Japanese University Student
Lifestyles
Douglas Trelfa,
Associate Professor, College of Education
Tamagawa University
Tokyo, Japan
Research Method
• Exploratory questionnaire survey
• Convenience sample of students at four campuses in
Tokyo area
• Supplemented with class exercises in my courses,
interviews and observations of first year students
• Further supplemented with school-wide and national
survey data
• This presentation
– sub-sample of first year students
– anonymous private university in Tokyo
– n=82
Key variables
• Lifestyle
–
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
•
Eating
Sleeping
Part-time jobs
Other activities
Time management
Physical well-being
Psychological well-being
Social support
Student life at college
First Year Student Club
Participation Rates
Percentage (n=82)
School Sponsored
Club
21.5%
School Interest
Circle
55.7%
Club or Circle at
Other School
2.5%
No Participation
20.3%
First Year Student Part-time Jobs
• 55% have part-time jobs
• Average for first year students who work (13. 5
hours)
• 11% reported frequently working late on school
nights
• Only 5% reported that part-time work often
interferes with school
• 11% reported that they were not able to get
enough sleep due to part-time jobs
Meals
• Late dinners
– 31% reported eating dinner after 9pm
frequently
• Convenience and fast food
– 28% reported frequently eating convenience
store meals and 18% fast food
• Home cooked meals
– 53% of students reported frequently eating
home cooked meals, versus 41% who
reported never or infrequently eating home
cooked meals
The Exhausted College Student
• 29% of first year students reported
occasionally or frequently staying up all night
• Only 11% reported waking up naturally
• 13% reported oversleeping frequently
• 29% reported sleeping frequently in class;
50% occasionally
• Only 21% reported never or almost never
sleeping in class
First Tobacco Use
Table Age of First Smoking for Core Smoking Age (30-39)
First Began Smoking
TOTAL
PERCENT
Male
Female
Under 11 years old
0.2
0.3
0
12 to 14
2.5
3.1
1.1
15 to 17
11.5
11.9
10.7
18
16.2
17.7
12.9
19
3.2
3.9
1.7
20 (legal age)
52.8
55.3
47.2
19.5 (2.6)
19.2(2.3)
20.3(3.1)
Average (standard
deviation)
Source: Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2004
Physical Complaints of First
Year Students
Commute Time and Well Being
Commute
TIme
No
Problems
Listless
Always
Tired
Stomach
Problems
Headaches
Emotional
Troubles
Shoulder
Pain
Commute
Time
1.00
No
Problems
-.229*
1.00
Listless
.146
-.466**
1.00
Always
Tired
.137
-.482**
.
1.00
513**
Stomach
Problems
.235*
-.388**
.172
Headaches
.242*
-.356**
.
.
.313**
298** 357**
1.00
Emotional
Troubles
.344**
-.288**
.164
.168
1.00
Shoulder
Pain
.247*
-.372**
.
.
.204
346** 328**
.247*
.048
1.00
Backache
.063
-.356**
-.013
.177
.275
.335**
Pearson Correlation Coefficient
*Significant at .05 level (2-tailed)
**Significant at .01 level (2-tailed)
n=82
.228*
.241*
.128
Backache
1.00
.338**
.313**
1.00
Psychological Well-being
n=82
Social Support Network
• 62% live at home or with relatives; 8% in
dormitories
• 70% of students reported having three or more
friends to whom they could talk about personal
problems
• 76% reported being satisfied or almost satisfied
with friendships
• 23% of first year students reported being in
intimate relationships
• 10% of those in intimate relationships have
partners from the same school
Summary
• Japanese first year college students lead active,
busy lives
• Many Japanese college students under
significant stress due to long commutes and too
many commitments and diversions
• Social support networks and living at home
provide some stability to counteract stress
• Time management and health education
potentially of great benefit to first year students