Associations Between Occupational Status, Support at Work, and Salivary Cortisol Levels.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated associations between occupation, job stress, and salivary cortisol levels after psychological tasks. METHODS: We examined 766 (273 men and 493 women) healthy employed Japanese participants aged 21 to 68 years (mean age = 46.4 years, standard deviation = 8.5) with three types of occupation: manager, teacher, and general worker. The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate participants' job stress levels, including job demand, job control, support from supervisors, and support from coworkers. Salivary cortisol levels were measured at pre-session, post-stressful tasks, and post-relaxation. All samples were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Natural log transformation was applied before statistical analyses. A multiple regression analysis and a repeated measures analysis of covariance were conducted to test associations between occupation and salivary cortisol levels, adjusting for confounding factors. Statistical analyses were conducted separately for men and women. RESULTS: Among both men and women, general workers had higher cortisol levels than managers throughout the experimental session (men 0.6 µg/dL and 0.4 µg/dL, respectively; women 0.5 µg/dL and 0.4 µg/dL, respectively). Job control was positively associated with cortisol levels measured in all sessions, after adjusting for confounding factors (standardized beta 0.15, 0.21, and 0.18 for pre-session, post-stressful-tasks, and post-relaxation, respectively, all p < 0.05). Men with low support from coworkers had higher cortisol levels than those with high support through the sessions (0.6 µg/dL and 0.4 µg/dL, respectively). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic disparity according to occupational status was related to cortisol levels in Japanese workers. Support from coworkers may be effective for reducing cortisol secretion in men.

Andropause symptoms and sickness absence in Japanese male workers: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between andropause symptoms and sickness absence in Japanese male workers over 2 years. METHODS: A baseline survey asking about andropause symptoms, along with blood sampling for testosterone level, was conducted in June 2009. A total of 418 men (mean age = 52.4 years, SD = 8.6) participated and were followed through 2011. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sickness absence were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 31 of 35 participants who took sickness absences had physical illnesses. A higher andropause symptom score was associated with an increased risk of sickness absence. Testosterone deficiency (<350 ng/dL) was not associated with sickness absence. Among the subscales of andropause symptoms, the somatic symptom score was positively associated with sickness absence, whereas testosterone deficiency combined with high sexual symptoms was not associated with sickness absence. Results were similar when limited to sickness absence because of physical illness. No significant interaction between andropause symptoms and testosterone deficiency was found. CONCLUSIONS: Non-specific andropause symptoms unrelated to testosterone deficiency were positively associated with sickness absence.

Association Between Cortisol to DHEA-s Ratio and Sickness Absence in Japanese Male Workers.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between serum levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-s) and sickness absence over 2 years in Japanese male workers. METHOD: A baseline survey including questions about health behavior, along with blood sampling for cortisol and DHEA-s, was conducted in 2009. In total, 429 men (mean ± SD age, 52.9 ± 8.6 years) from whom blood samples were collected at baseline were followed until December 31, 2011. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for sickness absence were calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Among 35 workers who took sickness absences, 31 had physical illness. A high cortisol to DHEA-s ratio increased the risk of sickness absence (crude HR = 2.68, 95% CI 1.12-6.41; adjusted HR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.35-8.20). The cortisol to DHEA-s ratio was linearly associated with an increased risk of sickness absence (p for trend < .050). Single effects of cortisol and DHEA-s levels were not associated with sickness absences. This trend did not change when limited to absences resulting from physical illness. CONCLUSION: Hormonal conditions related to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and adrenal function should be considered when predicting sickness absence. The cortisol to DHEA-s ratio may be more informative than single effects of cortisol and DHEA-s levels.

