ABSTRACT
THE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (2022, vol.33)
Vol.33 No.1
Hitomi Takaseki: Qualitative Study on Anger Control Strategies: Cognitive Process of Mothers with Children with Developmental Disabilities
This study aims to examine anger control strategies by exploring the cognitive process of anger control among mothers with children with developmental disabilities. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 23 mothers of children with developmental disabilities aged 4 to 10 years, who are placed in a youth nursing home. Interview data were analyzed based on the qualitative grounded theory approach. The result revealed that the mothers were primarily using two strategies, namely, (a) focusing on the reason underlying the child’s behavior and (b) being aware of the present moment to effectively control anger . Therefore, the mothers effectively controlled anger using these focus-shifting strategies. In addition, the result suggests that engagement in parent–child interaction can be improved by undergoing these intentional cognitive processes.
yKeywordsz Cognitive emotion regulation, Anger, Parental support for children with developmental disabilities, Grounded theory approach
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Shohei Fuji &Shinichiro Sugimura: Characteristics of Self-Regulation in Pretend Play: A Preliminary Comparison of Different Types of Play
Pretend play benefits child development in various way one of which is self-regulation. Previous studies have examined the relationship between pretend play, specifically role play, and self-regulation of both inside and outside pretend play. However, no study has identified the differentiating characteristics of self-regulation in pretend play. In this study, role play as well as other types play of were observed among 32 four- to six-year-olds so as to compare self-regulatory behavior in role play and constructive and functional play from three perspectives: cognitive/emotional; planning, monitoring, control, and evaluation; and self-regulation, other-regulation, and shared-regulation. The results revealed that planning behavior in role play was significantly more frequent when compared to constructive and functional play. With regard to the other categories, no significant differences were found between role play and the other types of paly. These finding suggest that although children exhibit planning behavior more in role play than in constructive and functional play, they also demonstrate other categories of self-regulation in types of play besides role play.
yKeywordsz Pretend play, Self-regulation, Metacognition, Observation, Early childhood education
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Oshima Kiyomi, Suzuki Kana, &Nishimura Takashii: The Process of Becoming a Parent Team:A Qualitative Research on Couples with a Preschooler
This study used semi-structured interviews with 21 couples with a preschool child to ascertain the process of interaction by which couples share childcare and housework as a team. The data were examined using a modified grounded theory method. Initially, couples try to maintain a balance between them while having a family view in the early stages of child rearing. However, if something does not go as expected, couples might fall into a vicious circle of each wanting the other to understand. Eventually, couples overcome conflicts and gradually become a parent team. The couples’ interaction has a positive side, including making efforts to maintain a balance between them and overcome conflicts, and a negative side, such as an unexpected event or wanting for the other to understand. When the positive side outweighs the negative side in the continuing conflict, couples successfully evolve into a parent team. Finally, we compared and contrasted the findings of this study with those of the previous literature.
yKeywordsz Parent team, Couples, Preschooler, Semi-structured interview, M-GTA
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Nakajima Takahiro, Ito Hiroyuki, Murayama Yasuo, Myogan Mitsunori, Takayanagi Nobuya, Hamada Megumi, &Tsujii Masatsugu: The Association Between Autistic Traits, Psychosocial Maladjustment, and Motor Abilities in Elementary and Junior High School Students
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits and psychosocial maladjustment related to friendships and depression, mediated by motor abilities, among elementary and junior high school students. The participants comprised 5,084 general elementary and junior high school students and their parents. Path analysis revealed that the more ASD traits the participants suffered, the more motor ability difficulties they experienced. In addition, 26% of the association between ASD traits and depression in elementary school, and 25% and 16% of the association between ASD traits and friendship problems in elementary and junior high school, respectively were indirect effects mediated by motor abilities. No significant difference in the effect of gender and grade on these associations was found. One may deduce that motor abilities make a significant contribution to psychosocial maladjustment regardless of grade and gender.
yKeywordsz Autism spectrum disorder traits, motor abilities, elementary and junior high school students, psychosocial maladjustment.
