Rie Toriyama

Physical Objects as Vehicles of Cultural Transmission Maintaining Harmony and Uniqueness Through Colored Geometric Patterns

We examined how cultural values of harmony and uniqueness are represented and maintained through physical media (i.e., colorings of geometric patterns) and how individuals play an active role in selecting and maintaining such cultural values. We found that colorings produced by European American adults and children were judged as more unique, whereas colorings produced by Japanese adults and children were judged as more harmonious, reflecting cultural differences in values. Harmony undergirded Japanese participants’ preferences for colorings, whereas uniqueness undergirded European American participants’ preferences for colorings. These cultural differences led participants to prefer own-culture colorings over other-culture colorings. Moreover, bicultural participants’ preferences acculturated according to their identification with their host culture. Furthermore, child rearers in Japan and Canada gave feedback about the children’s colorings that were consistent with their culture’s values. These findings suggest that simple geometric patterns can embody cultural values that are socialized and reinforced from an early age.

Enuresis and hyperactivity-inattention in early adolescence: Findings from a population-based survey in Tokyo (Tokyo Early Adolescence Survey).

Background Enuresis (9% at age 9.5) negatively affects children’s psychosocial status. Clinically-diagnosed enuresis (2% at the age) is associated with hyperactivity-inattention, and common neural bases have been postulated to underlie this association. It is, however, unclear whether this association is applicable to enuresis overall among the general population of early adolescents when considered comorbid behavioral problems. We aimed to examine whether enuresis correlates with hyperactivity-inattention after controlling for the effects of other behavioral problems. Methods Participants were 4,478 children (mean age 10.2 ± 0.3 years old) and their parents from the Tokyo Early Adolescence Survey (T-EAS), a population-representative cross-sectional study conducted in Tokyo, Japan conducted from 2012 to 2015. Children’s enuresis and behavioral problems, including hyperactivity-inattention (as measured by the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire), were examined using parent-reporting questionnaires. Multivariate linear regression was used to explore whether enuresis predicts hyperactivity-inattention. Results The hyperactivity-inattention score was significantly higher in the enuretic group than the non-enuretic group (enuretic: M (SD) = 3.8 (2.3), non-enuretic: M (SD) = 3.0 (2.1), Hedge’s g = 0.39, p < .001). This association remained significant even after controlling for other behavioral problems and including sex, age, intelligence quotient (IQ), low birth weight and parents’ education (β = .054 [95% CI: .028–.080], p < .001). Conclusions Enuresis was independently associated with hyperactivity-inattention in early adolescents among general population even when other behavioral problems were considered. These results suggest that, as with clinically-diagnosed cases, enuresis may predict need for screening and psychosocial support for hyperactivity-inattention.

The Association of Current Violence from Adult Family Members with Adolescent Bullying Involvement and Suicidal Feelings.

Although several studies have reported that child physical abuse increased the risk for bullying involvement, the effect of current violence from adult family members (CVA) on bullying involvement and suicidal feelings among adolescents has not been sufficiently examined. This study investigated the association of CVA with adolescent bullying involvement and the interaction effect of CVA and bullying involvement on suicidal feelings. This cross-sectional study used data from a school-based survey with a general population of adolescents (grades 7 to 12). Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire completed by 17,530 students. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association of CVA with adolescent bullying involvement and suicidal feelings. The overall response rate was 90.2%. The odds of students being characterized as bullies, victims, and bully-victims were higher among adolescents with CVA than without CVA (odds ratios (OR) = 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI), [2.3–3.7], 4.6 [3.6–5.8], and 5.8 [4.4–7.6], respectively). Both CVA (OR = 3.4 [95% CI 2.7–4.3]) and bullying (bullies, victims, and bully-victims; OR = 2.0 [95% CI 1.6–2.6], 4.0 [3.1–5.1], 4.1 [3.0–5.6], respectively), were associated with increased odds of current suicidal feelings after adjusting for confounding factors. Furthermore, positive additive effects of CVA and all three types of bullying involvement on suicidal feelings were found. For example, bully-victims with CVA had about 19-fold higher odds of suicidal feelings compared with uninvolved adolescents without CVA. This study, although correlational, suggested that CVA avoidance might prevent bullying involvement and suicidal feelings in adolescents.

Disciplinary slapping is associated with bullying involvement regardless of warm parenting in early adolescence

INTRODUCTION Bullying among adolescents can cause depression and suicidality. Identifying the risk factors for bullying in early adolescence, when its prevalence tends to increase, would assist in its prevention. Although certain parenting styles are known to be associated with bullying, the association of slapping as a parental disciplinary practice with early adolescent bullying is not sufficiently understood. Furthermore, little is known about how warm parenting modifies this association although slapping and warm parenting are not mutually exclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of slapping with the experience of early adolescent bullying--categorized in terms of victims, bullies, and bully-victims--while considering how warm parenting modifies this association. METHODS This study used data from the Tokyo Early Adolescence Survey, a cross-sectional survey of 4478 children aged 10 from the general population. Data were collected from both children and their primary parent using self-administered questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Responses from 4326 participants with no missing data were usable for the current analysis (mean age,  10.2 ± 0.3 years; 53 % boys). RESULTS Frequent and occasional slapping was associated with increased odds of youth being identified as bullies or bully-victims, even after adjusting for warm parenting. The likelihood of being victims, bullies or bully-victims increased as the frequency of slapping increased. CONCLUSION Disciplinary slapping was associated with increased odds of bullying in early adolescence, regardless of whether warm parenting was present or not.