Modification Effects of Changes in Job Demands on Associations Between Changes in Testosterone Levels and Andropause Symptoms: 2-Year Follow-up Study in Male Middle-Aged Japanese Workers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to ascertain if changes in job demands modify associations between changes in testosterone levels and andropause symptoms in male Japanese workers. METHOD: A baseline survey including job demands and the Aging Males' Symptoms scale, lifestyle factors, and blood levels of testosterone was conducted in 2007. Among 192 men (mean age ± SD 52.2 ± 7.6 years) who completed all relevant questionnaires and provided blood at baseline, 104 men (50.9 ± 7.2 years) were followed up in 2009. Changes of variables in 2 years were calculated (data of follow-up minus those of baseline). RESULTS: Testosterone levels were increased significantly, whereas job demands and somatic symptoms were reduced significantly, at follow-up. Changes in testosterone levels were negatively associated with changes in total andropause symptoms, psychological symptoms, and sexual symptoms (standardized ß = -0.27, -0.24, and, -0.29, p < 0.05, respectively), after adjustment for confounders. Changes in job demands were positively associated with changes in somatic symptoms (standardized ß = 0.21, p < 0.05). Significant interactions of changes in testosterone levels and job demands were noted for changes in psychological symptoms (standardized ß = 0.26, p < 0.05). For men with a 1-SD reduction in job demands, negative associations between changes in testosterone levels and psychological symptoms were intensified, but not for men with a 1-SD increase in job demands. CONCLUSION: Andropause symptoms may be affected by changes in testosterone levels and job demands. Change in job demands may modify associations between changes in testosterone levels and andropause symptoms.

Job stress and agentic-communal personality traits related to serum cortisol levels of male workers in a Japanese medium-sized company: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although serum cortisol is a widely accepted index of stress levels, associations between job stress and cortisol levels have been inconsistent. Individual differences in personality traits were discussed as one compelling explanation for this discrepancy. Agentic-communal personality traits have been examined as possible predictive factors for psychological stress. PURPOSE: This study investigated correlations among agentic-communal personality traits and serum cortisol levels. It was also investigated whether job stress levels modified correlations between agentic-communal personality and cortisol levels. METHODS: Participants were 198 male workers (mean age = 52.2 years) employed by a shipbuilding company in Japan. Questionnaire data and blood samples were collected during an annual health checkup. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire that included the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) that assesses job control as job stress levels the Communion-Agency scale (CAS) and questions regarding health behaviors. RESULTS: Communion positively correlated with serum cortisol levels and unmitigated agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels. Stratified by job control, communion positively correlated with serum cortisol levels and agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels in participants with low levels of job control. Unmitigated agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels in participants with high levels of job control. CONCLUSION: Levels of job control may modify correlations of gender-related personality with serum cortisol levels. Especially with exposure to high job stress, male workers with high femininity (i.e., high communion and low agency) were more likely to have a high stress response as measured by serum cortisol levels.

Menopausal status in relation to cardiovascular stress reactivity in healthy Japanese participants.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that postmenopausal women demonstrate greater cardiovascular stress reactivity during mental stress tasks than do both premenopausal women and men. METHODS: The study included 979 Japanese participants (338 men and 641 women [238 postmenopausal]) aged 16 to 82 years. Blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and peripheral blood flow were measured at rest and during a mirror drawing stress task and a maze task. Differences between measured variables during tasks and at rest were calculated and considered to represent reactivity to stress. Analyses were adjusted for age and other potential confounding factors. RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple factors, significant group effects were found for systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, low-frequency (LF), LF/high-frequency, and peripheral blood flow (effect size: partial η = 0.015, 0.011, 0.013, 0.013, 0.008, and 0.009, respectively). Postmenopausal women were more reactive than men to stress for SBP (15.4 ± 0.8 versus 11.7 ± 0.6 mm Hg), diastolic blood pressure (10.4 ± 0.6 versus 8.0 ± 0.5 mm Hg), heart rate (2.7 ± 0.5 versus 0.7 ± 0.4 beats/min), LF (23.0 ± 5.2 versus 3.2 ± 3.8 ms/Hz), and peripheral blood flow (-39.0 ± 3.8 versus -25.9 ± 2.8 Laser Doppler Perfusion Units) and more reactive than premenopausal women (p < .050) for SBP (15.4 ± 0.8 versus. 12.4 ± 0.5 mm Hg) and LF/high-frequency (1.7 ± 0.1 versus 1.3 ± 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal Japanese women evidenced greater cardiovascular stress reactivity during mental stress tasks than did Japanese men or premenopausal women. Cardiovascular hyperreactivity could play a role in the higher risks of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women.

