[Construction of the Time Management Scale and examination of the influence of time management on psychological stress response].

We developed a scale to measure time management and assessed its reliability and validity. We then used this scale to examine the impact of time management on psychological stress response. In Study 1-1, we developed the scale and assessed its internal consistency and criterion-related validity. Findings from a factor analysis revealed three elements of time management, "time estimation," "time utilization," and "taking each moment as it comes." In Study 1-2, we assessed the scale's test-retest reliability. In Study 1-3, we assessed the validity of the constructed scale. The results indicate that the time management scale has good reliability and validity. In Study 2, we performed a covariance structural analysis to verify our model that hypothesized that time management influences perceived control of time and psychological stress response, and perceived control of time influences psychological stress response. The results showed that time estimation increases the perceived control of time, which in turn decreases stress response. However, we also found that taking each moment as it comes reduces perceived control of time, which in turn increases stress response.

[Character strengths and well-being in Japanese children and youth: creating good habits].

Character education in the US aims to establish good habits corresponding to good character. The purpose of this study was to determine the structure of character strengths and the relations among these strengths and wellbeing in Japanese children and youth. Peterson and Seligman (2004) developed a classification of character strengths called VIA-IS. We thought, however, that VIA-IS had too many items to use with school children. We selected 15 categories and developed a questionnaire for Japanese children and youth. Fourth to eighth grade students (N = 1,351) answered questionnaires in Study 1. We found four categories of character strengths, each of which consisted of 25 items: perseverance-honesty, courage-ideas, compassion-gratitude, and fairness-care. These categories were very similar to previous research findings which simplified the categories. In Study 2, we found a positive relationship among four categories of character strengths and well-being, which we called the hope scale, life satisfaction scale, subjective happiness scale, and social support scale. We discussed what additional research was needed for establishing good habits using our categories with children and youth in schools.

Positive relationships of character strengths with fitness and physical activity in primary school children.

Objective: This study is the first to examine the relationship between character strengths, objective physical fitness, and physical activity in primary school children. Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 and 2017 at a school in Japan. Main Outcome Measures: We obtained informed consent from 236 fourth-grade students; 122 fifth-grade students; and 142 sixth-grade students. After excluding participants with missing data, 473 children (247 boys and 226 girls; aged 9-12 years) with informed consent were included in the study. We measured character strengths, physical fitness, and/or physical activity of fourth- to sixth-grade participants. Results: Among boys, the total score of physical fitness was significantly associated with perseverance-honesty, courage-ideas, compassion-gratitude, and fairness-care (p < 0.05). Among girls, the total score of physical fitness was significantly associated with perseverance-honesty, courage-ideas, and compassion-gratitude (p < 0.05). Regarding the relationship between character strengths and physical activity, perseverance-honesty was significantly associated with total steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), whereas courage ideas were significantly associated with total steps (p < 0.05) in boys. In girls, perseverance-honesty was associated with MVPA (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings revealed that character strengths are positively associated with objective physical fitness and physical activity in primary-school children.

Students' Perception of Teachers' Humor Predicts Their Mental Health.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether two types of teacher humor (Aggressive Humor and Affinity Humor) are predictors of students' mental health. A self-report scale was administered to 500 elementary and junior high school students in grades 4 to 9 (mean age 12.04, SD = 1.76) asking questions about perceived teacher humor, stress response, emotional well-being, and self-esteem. Aggressive humor was a significant positive predictor of stress response and a significant negative predictor of emotional well-being. Affinity humor was a significant positive predictor of emotional well-being and self-esteem. These results suggest that the teacher's humor is related to students' mental health. We conclude that teachers should refrain from using aggressive humor as much as possible in favor of affinity humor.

In Japan, individuals of higher social class engage in other-oriented humor.

Previous research on individual social class (SC) and humor has found support for the hypothesis that those with higher SC will engage in more dominant humor (aggressive humor) that derogates or degrades others. One rationale for introducing this hypothesis is the well-known theory that people with higher SC are more self-oriented; however, it has recently been shown that there may be cultural differences in this theory. In this study, using a Japanese sample objective measures (income and educational attainment) and subjective measures (perceived social status) and examined in relation to humor. Four types of humor assessed by the Humor Styles Questionnaire and two types of humor measured by the Dual Self-Directed Humor Scale were considered to investigate the relationship between SC and humor. Unlike prior findings obtained in Western countries, Study 1 (N = 344) and Study 2 (N = 604) consistently showed that SC and aggressive humor were unrelated. Rather, SC was shown to be positively associated with other-oriented humor in Japan, a country belonging to the Confucian cultural sphere of East Asia. The differences in results from these previous studies were discussed from a cultural contextual perspective.

Facile Surface Modification of MgMn2O4 Positive-Electrode Material for Improving Cycle Performance of Magnesium Rechargeable Batteries.

MgMn2O4 with a tetragonal spinel structure shows promise as a positive-electrode material in magnesium rechargeable batteries (MRBs), which have drawn considerable attention as post lithium-ion batteries. However, the material currently suffers from poor cycle performance. In this study, we attempt to improve the cycle performance of MgMn2O4 via the Zr modification of its particle surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrate that the surface modification is successfully performed by immersing MgMn2O4 powder into a Zr-containing aqueous solution, followed by heat treatment. However, Zr segregation is observed at high Zr concentration. Furthermore, structural analyses using synchrotron X-rays indicate that the Zr modification has an influence on the bulk structure of the MgMn2O4 powder. The positive-electrode properties of the powders are investigated using discharge/charge cycle tests, which show that Zr modification can drastically improve the cycle performance and coulombic efficiency. These improvements are supposed to be due to suppression of an unexpected reaction by the Zr-surface modification and lower structural distortion after the modification. These findings clearly demonstrate the significant potential of surface modification as a method for obtaining high-performance MRBs.

Preliminary Verification of Instructional Humor Processing Theory: Mediators Between Instructor Humor and Student Learning.

Instructional humor processing theory has been proposed to explain how the type of humor used by the course instructor can affect student learning. In this study, a cross-sectional design was used to test whether the relation between the instructor's type of humor (related, unrelated, self-disparaging, offensive, and disparaging humor), and learning is mediated by variables assumed by the instructional humor processing theory (emotion, motivation, and information-processing ability). A total of 360 university and junior college students with a mean age of 19.31 years (standard deviation = 0.75) completed a questionnaire concerning their impression on the instructor humor, emotion, motivation, processing ability, and cognitive learning in a specific course. The results revealed that the instructor's-related humor significantly predicted the cognitive learning of students, and their relation can be mediated by all variables assumed by instructional humor processing theory. Our results provided preliminary evidence for the legitimacy of the instructional humor processing theory model.