Interpersonal predictors of loneliness in Japanese children: variable- and person-centered approaches.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness in children has been a major topic of interest in both clinical and developmental psychology. Further studies to investigate predictors of loneliness are needed for educational practices. METHODS: A total of 1088 late elementary school-aged children (48.81% boys, Mage = 10.35) participated in a 1-year longitudinal survey. We used hierarchical linear modeling and mover-stayer latent transition analysis. DISCUSSION: Findings from the variable- and person- centered approaches suggested that less positive peer relations, higher victimization, and higher relational aggression are predictors of higher future loneliness. Meanwhile, both approaches did not reach an agreement concerning predictors to reduce loneliness. This result highlighted a utility of a combined approach and sounded an alarm for overreliance on the variable-centered approach dominating child research. CONCLUSION: To protect young children from loneliness, it will be more beneficial to prevent the development of loneliness rather than to apply interventions to reduce loneliness once established. Preventive practices need to be implemented to protect children from loneliness.

[The development of the Five-item Loneliness Scale for Children].

The purpose of the present study was to develop a simplified scale to assess loneliness in children. Participants were 646 elementary school students (335 boys and 311 girls) from 4th to 6th grade and 24 homeroom teachers who identified lonely children within the participants of their classes. The'student participants completed the Five-item Loneliness Scale for Children (Five-LSC) and other scales measuring social skills, social competence, and withdrawal to confirm the validity of the Five-LSC. The results showed that the Five-LSC was both reliable and valid. In addition, there were no grade or sex differences in loneliness. Future research using the Five-LSC was discussed.

[The relationship between autonomous motivation and academic adjustment in junior high school students].

This study investigated the relationship between autonomous motivation and academic adjustment based on the perspective of self-determination theory. It also examined motivational profiles to reveal individual differences and the characteristic of these profiles for groups with varying levels of autonomous and controlled regulation (autonomous, controlled, high motivation, and low motivation). Data were collected from 442 junior high school students for academic motivation, academic performance, academic competence, meta-cognitive strategy, academic anxiety, apathy, and stress experience. Correlation analyses generally supported the basic hypothesis of self-determination theory that a more autonomous regulation style was strongly related to academic adjustment. The results also showed that persons with a high autonomous regulation and a low controlled regulation style were the most adaptive.

[Changes in academic motivation among elementary and junior high school students].

This study examined changes in academic motivation among elementary and junior high school students. Based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000a), we focused on changes in autonomous and controlled motivation. In Study 1, we examined inter-individual changes in academic motivation among 5th to 9th grade students (N = 1 572) through a cross-sectional study. In Study 2, we examined intra-individual changes in academic motivation among students (N = 128) who were in transition from elementary to junior high school through a longitudinal study. All participants completed the Academic Motivation Scale (Nishimura, Kawamura, & Sakurai, 2011) that measured autonomous and controlled motivation. The results revealed that autonomous motivation decreased in the students from elementary to junior high school, while controlled motivation increased during the same period. This is a unique finding because a prior study conducted in a Western culture suggested that both motivations decrease gradually in school.

[The relationship of empathic-affective responses toward others' positive affect with prosocial behaviors and aggressive behaviors].

The purposes of this study were to develop and validate the Empathic-Affective Response Scale, and to examine the relationship of empathic-affective responses with prosocial behaviors and aggressive behaviors. Undergraduate students (N = 443) participated in a questionnaire study. The results of factor analysis indicated that empathic-affective responses involved three factors: (a) sharing and good feeling toward others' positive affect, (b) sharing of negative affect and (c) sympathy toward others' negative affect. Correlations with other empathy-related scales and internal consistency suggested that this scale has satisfactory validity and reliability. Cluster analysis revealed that participants were clustered into four groups: high-empathic group, low-empathic group, insufficient positive affective response group and insufficient negative affective response group. Additional analysis showed the frequency of prosocial behaviors in high-empathic group was highest in all groups. On the other hand, the frequency of aggressive behaviors in both insufficient positive affective response group and low-empathic group were higher than others' groups. The results indicated that empathic-affective responses toward positive affect are also very important to predict prosocial behaviors and aggressive behaviors.

[Effects of cognitions of joking relationships to friends on joking behaviors].

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relation between joking behaviors with friends and personality factors (preference for humor, self-esteem). Also the study examined whether relational factors (cognitions of the joking relationship) affect joking behavior. In Study 1, undergraduates (n = 238) completed a questionnaire concerning joking behaviors and personality factors. The results indicated that the scale has sufficient reliability and validity. In Study 2, questionnaire date from undergraduates (n = 208) were used to examined (a) difference in joking behaviors between best friends and ordinary friends of the same sex, as well as (b) the effect of cognitions regarding the joking relationship (understanding the friend and being accepted by the friend) on joking behaviors. The results indicated that participants used aggressive jokes, self-enhancing jokes and everyday jokes significantly more with best friends compared to ordinary friend. Covariance structure analysis indicated that the sense of being accepted by an ordinary friend promoted aggressive jokes, whereas the sense of being accepted by the best friend reduced the need for other-enhancing jokes.

[The construction, reliability and validity of a Japanese Need for Closure Scale].

The purpose of this study was to develop a Japanese Need for Closure Scale. In Study 1, Webster and Kruglanski's (1994) Need for Closure Scale was translated into Japanese, and administered to 240 undergraduates. Factor analysis of the Japanese version indicated that a three-factor structure was most appropriate. In Study 2, a revised scale was developed based on the result of Study 1, and administered to 577 undergraduates. Analysis of the revised Japanese Need for Closure Scale showed that it had sufficient internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the scale had a multidimensional structure. In Study 3, the scale was administered together with five relevant personality scales to 340 undergraduates, and sufficient construct validity of the scale was demonstrated.