The Parent Coaching Institute (PCI) announced that founder and CEO Gloria DeGaetano has had a selection from her book Screen Smarts reprinted in a Japanese textbook. Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) will include the excerpt, titled "As Children Grow: Screen Influence," in two publications: one current through 2027 and another for the 2027-2029 edition. The reprint includes a Japanese translation and explanation to help high school students understand the text's meaning and grammatical points.
KGU, a prestigious institution in the Kansai region with campuses in Nishinomiya, Sanda, Osaka, and Tokyo, partnered with Kyogakusha, a Kyoto-based publisher that produces collections of university entrance exam papers. The 2027-2029 edition is affiliated with KGU's Schools of Theology, Sociology, Economics, International Studies, and Education. Kyogakusha's publications aim to provide affordable exam materials for high school students, typically around age 17, who may lack access to private tutoring.
DeGaetano expressed her honor at being contacted by KGU, noting their attention to detail and global partnerships with 320 universities and 60 organizations. She emphasized the enduring relevance of the excerpt, stating, "Although Screen Smarts is an older book, the research still stands today with our complex technology: The more children stare into a two-dimensional flat surface, the less their brain develops optimally. Tech cannot do what sensory and lived experiences do to help little humans flourish." This message has been central to her work for over 30 years and is integral to the parent coach training program she developed.
The Parent Coaching Institute, founded in 2000, is recognized as an innovative leader in family support. It offers a year-long, online Parent Coach Certification® program in affiliation with Southern New Hampshire University. Applications are being accepted for the 2026 Fall Term, starting mid-September, with a deadline of September 1. More information is available at www.ThePCI.org.
This reprint underscores the ongoing importance of understanding screen influence on child development, a topic that remains critical as technology evolves. The inclusion in Japanese textbooks reflects a global recognition of these concerns and the value of DeGaetano's insights.
