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Background Experimental/correlational studies have consistently demonstrated that the contents of an individual's goals play an important role within future motivations, learning processes, and outcomes. Aims The aim of the study was to extend past findings by employing a three-point, cross-lagged latent simultaneous structural model in the examination of the role of intrinsic/extrinsic goals' effects on key proximal motivations, learning variables, and achievement in the context of a Japanese university. Sample This study consisted of first-year students within seven departments, attending one university ( n = 584). Methods Employing three data points, separated by 8 and 7 months, this study tests the effects of students' instrumental goals on future motivations, approaches to learning and learning outcomes. Three goals were the focus of this study: Distal internally regulated, distal externally regulated, and proximal externally regulated. Internally regulated goals were hypothesized to be broadly adaptive, while externally regulated goals were hypothesized to be maladaptive. Results Findings reflected the broad importance of internal regulation for goals. Internally regulated goals positively predicted mastery goals and negatively predicted task valuation and effort belief deficits 8 months later. While not predicting achievement directly, internally regulated goals were the strongest predictor of future deep approaches to learning despite the lag of 15 months. Proximal externally regulated goals had no significant cross-lagged effects, and distal externally regulated goals had a negative predictive effect on future deep approaches to learning. Conclusions This study extends intrinsic/extrinsic goal research both within education broadly and in the context of Japan. Furthermore, instrumental goals were found to play important roles supporting students in overcoming future motivation deficits and the pursuit of deep approaches to learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluated the impact of a preventive intervention program focused on self-understanding and interpersonal interactions to prevent psychosocial distress among Japanese university students. Two hundred and twenty-two undergraduate students were divided into a treatment group and a control group to complete Time 1 and Time 2 surveys. The intervention program included eleven weekly sessions covering self-understanding, self-control, interpersonal relationships, problem solving, conflict resolution, and stress management. Both female and male students in the treatment group reported a significant increase in social self-efficacy in interpersonal relationships from Time 1 to Time 2, but no significant changes were noted in the control group. Anxiety significantly decreased from Time 1 to Time 2, and no difference in depression was noted in the female treatment group, although anxiety and depression significantly increased in the female control group. The intervention program effectively prevented some aspects of psychosocial distress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The onset of IBS is in adolescence in many cases. However, the features of adolescent IBS were generally lacking. The objective of this research was to know the features of adolescent IBS in Japan. In 2004 and 2009, we randomly selected Junior high school students in Miyagi prefecture, Japan, according to population of each area. Eight hundred thirty-three boys and 888 girls (age: 15 years old) in 2004 and 256 boys and 335 girls (age: 14 years old) in 2009 participated in this study. They fulfilled self-reported questionnaires those include Rome-II Modular Questionnaire, Self-reported IBS Questionnaire, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Short Form-36 ver.2, other questions on their lives and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. The prevalence of adolescent IBS was 14.6% in 2004 and 19% in 2009. Compare with students without abdominal symptoms, IBS showed lower health-related QOL and self-efficacy and complained more sleep disturbance, traumatic episodes and perceived stress in both researches. IBS girls were worse in both physical and psychological aspects. They also have alexithymic tendency and it influenced on severity of IBS symptoms. Adolescent IBS had almost the same prevalence as adult IBS, however the rate of IBS subtypes was different. They also had psychological problems in addition to physical conditions even though most of them were non-consulters. Improvement of self-efficacy and alxithymia may help to prevent and treat IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore the phenomenon of empowerment cross-culturally by comparing the situations in which nursing students from the United Kingdom and Japan experienced empowerment and disempowerment in clinical practice. Background. Empowerment has been the focus of many studies, but most focus on the experience of Registered Nurses and few have explored the phenomenon crossculturally. Method. This was a cross-cultural, comparative study using the critical incident technique. Anonymous written data were collected from nursing students in Japan and United Kingdom between November 2005 and January 2006. Japanese data were translated and back-translated. Analysis of the transcripts revealed three themes: Learning in Practice, Team Membership, Power. Findings. Nursing students in these countries are exposed to different educational and clinical environments, but their experiences of empowerment and disempowerment are similar. For both, learning in practice, team membership and power are associated with either empowerment or disempowerment; depending on the context. United Kingdom students are aware of the importance of acting as patient advocates, although they cannot always find the voice to perform this. Japanese students however, appear to be unaware of the concept of advocacy. Conclusion. Student nurse empowerment may transcend cultural differences, and learning in practice, team membership and power may be important for the empowerment of nursing students globally. Further cross-cultural exploration is required into the association between advocacy and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]