Objective: This study utilized the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule version 2 (WHODAS 2.0) to identify vulnerable students and explore the impact of mental and developmental disorders on disability. Participants: A total of 156 undergraduates who visited support service offices at large-scale universities in Japan between…

Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that although countries around the world must ensure that students with disabilities receive free, inclusive, and appropriate education, students with disabilities are less likely to complete primary or secondary school in many countries. Though this…

To determine the best discriminative items for identifying young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we conducted a secondary analysis using longitudinal cohort data that included the Japanese version of the 23-item modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT-JV). M-CHAT-JV data at 18 months of age and diagnostic information…

To determine whether the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) in conjunction with the routine 18-month health check-up identifies Japanese toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two-stage screening using the M-CHAT was conducted with 1,851 children attending the check-up. Final ASD diagnosis was confirmed at age =3 years.…

The psychosocial outcomes of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) appear to be diverse and are often poor relative to their intellectual or language level. To identify predictive variables that are potentially ameliorable by therapeutic intervention, this study investigated self-reported psychosocial quality of life…

The early assessment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is important to improving patient outcomes, allowing family members to prepare for and cope with symptoms, and assisting in plans for appropriate educational opportunities. However, little is known about factors that influence the time lag between the parents' first concerns and the first…

Eighty-three inmates of a correctional facility, who committed serious offences, participated in this study. They were all male and aged 14-17 years, with a mean age of 15.5 (SD=1.21) years. Eighty-six age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Some psychological questionnaires such as on self-esteem and aggression were conducted in both groups.…

Watters questions the universality of mental illness and warns of the harms that accompany the exportation of Western typologies to non-Western cultures. He is particularly concerned that these effects will be exacerbated by the upcoming revisions of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ("DSM-V").…

Background: For early detection of autism, it is difficult to maintain an efficient level of sensitivity and specificity based on observational data from a single screening. The Extraction and Refinement (E&R) Strategy utilizes a public children's health surveillance program to produce maximum efficacy in early detection of autism. In the…

A study of the development of epilepsy in adolescents with autism investigated the brain dysfunctions in 158 patients (ages 15-28) with autism through the examination of paroxysmal electroencephalographic abnormalities. Results indicated that 47.5% of the individuals with autism had such abnormalities in the frontal region. (CR)

A Japanese study measured CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) levels of beta-endorphin in 19 children (ages 4-6) with infantile autism and in 3 children (ages 10-14) with Rett syndrome. In infantile autism, levels did not differ significantly from control participants (n=23). However, levels were significantly higher in those with Rett syndrome. (Author/CR)

This report studied the cases of 826 infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities from 1988 to 1995 and the role of the facilities in identifying and referring the children to a rehabilitation center in Higashi-Osaka City, Japan. A list of the classification of main developmental disabilities is provided, along with a table showing the…

Discusses early detection of hearing impairment in Japan with particular reference to the system used in Tokushima Prefecture. Suggests that a required screening of all children at 18 months of age resulted in 2 developments: (1) all the hard-of-hearing children were identified; and (2) public health nurses became more alert to hearing impairment…

Discusses the techniques used in Japan to assess and monitor the acquisition of auditory skills by hearing-impaired children. Suggests that digits, syllables, and word lists are more suited to adults. Proposes the use of words, sounds, and music familiar to children in combination with instruments based on observation of daily activities in either…

Describes the education of hearing-impaired infants and young children between 0-5 years of age at the Japan Oral School for the Deaf. Summarizes the school's three educational principles: utilization of residual hearing through hearing aids, early identification of hearing loss and early intervention, and auditory-oral interaction for…