INTRODUCTION:
In Japan, most public health nurses (PHNs) manage the health conditions of a mother and a child by means of a medical examination, interview, and visit. Consequently, they are able to confirm child abuse and speculate as to whether the child’s parent might be the abuser. Given that a mother may aim to hide child abuse from PHNs, they should question the mother’s version of events. However, there have been multiple cases in which PHNs did not assess child safety during a visit. The causes thereof may reside in the PHNs thinking, which may lean toward the chaotic type. In this study, by means of chaos theory, the causes are related to individual character, education, and differences in laws.
METHOD:
Explanation of Chaos Theory:
Definition of Chaos Theory:
The definition of chaos theory was reported as below1.
Chaos theory can be defined as "the qualitative study of unstable a periodic behavior in deterministic non-linear dynamical systems"2. Chaos theory is a part of complexity theory that concerns itself with nonlinear dynamic systems whose behavior does not follow clearly predictable and repeatable pathways. In linear systems, the relationship between an environmental factor and system behavior is predictable and easily modeled.
As the presence of an environmental factor increases, system behavior changes linearly in response to it. In contrast, behavior in chaotic systems might be perceived as unpredictable3. In this regard, it is important that such a chaotic state is not confused with the term "random." In mathematical terms, "random" means the "statistics governed by or involving equal chances for each item" (New Oxford American Dictionary).
Relation between continuous covariation and chaos theory
A repetition of content is essential in order to explain chaos theory3. Fixed and chaotic solutions are found in all chaos equations.
For example, a chaos equation that is representative of chaos is expressed as follows:
(1)
The three variables in Equation 1 are Y (n+1), Y (n) and p. In this case, there is continuous covariation between Y (n+1) and Y (n). As the parameter p changes from 3.0 to 3.56995, that is, the Feigenbaum point4, the number of fixed points in Equation 1 changes from 1 to 2 and eventually to 4. In Figure 1, schema near the Feigenbaum point are depicted; the converging fixed (part R), localized (part S), and proliferating chaotic (part T) states are illustrated. The arrow F is the Feigenbaum point. The extreme right side of part T in the figure is a random state and lies outside of chaos theory5. The extreme left side of part R is a complete fixed state and lies outside of chaos theory.
Figure 1: Schema near the Feigenbaum point.
Arrow F indicates the Feigenbaum point. The fixed, localized, and proliferating chaotic states are shown as parts R, S, and T, respectively. And arrows P and Q show each direction of increasing and decreasing entropy, respectively.
Relation between Entropy Change and Chaos Theory:
Entropy increases when there is a change of direction from a fixed state to a chaotic state5. It is depicted as arrow P in the figure. Conversely, entropy decreases when there is a change of direction from a chaotic state to a fixed state; this is illustrated as arrow Q.
Relation between Human Relations and Chaos Theory:
In human relations, continuous covariations, which are necessary conditions of chaos theory, always exist. Therefore, all human relations are consistent with chaos theory. In addition, human consciousness in life always changes with time. Therefore, human relations are not fixed, but become a chaotic state. If a person does not make the effort to move to a fixed state, their entropy increases.
Relation between Female/Male and Chaotic/Fixed Type:
A relation between female/male and chaotic/fixed type brains can be found in Yanagisawa's paper6. The female/male brain paradigm is equivalent to chaotic/fixed type thoughts.
People who have fixed type thoughts are more interested in fixed factors such as mathematics, law, price, position in society, position in space, point in time, and common consensus, compared with variable factors. They try to achieve a specific solution as fixed state. Therefore, positions in space and time are strictly observed, and the content of thoughts is most important in fixed type thoughts. A common consensus is pursued in communication. In contrast, people with chaotic type thoughts attach greater importance to continuation of communication. A common consensus is not always necessary in continuation of chaos phenomena; therefore, people with fixed type thoughts will likely be confused by chaotic contents with no specific solutions. As a result, they may not be open to the viewpoint of others who claim that a specific solution may be unnecessary. Fixed factors are unimportant because of the constantly changing state. Only 5W1H with high degrees of change are recognized as important. As people with chaotic type thoughts have no fixed conceptions, their own opinion is decided in relation to other people person. They seek opinions from their partners; they consider something that they hear numerous times as the truth. An act of communication is most important in chaotic type thoughts, as it sustains the continuous co variation that is the necessary condition of chaos phenomena.