Association between work environment changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and post-traumatic stress disorder in Japanese workers during the emergency declaration.

Aim: This study investigated the association between COVID-19 pandemic-related work environment changes and suspected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Japanese workers. Methods: A web survey of 1104 workers was conducted in Japan between February 24 and March 2, 2021. The Japanese version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and questions regarding work environments and COVID-19 pandemic-related lifestyle changes were used. Results: PTSD was suspected in 19.7% of respondents and was significantly higher in men (22.2%) than in women (17.2%). Being older and having an independent business were associated with decreased suspected PTSD risk. Longer online work hours, decreased sleep duration, and alcoholism were associated with increased suspected PTSD risk. When stratified by sex, long online work hours and fewer years of service were associated with increased suspected PTSD risk in men. An association between alcoholism and suspected PTSD was also observed in men. Younger age and decreased sleep duration were significantly associated with suspected PTSD in women. Conclusion: Younger men with shorter work service duration were particularly vulnerable to pandemic-related PTSD, emphasizing the risks associated with long online work hours and alcoholism in men. Decreased sleep duration was a PTSD predictor in both sexes, suggesting its importance in PTSD prevention strategies for workers.

Maternal Autistic Traits and Adverse Birth Outcomes.

Importance: Women with a high level of autistic traits in the general population may experience larger health disparities during pregnancy, particularly women diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which in turn may be associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. Objective: To investigate the association between maternal autistic traits and the risk of adverse birth outcomes in the general population. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included mothers of singletons from a nationwide, multicenter prospective birth cohort, the Japan Environmental Children's Study. Expecting mothers were recruited between January 2011 and March 2014. Data were analyzed between June 2021 and November 2023. Exposures: Autistic traits were self-reported during the second and third trimesters using the short form of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version (AQ-J10) (score range, 0-10; clinical range, ≥7). Main Outcomes and Measures: Data on preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation) and neonates born small for gestational age (SGA) were transcribed from medical records. Additional analysis of gestational age groups (very preterm birth, <32 weeks' gestation; moderate-to-late preterm birth, 32-36 weeks' gestation) was also performed. Results: Among 87 687 women (mean [SD] age, 31.2 [5.0] years) included in the study, 2350 (2.7%) had AQ-J10 scores within the clinical range yet only 18 (0.02%) were diagnosed with ASD. A higher AQ-J10 score was associated with an increased risk of all birth outcomes, including preterm births (relative risk [RR] per 1-SD increase, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.09), moderate-to-late preterm births (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08), very preterm births (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26), and child born SGA (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06) after adjusting for maternal and pregnancy-related factors. The risks of all outcomes increased with higher AQ-J10 scores; compared with women below the clinical range, women within the clinical range had greater risk of preterm births (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.07-1.26), moderate-to-late preterm births (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03-1.22), very preterm births (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.18-1.89), and a child born SGA (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.19). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, higher level of maternal autistic traits was associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, particularly very preterm birth. Acknowledging the risks and providing tailored and timely antenatal care support to women with a high level of autistic traits in the general population, particularly women with autistic traits within the clinical range, regardless of formal diagnosis, is warranted.

Effects of lavender aroma on sleep quality in healthy Japanese students.

