title: Effort-reward imbalance for learning is associated with fatigue in school children.
abstract: We examined relationships among fatigue, sleep quality, and effort-reward imbalance for learning in school children. We developed an effort-reward for learning scale in school students and examined its reliability and validity. Self-administered surveys, including the effort reward for leaning scale and fatigue scale, were completed by 1,023 elementary school students (grades 4-6) and 1,361 junior high school students (grades 7-9) at the end of 2006. Effort-reward imbalance for learning was associated with a high incidence of fatigue and sleep problems in elementary and junior high school students of both genders. A good relationship with family was associated with a low fatigue score in junior high school boys, and a good relationship with friends was associated with a low fatigue score in junior high school girls by multiple regression analysis. Fatigue score was associated with effort-reward imbalance and fatigue and quality of sleep in schoolchildren. Fatigue may lead to a decline in school performance, negative health outcomes, or refusal to attend school. These results suggest that it is desirable to consider social support, quality of sleep, and effort-reward imbalance when managing fatigue in school children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomarker and Molecular Biophysics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. fukuda@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Sanae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Joudoi
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kawatani
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Akemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomoda
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai-Matsumura
authors.forename: Teruhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miike
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012201:Reward; D012574:Schools; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*