Relation between Subjective/Objective Standards and Chaotic/Fixed Type Thoughts:
A fixed state is always required in an objective standard. Therefore, a person with fixed type thinking makes judgments by objective standards. In chaotic type thinking, subjective standards are possible because objective standards are unimportant.
Relation between Counseling and Chaos Theory:
The client is the center in counseling; a counselor never denies the client7. There are many cases where clients are denied according to objective standards. Of course, a counselor usually has objective standards. However, a counselor never adopts objective standards in counseling. When counselors adhere to objective standards, the client is no longer the center in counseling. Therefore, the counselor may make mistakes.
At the beginning of counseling, the client's confused consciousness, including their subconsciousness, is in an increasingly chaotic state. Counseling has no meaning if a client does not change from his/her chaotic state that is characterized by confusion. Because a client's subconsciousness becomes consciousness, his/her degree of confusion is reduced by counseling. A change from increased chaotic to localized chaotic or fixed states decreases entropy6.
The counselor increases chaotic type thinking at the outset of counseling. Therefore, "reception and synesthesia" are possible. Furthermore, the counselor will get closer to fixed type thinking at the end of counseling. However, the counselor does not evaluate the client by means of objective standards.
Relation between the Maternal and Child Health Law and Chaos Theory:
The purpose of the Maternal and Child Health Law is to protect the health of mothers and their children. It is a premise that a mother’s consciousness maintains her child's health. Therefore, a PHN's thinking may be equated to a counselor's thinking at the start of counseling because denying a mother should not occur. PHNs are good with only "reception and synesthesia" for mothers’ present conditions. It is not a premise of this law that a mother may be an abuser and accordingly, hurt her child.
Relation between the Child Abuse Prevention Law and Chaos Theory:
The Child Abuse Prevention Law was implemented to protect a child from abuse. The child abuser needs to be specified. Therefore, it resembles the Criminal Law. Naturally, the child's family may be suspects. PHNs must take some action such as contacting the police when child abuse is suspected. However, PHNs afford the skills "reception, and synesthesia" to mothers. These skills permit the mother’s actions. Thus, when the mother is the abuser, she will misunderstand the skills as permission to abuse her child.
Similarities between the Maternal and Child Health Law and a PHN's Subconsciousness:
In Japan, it is believed that PHNs are easygoing and friendly. PHNs have the ability to adapt to others.
It is possible that only chaotic types are believed to be friendly to everyone. Because people with fixed type thinking have objective standards, they cannot be friendly to others as it is against their standards. However, a person with chaotic type thinking ignores objective standards and can judge by means of subjective standards; the latter becomes self-protection.
Almost all people have the following subconscious desire: "I hope that a person before my eyes feels me as a good female/male." In chaotic type thinking, subconsciousness is more dominant than consciousness with respect to objective standards. Therefore, a person with chaotic type thinking can be friendly; however, he/she may give an incorrect response that goes against objective standards. People with chaotic type thinking may agree to mistakes even when they know they are wrong. If their partners are criminals, they play an equal role in the crime.
Relation between Counseling Skills and PHNs’ Education:
In Japan, the counseling skills "listening, reception, and synesthesia" are taught to PHNs thoroughly from the time they are students.
There was a workshop for PHNs of public employees on July 7, 2017. A counselor lectured that the skills of listening, reception, and synesthesia are beneficial to mothers when they are suspected of child abuse. About 20 PHNs attended the workshop and reported the lecture to their superiors. However, nobody was able to point out the mistakes of the lecture. This author warned the PHNs in his area that if abuse is suspected, the Child Consultation Center must be notified.
It is most important that none of the PHNs noticed the mistake. It is possible that Japanese PHNs do not like to point out others’ mistakes to them. It was reported that counseling is effective for mothers for only slight infant-care neurosis8. By rearranging thinking, one is able to see that counseling is beneficial for those who want to change their present condition. However, the counseling effect cannot be expected for those who do not want to change their condition. There are many instances of parents abusing their children and hiding it.
Parents cannot consider changing their conditions. Thus, this lecture was wrong from the perspective of both Japanese law and science. However, the counselor who attaches no importance to objective standards gave the right lecture of counseling.
