An empirical investigation of physical activity, depression, and sense of coherence in early adolescents

Abstract

A survey was conducted to assess physical activity, depression, and sense of coherence among early adolescents. This study used a cross-sectional sample of 12,086 students(G5-G9)from 28 public elementary schools and 22 public junior-high-schools in Japan. A total of 9,424 students(G5-G8)were surveyed from December 2013 to December 2015 using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire ［資 料］ 発育発達研究 第 78 号 (IPAQ) -short form to measure physical activity (PA), the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRS-C)for depressive symptoms, and the Sense of Coherence Scale-13-item version(SOC-13).Vigorous PA(VPA)of the G5 boys(4h 20 min)was significantly longer than that of the G5 girls(1h 30 min)and the VPA of the junior-high-school students increased significantly compared with that of the elementary-school students. The VPA of the G8 boys reached 6h 30 min, whereas that of the G8 girls approached 3h, which was a significant difference. Additionally, more junior-high-school students participated in sports-club activities than did elementary-school students.The mean DSRS-C score of the G5 girls(10.24±5.73)was significantly higher than that of the G5 boys (9.31±5.31). No other differences by grade, were found among the elementary-school students. The depressive symptoms of the junior-high-school students indicated they had a greater risk for depression than the elementary-school students did.The mean SOC score of the G8 boys(44.58±8.11)was higher(better)than that of the G8 girls (43.46± 8.30). Furthermore, the elementary-school studentsʼ score on the SOC was higher than that of the juniorhigh-school students；the score tended to decrease as the grade increased. Key words：adolescence, physical activities, depression, sense of coherence, questionnaire 思春期，身体活動量，抑うつ，首尾一貫感覚，質問紙法 Ⅰ はじめに 思春期は二次性徴による身体の変化や認識，感 情等の精神面など，急激な発育発達が起こる時期 であり，様々なストレスの原因となる出来事が増 える時期である．この思春期の健康問題として， 不登校，不定愁訴，自殺行為などが挙げられてお り，うつ病に関しても，わが国の思春期の子ども における有病率は 2.0-8.0％であり，大人とほぼ 同程度であるといわれている(傳田，2007) ．

Pathway linking physical activity, sleep duration, and breakfast consumption with the physical/psychosocial health of schoolchildren

“…These signs were similarly represented by the items in the PPH questionnaire used in this study. Furthermore, previous studies on the PPH and physical activity of schoolchildren have reported that girls have a stronger tendency toward anxiety and depression than boys (Kawakatsu et al, 2018;Wiles et al, 2008). Our findings may reflect a decline in psychosocial health with age, which is more obvious in girls aged six to nine years given their more advanced growth relative to boys of the same age.…”

“…Relevant items were retrieved from the literature, including reports in “The National Network of Physical and Mental Health in Japanese Children” (2016). These items are widely used to measure children’s PPH in the school setting in Japan, and they include the following: ‘Do you have abdominal pain?’ (Chen et al, 2004; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology [MEXT], 2011; Kamikawa, 2011; Kawakatsu et al, 2018; Wiles et al, 2008), ‘Do you feel sleepy in the daytime?’ (Kamikawa, 2011; Kawakatsu et al, 2018; Shikano and Noi, 2014), ‘Do you feel dull when you get up in the morning?’ (Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014), ‘Do you sleep well at night?’ (Carskadon et al, 1993; Kamikawa, 2011; Meijer et al, 2000), ‘Do you yawn in the morning?’ (Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014), ‘Do you feel dizzy?’ (MEXT, 2011; Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014; Editorial Board of the Annual Report of Physical and Mental Health among the Children, 2015), ‘Do you feel sick?’ (MEXT, 2011; Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014), ‘Do you feel unmotivated?’ (Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014), and ‘Do you feel irritated?’ (Kamikawa, 2011; Shikano and Noi, 2014).…”

“…These items are widely used to measure children's PPH in the school setting in Japan, and they include the following: 'Do you have abdominal pain?' (Chen et al, 2004; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology [MEXT], 2011; Kamikawa, 2011;Kawakatsu et al, 2018;Wiles et al, 2008), 'Do you feel sleepy in the daytime?' (Kamikawa, 2011;Kawakatsu et al, 2018;Shikano and Noi, 2014), 'Do you feel dull when you get up in the morning?'…”

“…(Chen et al, 2004; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology [MEXT], 2011; Kamikawa, 2011;Kawakatsu et al, 2018;Wiles et al, 2008), 'Do you feel sleepy in the daytime?' (Kamikawa, 2011;Kawakatsu et al, 2018;Shikano and Noi, 2014), 'Do you feel dull when you get up in the morning?' (Kamikawa, 2011;Shikano and Noi, 2014), 'Do you sleep well at night?'…”