A brief parental education for shaping sleep habits in 4-month-old infants.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a simple behavioral intervention with an educational booklet on the modification of parenting behaviors and the prevention of sleep disturbance in 4-month-old infants.

Design: A prospective cohort design with cluster sampling controls in a primary care setting.

Participants: A total of 136 mothers with 4-month-old infants who visited a local health check-up clinic and responded to the 3-month follow-up survey.

[Preparation and effect of a behavioral science-based education program for sleep improvement among medical students].

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate a simple education program that is effective for sleep improvement among medical students who will be medical doctors in the future. The education program applied in the present study was developed for sleep improvement based on behavioral science and changes in knowledge and sleeping habits were observed.

Methods: Subjects were 6th-year medical students of 2002 and 2003.

A randomized controlled trial on the long-term effects of a 1-month behavioral weight control program assisted by computer tailored advice.

Objectives: To examine the long-term effects of a new behavioral weight control program (Kenkou-tatsujin, KT program). The program consisted of twice-interactive letter communications including computer-tailored personal advice on treatment needs and behavioral modification.

Design: A randomized controlled trial comparing Group KM: KT program with 6-month weight and targeted behavior's self-monitoring, Group K: KT program only, Group BM: an untailored self-help booklet with 7-month self-monitoring of weight and walking, and Group B: the self-help booklet only.

Effects of behavior therapy on regional cerebral blood flow in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Very few functional neuroimaging studies have been performed on patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) undergoing behavior therapy, even though it is recognized to be an effective treatment for this disorder. We measured the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using the Xenon inhalation method in 31 treatment-refractory patients with OCD and the same number of age-matched normal controls. We also studied changes in rCBF in 22 OCD patients who had demonstrated a significant improvement after the behavior therapy.

[Behavioral treatment for chronic insomnia].

The efficacy of non-pharmacological intervention for chronic insomnia has been proven by several meta-analytic reviews, an NIH report, an American Academy of Sleep Medicine review, and numerous clinical trials. Behavior therapy for chronic insomnia consists of relaxation, stimulus control, sleep restriction, cognitive restructuring and sleep hygiene education, which has produced reliable and durable changes in total sleep time, sleep onset latency, number and duration of awakening. These studies also showed that the post-treatment effect of behavior therapy is equal to that of hypnotic therapy, and that these effects were maintained for 6 months on follow-up assessment.