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Vol.33 No.2
Okubo Keisuke, Tang Yinqi, Endo Toshihiko, &Nozawa Sachiko: Association between the Degree of Marital Communication during Pregnancy and Gatekeeping during Parenthood: An Examination of Different Combinations of Employment Status
This study determined the longitudinal effects of marital communication during pregnancy on fathers' perceived gatekeeping/gate-opening behaviors from mothers during parenthood. A total of 1357 married couples were analyzed using data obtained at two-time points when the children were zero and three years old. The degree of communication during pregnancy was retrospectively rated by mothers when the child was age zero, and gatekeeping/gate-opening was retrospectively rated by fathers when the child was three. The results showed that the association between the degree of communication during pregnancy and gate-opening was significant for all combinations of employment status. In contrast, the association with gatekeeping was significant only for couples who were full-time employees. Also, the amount of variance explained by the degree of discussion during pregnancy was approximately 10%. This study suggest that it is important for couples to discuss childcare before childbirth, especially for those who plan to work full-time after childbirth.
yKeywordsz Gatekeeping, gate-opening, prenatal marital relationship, dyad data
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Ishikawa Keita, Azuma Natsuko, Ohka Mai, &Takizawa Ryu: Intergenerational Effect of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Next Generation’s Psychopathology: A Literature Review
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a long-term impact on mental health, but the consequences of parental ACEs on the next generation’s psychopathology have not been fully understood. This literature review examined the relationship between parental ACEs and child psychopathology as well as the impact of pregnancy and postpartum mediators and moderators on the two variables, in light of varied study findings on the intergenerational transmission of parents’ abuse experiences in childhood. Sixteen studies were included from a literature search conducted through six search engines. The association between the two variables was consistent and significant for behavior and externalizing problems but inconsistent for internalizing problems. Comparison of the present study with similar studies showed no major differences. Biological and psychosocial factors during pregnancy as well as psychological problems and parenting after childbirth were the main mediators and moderators identified. Comprehensive investigations of adversities in polyvictimization and examinations of the mediating and moderating factors are warranted both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
yKeywordsz Adverse childhood experiences, Intergenerational transmission, Psychopathology, Literature review
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Yui Mizoe &Kiyoshi Otomo: Development of Symbolic Play in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Typical Development: A Longitudinal Investigation on the Repertoire and Sequential Organization of Play
The play behaviors of 10 Japanese boys with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and without intellectual disability or language delay and 10 children with typical development (TD) were observed across three sessions with intervals of approximately six months beginning at age 2;6 to 3;6. The study obtained three indices, namely, (a) frequency and repertoire of symbolic play, (b) frequency and repertoire of play themes, and (c) sequential organization of play. Analyses using a generalized linear mixed model with chronological age (CA) as a covariate displayed significant interactions between CA and the group for the repertoire of symbolic play and sequential organization of play. The repertoire of symbolic play and sequential organization of play were found to remain constant with the increase in the age of children with ASD, whereas these indices increased with the increase in age of children with TD. The results demonstrated that children with ASD and without intellectual disability or language delay gradually exhibited qualitative differences from children with TD in terms of symbolic play behaviors.
yKeywordsz Symbolic play, Sequential organization of play, Repertoire of play, Autism spectrum disorder, Longitudinal study
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Sasaki Mie, Kobayashi Kiyo, Ichikawa Yoko, Ando Satoko, &Kayama Yukihiko: The Mental Health of Mothers with Young Children Facing Earthquake and Radiation Hazards: A Survey Conducted after Three Years of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster
This study clarified the factors associated with the mental health of mothers in the Fukushima Prefecture who had young children, three years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. Based on the sample of 346 mothers, the hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the association between the perceived differences in the perceptions and responses to radiation problems with people around the mothers and the maternal autonomous judgments of such problems were significant. A simple slopes analysis also indicated that in the cases of both high and low autonomous judgments, the perceived differences had a significant positive effect on maternal depression. However, the slope for high autonomous judgment was smaller than that for low autonomous judgment. Additionally, concerns about their children’s health had an almost significant positive effect on maternal depression. These findings indicate that maternal health concerns need to be considered a risk factor and that maternal autonomous judgment has a moderating effect on the association between the perceived differences with people around mothers and their levels of depression.
yKeywordsz The Great East Japan Earthquake, House damage, Health concerns, Perceived differences, Autonomous judgment
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Vol.33 No.3
Kengo Hiroto : Developing the Adjustment Process of Prosocial Behavior: Naturalistic Observation Research for Preschoolers
This study purposed to examine prosocial behavior adjustment methods employed by preschoolers to modify their responses to the reactions of recipients. Previous studies have focused solely on whether children can perform prosocial behaviors as required. However, children must modify their prosocial behaviors to suit their purposes if their conduct does not benefit the receiver or is unaccepted. This naturalistic observation study monitored the prosocial behaviors of three- and five-year-old children and obtained three substantial findings. First, three-year-old children exhibited more negative reactions as receivers than five-year-old preschoolers, whose reactions were more amenable. Second, the four-criteria standpoint applied to detect the appropriateness of prosocial behavior revealed that children aged five evinced more apposite prosocial behaviors than three-year-old toddlers. Finally, preschoolers aged five shifted to more apt prosocial behaviors than three-year-old children if they received a negative reaction. Furthermore, these pioneering findings demonstrate that preschool children experience developmental changes in adjusting their prosocial behaviors.