This single-blind randomized study investigated the effectiveness of lavender aroma on quality of sleep in healthy Japanese students. The data of seven participants (2 men, 5 women) in the intervention group and eight participants (3 men, 5 women) in the control group were analyzed (M age = 19.0 yr., SD = 0.9). The total procedure comprised 3 days for pre-intervention assessment, 5 days for the intervention, and 3 days for post-intervention assessment. Lavender exposure was compared with the absence of lavender (control). Information regarding the relaxing effect of aromas was provided to examine expectancy effects. Results showed that lavender aroma improved sleepiness at awakening after the intervention. Sex differences and daily variation in quality of sleep during the intervention period were not observed. The findings suggest that nighttime exposure to lavender aroma relieves sleepiness at awakening.

Associations of testosterone and cortisol concentrations with sleep quality in Japanese male workers.

Low testosterone concentrations are associated with disrupted sleep, and high levels of cortisol, which is elevated in response to stress, lead to insomnia. This study aimed to investigate the associations of testosterone and cortisol concentrations with sleep quality and to examine potential interactions between them in Japanese working men. This study was a cross-sectional design, and testosterone and cortisol concentrations in blood were the exposure variables and sleep parameters were the outcome variables. The Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to measure sleep quality, and it included the total duration of sleep, time in bed (TIB), and sleep efficacy. We included 178 men (mean age = 49.1 years, standard deviation = 9.0) who completed all components in the questionnaire related to sleep and provided blood samples. Testosterone and cortisol concentrations were negatively associated with TIB (standardized beta = -0.15 and -0.24, p < 0.05, respectively), while only testosterone concentrations were positively associated with sleep efficacy (standardized beta = 0.15, p < 0.05). An interaction effect of testosterone and cortisol was significant for TIB and sleep efficacy (standardized beta for interaction term = 0.40, p < 0.001 and -0.22, p = 0.012, respectively). When stratified by cortisol concentrations, the associations between testosterone concentrations and sleep parameters were modified. Our findings suggest that associations between testosterone concentrations and sleep parameters are stronger at low cortisol concentrations, but not at high cortisol concentrations. High cortisol concentrations may diminish associations between low testosterone concentrations and diminished sleep efficacy.

Associations between salivary testosterone levels and cognitive function among 70-year-old Japanese elderly: A cross-sectional analysis of the SONIC study.

AIM: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between salivary testosterone concentrations and cognitive function in 70-year-old Japanese elderly people without dementia and stroke. METHODS: Participants were 197 Japanese community-dwelling people aged 69-71 years. Their salivary samples were collected, and their cognitive function was assessed using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J). Participants were also administered a 10-item recall and a 24-item recognition test. The data for 179 (106 men and 73 women) individuals were analyzed, excluding individuals with a past history of stroke and dementia. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed after adjusting for lifestyle factors and analyzing data separately for men and women. RESULTS: MoCA-J scores showed that men with low testosterone concentrations had a significantly greater risk of low cognitive performance than those with high testosterone concentrations (adjusted odds ratio: 4.72, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-21.00), while no significant association was found in women. The 10-item recall test scores showed that higher testosterone concentrations were significantly associated with greater recall in the second trial in women (standardized beta = 0.24, P = 0.040), whereas no significant association was found in men. Salivary testosterone concentrations were positively associated with better cognitive performance in older men and women. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between salivary testosterone concentrations and cognitive function were shown by different tasks for men and women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 1040-1046.

Associations Between Broader Autism Phenotype and Dietary Intake: A Cross-Sectional Study (Japan Environment & Children's Study).

The purpose of the present study was to investigate associations of dietary intake including vitamin D, folate, and n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in pregnant women with broad autism phenotype (BAP). The Japan Environment and Children's Study is a government-funded birth cohort study. All complete data of 92,011 were analyzed. The Japanese version of the Autism Spectrum Quotient was used to assess mothers' BAP level, and a food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate their dietary intake. Mothers with BAP consumed less vegetables, fruits, and fish and shellfish, and they consumed lower folate, vitamin C, vitamin D, and n-3 PUFA than their counterparts. Dietary intervention should be considered for pregnant women with high BAP scores.

