The Parent Coaching Institute (PCI) announced that PCI Founder and CEO Gloria DeGaetano has had a portion of her book Screen Smarts reprinted in a Japanese textbook. Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) will include the selection in two publications, one current through 2027 and another for the 2027-2029 edition. The reprint features a simple Japanese translation and explanation of the section titled "As Children Grow: Screen Influence," designed to help high school students understand its meaning and grammatical points.
KGU, located in the Kansai region with its main campus in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, also has campuses in Sanda, Osaka, and Tokyo. The university partners with 320 universities and 60 organizations worldwide. DeGaetano expressed her honor at being contacted by KGU, noting their attention to detail ensured a smooth reprint process. The 2027-2029 edition is published in affiliation with KGU's Schools of Theology, Sociology, Economics, International Studies, and Education. The actual publisher, Kyogakusha, based in Kyoto, specializes in collections of past university entrance exams, providing authentic materials at affordable prices for high school students around 17 years old who may lack access to private tutoring.
DeGaetano emphasized the importance of the selected content, stating, "I was delighted that they chose the selection regarding screen influence. 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 has been my message for over 30 years now." This message is integral to the parent coach training program she developed at PCI.
The Parent Coaching Institute is recognized as an innovative world leader in family support, attracting highly skilled professionals to its year-long, online Parent Coach Certification® program. Offered in affiliation with Southern New Hampshire University, PCI's distance-learning, graduate-level training program enrolls family support professionals through an application process. Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Fall Term, beginning mid-September, with a deadline of September 1. For more information or to download an application form, visit www.ThePCI.org.
This reprint underscores the enduring relevance of DeGaetano's work on screen time's effects on child development, as Japanese educators incorporate her insights into materials for teenagers preparing for university entrance exams. The inclusion in textbooks used by KGU, a prestigious institution with global partnerships, signals international recognition of the importance of managing children's screen exposure for healthy brain development.
