1. TOP
  2. OIST Children's Research Center & Loving Habits♡

OIST Children's Research Center & Loving Habits♡

The OIST Children's Research Center conducts research to better understand the nature and causes of ADHD. We hope our research will help improve support for children with diverse needs. Our loving Habits progam aims to help families develop new behavioral habits and share information with people in the community.

Loving Habits♡ Team

  • Arara, Peer Guide

    Arara,
    Peer Guide

    Arara, Peer Guide

    I help the team mebers organize information collected from the Loving Habits♡ Survey. I look forward to learning from everyone's ideas and experiences!

  • Emi, Team Leader

    Emi,
    Team Leader

    Emi, Team Leader

    I am a licensed clinical psychologist in US and have worked with many children and families. At the OIST Children's Research Center, I conduct behavioral and brain imaging research, and work with people in the community to develop parent support programs.

  • Mana, Postdoctoral Fellow

    Mana,
    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Mana, Postdoctoral Fellow

    I am a certified clinical psychologist in Japan and a research fellow at OIST. I am developing tools to measure how children respond to rewards and punishments. I hope these tools will help guide families in establishing behavioral support approaches appropriate for their children.

  • Gail, Professor

    Gail,
    Professor

    Gail, Professor

    I am a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist originally from New Zealand. I joined OIST in 2007 and established the Children's Research Center. For many years my research has focused on how children with ADHD respond to consequences (e.g., being praised), which affects how they respond to behavioral treatment.

About research on ADHD

About research on ADHD

At the OIST Children's Research Center, experienced researchers from Japan and overseas undertake

scientific research on ADHD and develop behavioral support programs, working with children and families in the community. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by attention difficulties, elevated activity levels, and impulsive behaviors. Research has found differences in the neural (brain) and behavioral responses of children with and without ADHD to positive outcomes (rewards, like being praised and winning points) and negative outcomes (punishments, like losing points or privileges). These response patterns can affect how children behave in their daily life. Understanding the underlying reasons for children's behavior is important to providing effective support. We also believe that it is important that behavioral support strategies are consistent with the culture and customs of people in Okinawa and other areas in Japan. Support should be inclusive, targeting not only children but also families, teachers, and community stakeholders, and those whose first language is not Japanese.

See OIST Children's
Research Center
website

About the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST)

OIST is a pioneering graduate university and conducts research that bridges disciplines to explore new frontiers of scientific knowledge. OIST aims to educate a new generation of scientific leaders and to be a catalyst for an innovation hub in Okinawa.

See OIST website