Job stress factors measured by Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and sickness absence among Japanese workers: A longitudinal study.

This study aimed to investigate associations between Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ)-measured job stress factors and sickness absence in Japanese workers. Among 551 healthy, employed Japanese men and women (age range: 21-73 years) who underwent mental health examinations at the Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion between 2006 and 2009, 197 (67 men, 130 women) consented to participate in this study. Their sickness absences until the end of March 2010 were then followed-up via postal mail survey, with 112 participants effectively responding to the question on sickness absence (56.9%). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for age, sex, and lifestyle factors. Among the 112 respondents, 12 took sickness absence after their study entry, as found during the mean 2.3 years of follow-up (258.8 person-years). Among all sickness absences, those of eight participants were because of mental illness. Physical demands were positively associated with increased risks of all sickness absence (adjusted HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.01-7.64). Physical demands were predictive for all sickness absence, and should be alleviated at workplaces to prevent such absence.

Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress associated with sickness absence among Japanese men and women: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate associations between cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress and sickness absence among Japanese male and female workers, in a prospective study. METHODS: Among healthy employed Japanese workers who underwent mental health checks between 2006 and 2009, data of 111 participants were analyzed. Changes in blood pressure, pulse rate, peripheral blood flow (PBF), and heart rate variability (HRV) (high frequency [HF] and low frequency [LF]) were calculated using differences between the two tasks, mirror drawing stress [MDS] and a maze task, and the postperiod value. Sickness absence through March 2010 was followed up by mail survey (average follow-up 2.3 years). Logistic regression analysis was used, adjusting for lifestyle factors. RESULTS: Among 12 participants who took sickness absences, eight were owing to mental problems. Changes in the LF during the MDS and maze tasks and LF-to-HF ratio during the MDS task were positively associated with all sickness absences (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.09, 1.03-4.22; 2.04, 1.09-3.82; and 3.10, 1.46-6.58, respectively). Changes in PBF during the MDS task were also associated with increased risk of sickness absence (OR, 95% CI: 2.53, 1.10-5.81). CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress should be considered at workers' health checks.

Occupation and plasma fibrinogen in Japanese male and female workers: the Jichi Medical School Cohort study.

This study explored the association between socioeconomic indices and plasma fibrinogen levels in Japanese male and female workers. Occupational category (white-collar vs. blue-collar) and position (manager vs. non-manager) were examined as relevant socioeconomic indices. The study population was a total of 1677 male and 1747 female workers aged 65 and younger taken from the Jichi Medical School Cohort study, a multicenter study designed to explore cardiovascular risk factors in the Japanese population. The association between socioeconomic indices and plasma fibrinogen levels was examined after taking into account several variables such as age, educational attainment, job strain, alcohol consumption, and smoking status and (for women) menopause status. Male white-collar workers had significantly lower fibrinogen levels than blue-collar workers. However, no significant association was found between occupational position and plasma fibrinogen for men. Occupational category interacted with occupational position for women. Among white-collar women, those in non-managerial positions showed higher levels of fibrinogen than those in managerial positions; among blue-collar women, there was no such difference. The association of occupational category and position on fibrinogen levels varied as a function of gender, implying that gender-specific socioeconomic differences could exist in cardiovascular risks in Japanese workers.

Associations between broader autism phenotype (BAP) and maternal attachment are moderated by maternal postpartum depression when infants are one month old: A prospective study of the Japan environment & children's study.