yKeywordszProsocial behavior, Adjustment process, Naturalistic observation, Preschoolers
Ogawa Shota : Effects of Implicit and Explicit Attitudes toward People with Disabilities on Friendship with Disabled College Students: Mixed-methods Analysis
This mixed-methods study examined how the attitudes of nondisabled college students toward people with physical disabilities affect their friendships with disabled peers. In Phase 1, the explicit and implicit attitudes of nondisabled students were measured quantitatively, and the contact hypothesis was tested. Less prejudice, both implicit and explicit, was shown toward a group including a physically disabled friend (n = 18) than one without (n = 63), thereby supporting the hypothesis. The qualitative phase, Phase 2, involved group interviews with nondisabled students (n = 15) and their disabled peers (n = 3) to explore their interactions. The participants reported that despite disabled and nondisabled students providing mutual social support, anxiety and conflict did arise in such relationships. In Phase 3, the data were integrated to show that that nondisabled students who strongly prescribe to the stereotype “disabled people have low abilities” provided excessive support to their disabled peers, often leading to conflict and dissatisfaction on both sides. The study further considered how reciprocal support maintains friendships between disabled and nondisabled students in inclusive education.
yKeywordszInclusive education, Implicit association test, Implicit attitudes, Cross-group friendships
Matsuba YurikaCLee Steve KCHaraguchi MiyukiCIwasaki MinakoCOhtsuki TomuC&Katsuragawa Taisuke : The Development of the Japanese Version of the Mentalization Scale and the Examination of its Reliability and Validity
This study developed the Japanese version of the Mentalization Scale (MentS-J) and tested its reliability and validity. We translated the original MentS-J into Japanese with the permission of its author and surveyed 352 university students. Confirmatory factor analysis of indices supported the hypothesized three-factor structure of the scale: mentalization of self, mentalization of others, and motivation to mentalize. Reliability testing confirmed the instrument’s internal and retest consistency. A correlation analysis performed with a scale measuring similar constructs confirmed criterion-related validity. Partial correlation analysis to test construct validity revealed significant negative correlations between the MentS-J and the Borderline Personality Traits Scale as well as the Japanese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient-10 (AQ-J-10). The results established the acceptable reliability and validity of the MentS-J and indicated its potential usefulness as an instrument for the assessment of mentalization.
yKeywordszmentalization, borderline personality disorder, autism spectrum disorder
Eriko Kuhara, Takayuki Miyadera, &Yuki Fujiwara : Effects of Cognitive Functions in Preschoolers on Suggestibility and Confabulation in Memory
This study explored the effects of cognitive functions in preschoolers on suggestibility and confabulation in memory (distortion and fabrication). Sixty-five preschool girls (aged 5–6 years) completed the Bonn Test of Statement Suggestibility and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-fourth edition (WISC-IV). Regression analyses revealed the following results. Misleading forced-choice questions were negatively related to the Verbal Comprehension Index. Misleading yes/no questions (YNQ) and repeated questions (RQ) were not significantly related to any WISC-IV indices but were both significantly associated with age in months. Suggested answers decreased for YNQ and increased for RQ as children became older. Distortion was not significantly related to any WISC-IV indices but fabrication was negatively related to the Working Memory Index. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of these findings on interviewing preschoolers in forensic contexts.
yKeywordszSuggestibility, Confabulation in memory, Intelligence, Working memory, Preschooler
Vol.33 No.4
Takeshi MachiCHaruna TachibanaC&Motoyuki Nakaya : Effects of Achievement Goals on Reciprocal Teaching in the Classroom: Elementary Mathematics Group Learning
In this study, the effects of promoting achievement goals on the processes and consequences of reciprocal teaching in the classroom (RTC) were investigated. The participants included 79 sixth graders who were engaged in mathematics group learning. Basic RTC (Machi & Nakaya, 2014) was adopted to enhance the participants’ intellectual and social interaction. Their achievement goals were promoted through teachers’ instructions in reduced/enlarged figure classrooms. While the teachers focused on the importance of understanding in the mastery goal-focused groups, they emphasized quick answers and correctness in the performance goal-focused groups. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses demonstrated that the mastery goal-focused groups demonstrated more understanding and engaged in process-oriented discourses in comparison to the performance-focused groups. Based on the results of the analyses, the important role of students’ motivation in interactive learning based on RTC is discussed.
yKeywordszReciprocal teaching in classrooms, Achievement goals, Motivational intervention, Elementary mathematics group learning
Kodama Watanabe Manami &Sakakibara Ryota: The Relationship between Mothers’ Scolding and Negative Emotions and its Moderators: A Four-week Longitudinal Study Using the Experience Sampling Method.
