Search

Although it is generally believed that frequent lateness might lead to absenteeism, the evidence for this has not been ascertained. We investigated the relationship between earlier lateness and subsequent absenteeism in a three-year longitudinal study in a public junior high school in Japan. The participants were 263 students (124 males, 139 females) whose school records were available for three consecutive academic years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that students who had been late for 30 or more days during their 1st year of junior high school were significantly more likely to show absenteeism during 2nd and 3rd year than students who had been late less than 30 days. Cox's proportional hazards regression model confirmed that frequent lateness was the only significant predictor, after controlling socio-demographics and psychosocial variables including stressors at school and stress responses. The substantial linkage of frequent lateness to absenteeism found in this study suggests the necessity of paying more attention to lateness for the prevention of absenteeism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Little is known about the cortisol awakening response (CAR) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, we examined the CAR in children with ADHD and their mothers before, immediately after, and 4 months after an intensive summer treatment program (STP). Methods Participants were 37 children aged 7–12 years who completed the STP in 2009 and 2010, and their mothers. Daily saliva samples for cortisol measurement were collected twice daily at awakening and 30 min afterwards at pre-STP, post-STP, and during a follow-up measurement period. ADHD symptom scores were evaluated by parents, and participants completed the Kid-KINDL R QOL questionnaire. Results CAR was low in children with ADHD before the STP, and increased to the control range 4 months after STP. Maternal CAR also tended to increase after STP. Changes in the CAR in children tended to correlate with an improved ADHD inattention scores ( p = 0.091), physical health ( p = 0.070), and school life subscales scores in the Kid-KINDL R ( p = 0.079). Conclusion We demonstrated that STP improved the behavior and QOL of children with ADHD. Our results indicate that STP could lead to improvements in HPA axis function, as reflected by increased CAR after STP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental trajectories of attention, short-term memory, and working memory in school-aged children using a 10 min test battery of cognitive function. Methods Participants comprised 144 typically developing children (TDC) aged 7–12 years and 24 healthy adults, divided according to age into seven groups (12 males and 12 females for each age group). Participants were assessed using CogHealth, which is a computer-based measure composed of five tasks. We measured attention, short-term memory, and working memory (WM) with visual stimulation. Each task was analyzed for age-related differences in reaction time and accuracy rate. Results Attention tasks were faster in stages from the age of 7–10 years. Accuracy rate of short-term memory gradually increased from 12 years of age and suddenly increased and continued to increase at 22 years of age. Accuracy rate of working memory increased until 12 years of age. Correlations were found between the ages and reaction time, and between ages and accuracy rate of the tasks. Conclusion These results indicate that there were rapid improvements in attention, short-term memory, and WM performance between 7 and 10 years of age followed by gradual improvement until 12 years of age. Increase in short-term memory continued until 22 years of age. In our experience CogHealth was an easy and useful measure for the evaluation of cognitive function in school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is generally believed that frequent lateness might lead to absenteeism, the evidence for this has not been ascertained. We investigated the relationship between earlier lateness and subsequent absenteeism in a three-year longitudinal study in a public junior high school in Japan. The participants were 263 students (124 males, 139 females) whose school records were available for three consecutive academic years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that students who had been late for 30 or more days during their 1st year of junior high school were significantly more likely to show absenteeism during 2nd and 3rd year than students who had been late less than 30 days. Cox's proportional hazards regression model confirmed that frequent lateness was the only significant predictor, after controlling socio-demographics and psychosocial variables including stressors at school and stress responses. The substantial linkage of frequent lateness to absenteeism found in this study suggests the necessity of paying more attention to lateness for the prevention of absenteeism.

In 2005 we established the first American-style summer treatment program (STP) for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) located outside North America. This program was based on methods established by professor Pelham and has been used in a number of studies and at a number of sites in the USA. A total of 137 children diagnosed with ADHD, ranging in age from 6 to 12 years, participated in at least one of five annual summer treatment programs in Kurume city, Japan, during 2005-2009. The duration of the STP was 2 weeks in 2005, 2008, and 2009; 3 weeks in 2006 and 2007. A set of evidence-based behavioral modification techniques comprising the STP behavioral program (e.g., point system, daily report card, positive reinforcement, time out) was used. We also assessed the cognitive function of individual children before and after STP using the CogState(R) batteries. Every year, regardless of the duration of the STP, most children showed positive behavioral changes in multiple domains of functioning, demonstrated by significant improvement in points earned daily, which reflect behavior frequencies. Cognitive functions, particularly the rate of anticipatory errors in executive function, significantly improved after the STP, suggesting that STP has positive effects not only on behavioral aspects but also on some cognitive functions. Further studies are necessary to confirm this finding by studying sequential cognitive function of age-matched children who do not attend STP., (Copyright © 2010 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We reported the results of the 3-week summer treatment program (STP) for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2006. The STP was based on methods established by Professor Pelham in Buffalo, NY and has been used in a number of studies and at a number of sites in the U.S. This is the first STP outside North America. Thirty-six children age 6-12 years with ADHD participated. The collection of evidence-based behavioral modification techniques that comprises the STP's behavioral program (e.g., point system, daily report card, positive reinforcement, time out) was used. Most children showed positive behavioral changes in multiple domains of functioning, demonstrated by significant improvement in points earned daily, which reflect behavior frequencies. Only one child with ADHD co-morbid with pervasive developmental disorder required an individualized program for excessive time outs. The ADHD rating scale, symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, and hyperactivity/inattention in Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires evaluated by parents significantly improved after STP. Although the 3-week STP was much shorter than most STPs run in the U.S., the program is more intensive than typical outpatient treatment, providing 105h of intervenion in 3 weeks. The short-term effect of the STP was demonstrated for Japanese children with ADHD., (2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)