BACKGROUND: Broader autism phenotype (BAP) refers to the expression of behavioral and cognitive dispositions similar to autism spectrum disorder. The present study investigated whether mothers' BAP was prospectively associated with maternal attachment, and if postpartum depression modified this association. METHODS: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) is a national and government-funded birth cohort study that began in January 2011. Among the 103,099 mothers enrolled, 87,369 mothers without a history of depression were included in the analysis. Self-administered questionnaires were used. These included: the Japanese version of the Autism Spectrum Quotient, the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The BAP during the second or third trimester of pregnancy was linearly associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression and insecure maternal attachment when infants were one month old (p for trend < 0.001), after adjusting for confounding variables. When stratified by postpartum depression, among the BAP subscales, deficiencies in social skills and communication were associated with an increased risk of insecure maternal attachment in mothers without postpartum depression. The relationships between the BAP subscales and maternal attachment were attenuated among mothers with postpartum depression. LIMITATIONS: Only five items of the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale were used in the present study, and thus the results should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers' BAP was predictive of insecure maternal attachment toward their infant. Postpartum depression partially moderated the associations between mothers' BAP and insecure maternal attachment.

Rationality/anti-emotionality personality and dietary habits in a community population in Japan.

BACKGROUND: There are no strong and consistent predictors of dietary habits although some associations have been shown with psychological factors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between the rationality and anti-emotionality (R/A) personality and dietary consumption in a Japanese community. METHODS: The Takayama study is a community-based cohort study on diet and cancer in Gifu, Japan, and was initiated on September 1, 1992. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on dietary and lifestyle data. The consumption of 169 food and beverage items was measured along with portion size by using a food frequency questionnaire. Questions regarding the R/A-personality scale and lifestyle habits were included in the questionnaire. The participants were 28077 adults (13082 males and 14995 females) aged 35 years and over. RESULTS: Both males and females with high R/A-personality scores (i.e., high degree of rational thought and emotional repression) consumed more soy products, green and yellow vegetables, other vegetables, and seaweed than the other participants. Males with high R/A-personality scores drank fewer alcoholic beverages, and females with high scores were found to snack less on sweet and salty foods than the other participants. Males with high R/A-personality scores showed higher consumption of meat and dairy products, and females with high scores showed higher consumption of fish, shellfish, and eggs than those with low R/A-personality scores. CONCLUSION: The R/A-personality scale may differentiate dietary habits in males and females in a Japanese community.

Job strain and smoking cessation among Japanese male employees: a two-year follow-up study.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the association between job strain and smoking cessation among Japanese male employees. In 1997, a baseline questionnaire was given to 2,625 (2,113 males and 512 females) employees of an electronics firm in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The self-administered questionnaire was a set of questions on smoking habits and consisted of items on socio-demographic variables and smoking habits, including the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). The JCQ consists of scales of job control, job demand, supervisory support, coworker support, job insecurity, physical demands, and isometric load. A total of 733 male smokers were then followed for 2 years, with 446 completing a follow-up questionnaire in 1999 (follow-up rate, 61%). Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between job strain and smoking cessation. Among the 446 participants, 38 had quit smoking. After adjusting for age ((odds ratio: OR) = 0.38, 95% (contidence interval: CI) = 0.15-0.94), men with a high level of physical demands at baseline showed a lower smoking cessation rate at follow-up than did those with a low level. However, when adjustments were made for age and other socio-demographic variables, the odds ratio of smoking cessation showed marginal significance (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.16-1.29). There was no significant association between other job strain variables and smoking cessation at the 2-year follow-up. No significant association was found between job strain and change in the number of smoked cigarettes per day. The present study did not support the hypothesis that higher levels of job stressors are associated with a lower rate of smoking cessation among men.

Effects of communication skills on stress responses while speaking Japanese and English.

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of communication skills on stress responses, such as physiological (blink and heart rate), emotional (state of anxiety and mood), and behavioral responses (smiling and expressing an opinion) in stressful communication situations, specifically answering questions and giving a speech in Japanese and English. Participants were 32 students (16 men and 16 women; Mage = 19.5 yr., SD = 1.3) attending a Japanese university. A high communication skills group was selected from the upper tertile scores of the Social Skills Inventory, and a low communication skills group was selected from the lower tertile scores. Analysis indicated that individuals who had high communication skills performed without heart-rate increase and with more positive attitude during stressful communication tasks. Individuals who had low communication skills displayed higher anxiety prior to the experiment than those who had high communication skills.