This study examined the relationship between scolding and negative emotions among mothers and how abuse anxiety, marital satisfaction, and children’s birth order moderate it. Ninety-nine mothers (53 primiparas and 46 multiparas) caring for 2- and 3-year-old children were surveyed. Participants were given Android phones with an experience sampling method application installed. They were asked to answer questions when notified daily between 10 pm and 12 pm for four weeks. The results indicated that scolding typically leads to higher levels of negative emotion; however, none of the interactions were significant. While it has been suggested that feeling negative emotions during parenting may facilitate the development of mothers’ parenting skills, it may also facilitate mental illness. Thus, relieving negative emotions after scolding their children may help promote mothers’ mental health.
yKeywordszMothers, Scolding, Negative emotions, Moderator, Experience sampling method
Hamada Megumi, Ito Hiroyuki, Murayama Yasuo, Takayanagi Nobuya, Myogan Mitsunori, &Tsujii Masatsugu: Stability of the Feelings of Gender Dysphoria in Elementary and Middle School Students: A Six-year Longitudinal Study
A challenge in dealing with gender dysphoria in children is the mixture of stable and temporary fluctuations in the feelings of gender dysphoria during development. This study examines the absolute and relative stability and the patterns of change of the feelings of gender dysphoria using data from a six-year longitudinal survey across three cohorts. The participants consisted of 2,031 people (999 boys and 1,032 girls) from fourth to ninth grades who completed the feelings of gender dysphoria scale. As a consequence of examining the changes in mean values by grade as absolute stability, the scores of boys slightly decreased from fourth to ninth grade; however, almost no significant change was found for girls. Latent profile analysis revealed 11 patterns including 22.6% of students who increased the score only within 1–2 years. The correlation between each grade as relative stability resulted in a positive correlation between each grade for boys and girls. In addition, the correlation coefficient increased as the grade increased, indicating that relative stability increased. The correlation coefficient was higher for girls than boys.
yKeywordszThe feelings of gender dysphoria, Elementary and middle school students, Relative stability, Absolute stability
Minako Deno, Keisuke Okubo, Ryu Takizawa, &Toshihiko Endo: Longitudinal Association between Positive Reappraisal and Emotional Talk in Adolescence:10-year Trajectory by Cohort Sequential Design
This study investigated the development trajectory of positive reappraisal and the relationship between positive reappraisal and emotional talk with parents and peers by 5-wave annual cohort-sequential design in adolescence. The study recruited 294 adolescents in their fourth year of elementary school, first year of junior high school, and first year of high school during the first wave. In each cohort, positive reappraisal at the four and five waves was higher than that at the first and second waves. Using an 11-wave random intercepts cross-lagged panel model, the between-person results indicated a strong trait effect for the positive association between positive reappraisal and emotional talk with parents and peers. Furthermore, the within-person results showed a longitudinal association between positive reappraisal and emotional talk with peers. Therefore, emotional talk with parents and peers positively affected this reappraisal.
yKeywordszAdolescence, Positive reappraisal, Cognitive emotion regulation, Emotional talk
Nakayama Rumiko: Narcissism and Parenting: Meta-analytic Review
Parenting factors are theoretically considered important environmental precursors of narcissism. Although three theoretical hypotheses (Horton et al., 2006) lead many empirical studies, few attempts have been made to aggregate empirical findings. This meta-analysis integrated research on the relationship between childhood parenting and narcissism following adolescence. Forty-three articles (47 studies) reporting statistics that could be replaced by r or r were collected. As there are various indicators/scales assessing narcissism and parenting, the indicators were first organized. Scales of narcissism were broadly divided into grandiosity and hypersensitivity, and scales of grandiosity were further divided into the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and others. The indicators of parenting were classified into five categories: warmth, monitoring, psychological control, spoiling/inconsistent, and rejection/indifference. The results indicate that correlations cannot be interpreted as evidence of a direct relationship between narcissism and parenting. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the indirect relationships, such as the combined effects, multiple effects of parenting indicators, or the transactional effects, on the characteristics of self-evaluation that children already possess.
yKeywordszNarcissism, Parenting, Meta-analysis