The impact of COVID-19 on the psychological distress of youths in Japan: A latent growth curve analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study expands on previous studies that have investigated the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on mental health in two ways. We first model the change in mental health, then examine the various factors that predict changes in psychological distress. METHOD: Longitudinal surveys were conducted once each in 2015, 2017, and 2019 on mothers and their children born between April 2000 and March 2001 (n = 1854), and three times in 2020 (February, July, and December) on the children in Japan. A latent growth curve model with four time points from December 2019 to December 2020 was used to depict the changes in the psychological distress of youths and to examine the factor associated with the level and change in psychological distress. RESULTS: The psychological distress of youths increased from December 2019 to July 2020, especially among female youths, then decreased in December 2020. Initial health status and psychological traits were related to the initial level of psychological distress, but not the change. Gender was not related to the initial level of psychological distress but an increase in distress. CONCLUSION: Although the effect size was small, gender was related to changes in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors, such as health-related characteristics and personality traits, were associated with the level of distress before the pandemic but could not explain the changes in distress during the pandemic.

Declining association with persistent gender asymmetric structure: patterns and trends in educational assortative marriage in Japan, 1950-1979.

This paper investigates the patterns and trends of educational assortative marriage in Japan. Using data from the Employment Status Survey and the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions of the People on Health and Welfare, we investigated the trends of association between husbands' and wives' educational attainment (481,144 couples) by applying log-linear, log-multiplicative layer effects, and regression-type models. The analysis revealed that, in general, educational assortative marriage has decreased continuously. In terms of the log-odds ratios, the association of educational attainment between spouses for women born between 1975 and 1979 decreased by about 25%, in comparison with that of women born between 1950 and 1954. The regressiontype models showed that the pattern of association was asymmetric while patterns of change were symmetric with respect to sex. We discuss what caused the decline in educational assortative marriage with a persistent gender asymmetric structure.

Determinants of High-School Dropout: A Longitudinal Study in a Deprived Area of Japan.

BACKGROUND: Our objective in this study was to find determinants of high-school dropout in a deprived area of Japan using longitudinal data, including socio-demographic and junior high school-period information. METHODS: We followed 695 students who graduated the junior high school located in a deprived area of Japan between 2002 and 2010 for 3 years after graduation (614 students: follow-up rate, 88.3%). Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to calculate the prevalence ratios (PRs) for high-school dropout, using multiple imputation (MI) to account for non-response at follow-up. RESULTS: The MI model estimated that 18.7% of students dropped out of high school in approximately 3 years. In the covariates-adjusted model, three factors were significantly associated with high-school dropout: ≥10 days of tardy arrival in junior high school (PR 6.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-24.6 for "10-29 days of tardy arrival" and PR 8.01; 95% CI, 2.05-31.3 for "≥30 days of tardy arrival" compared with "0 day of tardy arrival"), daily smoking (PR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.41-2.86) and severe problems, such as abuse and neglect (PR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.16-2.39). Among students with ≥30 days of tardy arrival in addition to daily smoking or experience of severe problems, ≥50% high-school dropout rates were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Three determinants of high-school dropout were found: smoking, tardy arrival, and experience of severe problems. These factors were correlated and should be treated as warning signs of complex behavioral and academic problems. Parents, educators, and policy makers should work together to implement effective strategies to prevent school dropout.