed based a literature review, a concept analysis of self-confidence, and data from interviews with senior midwives in the hospital setting. A questionnaire survey was conducted on senior midwives working in hospitals who had between 6 and 15 years of experience. Questionnaires were sent to 1,216 senior midwives, among whom, 547 responded, and 477 were eligible for analysis. Exploratory factor analyses and covariance structure analysis were conducted to verify the reliability and validity of the scale. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Amos ver. 25. Results After the exploratory factor analysis, the scale was composed of the following four subscales: 1) 'self-confidence in ability to provide maternity care', 2) 'self-confidence in leadership', 3) 'self-confidence in behavior as a professional', and 4) 'self-confidence in pursuing self-improvement'. Overall 22 items were extracted. The correlation coefficients among each subscales were .568∼.771, and correlation coefficients between the overall scale and each subscales were .765~.945. Correlation coefficient between the self-confidence scale for senior midwives and the self-esteem scale was .443, and that between the self-confidence scale for senior midwives and the generalized self-efficacy scale was .491. Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale and each subscale were .705~.827. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed the following: GFI=.834, AGFI=.787, CFI=.916, RMSEA=.087. Conclusion The self-confidence scale for senior midwives developed in the present study was composed of four subscales and 22 items. Furthermore, its content validity, internal consistency, concurrent validity, and reliability were verified. The scale contents reflected necessary abilities for senior midwives. Therefore, this scale appears to be a useful tool for senior midwives for evaluating their own practical abilities as a midwife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire survey was conducted, involving 64 patients admitted to psychiatric hospital, to clarify appropriate/inappropriate colors for a patients room, and their impressions of the following 6 bedding colors: white, pale red, pale yellow, pale green, pale blue, and pale violet. 1) The most appropriate bedding color for a patients room was white for males and pale red for females. The most inappropriate bedding color was pale red for males and pale yellow for females. 2) There was the most significant gender difference in the impression of pale red, as females tended to have a more positive impression. 3) The impression of pale blue varied according to patients' mood. More patients who were feeling down preferred pale blue beddings as a reassurance. 4) Three factors as "psychological comfort", "functional comfort", and "colorful" were extracted by factor analysis. Mean factor scores of "psychological comfort" were high for pale blue, white, and pale green; therefore, these were recommended as bedding color for psychiatric hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism spectrum disorders are reported to have difficulties in producing and adjusting speech prosody, but there is no comprehensive scale available in Japan that can assess their expressive prosody across different functions. This study developed and tested an assessment scale for the prosodic production skill. Parents of autistic and typically- developing children ranging from 6 to 12 years of age responded to the questionnaire that inquired about their speech characteristics. Factor analysis was conducted on data obtained from 104 respondents, acquiring four factors with 23 question items, namely, vocal naturalness, adjustment for others, speech mimicry and speaker attitude. Analysis of variance revealed that the scores for all the above subscales have significant group differences. Moreover, their total average scores were correlated with the ratings of autistic symptoms and general communication skills but not with age and non-verbal intelligence. These findings suggest that this scale would be useful as the primary assessment tool to recognize the speech profile of autistic children who need a more detailed assessment and clinical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the issue of home medical care and pharmacists remains widespread, much of the discussion has concentrated on its state in urban areas. We believe that it is necessary to consider the state of home health care in medium-sized regions, that is separate from its urban form, with a population of approximately 100000. Thus, we conducted a qualitative study in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, to identify factors that impede pharmacists involved in home medical care. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey in an area of the same size to verify the generality of the concepts obtained from the qualitative study and validate the concepts using quantitative analyses. Two questionnaires on the role of community health care and home health care practice based on the concepts obtained from the qualitative study was sent to 342 pharmacies located in five regions. The number of valid responses was 170, and the data collection rate was 49.4%. We identified nine factors from the former and five from the latter. The current status of pharmacists in home health care in a medium-sized region, as identified by the quantitative study, was similar to that of the conceptual picture obtained from the qualitative study. Furthermore, the high versatility of the extracted concepts was verified.

Objectives　"Rest" has two aspects: "repose," to recover from physical or mental fatigue, and "restore," to re-establish physical, mental, and social health. Many male workers work for prolonged hours, and despite stress, they do not apply coping behaviors, unlike female workers. Consequently, taking sufficient rest is difficult for male workers. The aim of this study was to develop a scale incorporating multiple factors to evaluate the state in which male workers take rest.Methods　A questionnaire survey was conducted involving 330 male workers aged 20-59 years who had been engaged in two manufacturing industries. The questionnaire items were created with reference to an interview survey of male workers in the literature. After discussing with industrial hygiene experts and conducting a pretest to obtain surface validity, 70 items were used for analyses. In the exploratory factor analysis, promax rotation was used with the maximum likelihood method. In the confirmatory factor analysis, goodness of fit was confirmed with the covariance structure analysis. Health-related quality of life, job stress, work engagement, sleep, and self-assessment of rest were used to examine concurrent validity.Results　With the exploratory factor analysis, we introduced a scale containing 15 items, including three subscales: filling with spirit, enthusiasm for work, and recovery from fatigue. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of the three subscales and the overall scale ranged from 0.79 to 0.88 and 0.89, ensuring internal consistency. The confirmatory factor analysis showed a generally good fit. Their scores were correlated with many items of the health-related quality of life, job stress, work engagement, sleep, and self-assessment of rest.Conclusions　A 15-item "Rest Evaluation Scale" was created to evaluate the state in which male workers in the manufacturing industries take rest. Since the validity, reliability, and concurrent validity of this scale were satisfactory, this scale was considered to be an index evaluating the state of rest of male workers.

This study aimed to develop a redacted version of the Children's Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS) for use with preschoolers, and to examine the devised scale's reliability and validity. A total of 270 children (113 in the second year; 157 in the third year) participated in Study 1. Factor analysis revealed a single-factor structure, with a significant test-retest correlation. In Study 2, with 27 participants (14 boys and 13 girls; all in the third year), we examined the criterion-related validity by evaluating the correlation between assertion and empathy. Results showed a relationship between assertion and empathy, supporting our hypothesis. In conclusion, these findings suggest that our adapted version of the CABS for preschool children appears to have adequate psychometric validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand the distribution mechanism of heavy metal elements in environmental systems, because the toxicities of various metals and metalloids significantly affect health risks. The heavy metals concentrations are controlled by a wide of variety environmental factors. This study aims to clarify main influence factors on the heavy metal distribution in sediment, soil, river in the Natori River, Sendai City. We firstly produced geochemical maps for heavy metal concentrations (As, Pb and Cr) of river sediment, neighboring soil (bulk component, soluble component in 1N HCl and in pure water) and river water. The heavy metals concentrations in river water increase from upper stream to down stream, whereas heavy metal concentrations in river sediments and soil vary little from upper stream to downstream. There are no anomalous distributions of heavy metals in the studied area, although many anthropogenic materials are found in sediment, soil and river water. The correspondence analysis was applied to investigate relationships of heavy-metal concentrations between sediment, soil and river water. The results indicate that the heavy metals (As, Pb Cr and Zn) in sediment, soil and river water are dominantly controlled by natural sedimentary processes, such as denudation and sedimentation. The proposed method could be further applied for other pollutants in various environment systems. From a viewpoint of risk assessment of heavy metals, it is suggested by the presence of closer relationship of heavy metals that contains the risk information of heavy metals.