Weaknesses of PHNs in charge of Maternal and Child Health:
The difference between the Act on Public Health, Midwives, and Nurses and the Medical Practitioner's Law is confusing for Japanese PHNs who are inclined to chaotic type thinking. In the Medical Practitioner's Law, judgment concerning a diagnosis or treatment is only allowed by a doctor. Therefore, doctors need to learn that they must change chaotic information to fixed information, namely, judgment. PHNs can be forgiven for inclining toward chaotic type thinking because they are not taught the necessity of judgment. However, it is only excused in medical treatment.
Conversion to fixed information such as judgment is necessary in society; doctors always judge in medical treatment. Judgment is of great necessity for PHNs when there are no doctors in society. Therefore, it is necessary that PHNs rearrange their thoughts to a fixed state. However, a few PHNs remain with chaotic information because they were not taught to rearrange their thoughts to a fixed state. They judge with no judgment in their subconsciousness. Given that judgment involves responsibility, no judgment allows them to avoid their responsibility.
Mistake of too much Confidence in Mother’s Words:
When a PHN suspects a child is being abused by his/her mother, the PHN could meet the mother accidentally. Can the PHN confirm the child's safety?
The PHN's subconsciousness saying “I do not want to aggravate my relationship with the mother” will cause the PHN to act accordingly. Therefore, some PHNs will exclude affirmation of the child’s safety from their consciousness. A person in charge of the Child Abuse Prevention Law will say that our work is not yet complete. A PHN may believe his/her work is complete after the interview with the mother. The PHN cannot understand this contradiction. The PHN’s subconsciousness saying “I hope that a person before my eyes sees me as a good female/male” is very strong.
Unsuitability of Child Abuse Affirmation by PHNs in Charge of the Maternal and Child Health Law:
A PHN's thinking is inclined to be chaotic because of their character, education and the Maternal and Child Health Law. Furthermore, the Child Abuse Prevention Law is a fixed type law and is similar to the Criminal Law.
A person inclined to chaotic type thinking cannot really engage in fixed judgment. Theoretically, affirmation of a child's safety by PHNs in charge of maternal and child health is equal to using one's mobile phone while driving. Furthermore, most PHNs cannot understand this danger because they are inclined to chaotic type thinking.
Solution to Problem:
Only separation is a measure to danger when using one's mobile phone while driving. Using one's mobile phone in driving is forbidden by the Road Traffic Law in Japan. PHNs in charge of maternal and child health cannot confirm a child's safety alone when abuse by family is suspected. Because there is a high rate of delayed confirmation, a child's life cannot be guaranteed. When a child cannot escape from abuse from a parent, the child’s safety should be confirmed by another.
DISCUSSION:
PHNs have shown their ability to prevent child abuse in Japan since approximately 1994. It was possible because of PHNs’ special ability to deal with crises. However, the role has been demanded of other PHNs since 2000 that had no special knowledge about the Child Abuse Prevention Law. As a result, PHNs with chaotic type thinking were expected to judge child abuse. This author is aware of two unfortunate patterns.
Firstly, PHNs did not confirm a child's safety because they believed each mother was hiding child abuse. This may not have been the direct cause, but their children had unfortunate results with abuse. It is estimated that there are many similar cases. This theoretical danger may be equated to using one's mobile phone in driving. Unfortunately, this has not been pointed out.
Secondly, this author was informed of a case from an educator. Because the PHN confirmed child abuse, she reported it to her supervisor. However, the case was not treated because her supervisor did not act on her report. The person who suspects child abuse must inform not the supervisor, but the Child Consultation Center according to Japan’s Child Abuse Prevention Law. Public employees are liable for accusing others of crimes in the Japanese Code of Criminal Procedure. This PHN might perceive her boss as a person before her eyes. Consequently, she accepted the act of her supervisor. If crime is recognized by means of "reception and synesthesia", it may become recommending crime. Therefore, they must not be used by public employees.
The skills "listening, reception, and synesthesia" are taught to Japanese PHNs thoroughly from their student years. This is the consequence of Japanese educators with no theoretical understanding of counseling who only teach skills for the immediate future to PHNs. When the skills are used with no understanding of unification theory, users are guided to a chaotic state because of a lack consistency among skills. The skills and laws are equivalent to mathematical variables. When they increase with no unifying thought, chaotic states increase. Therefore, Japanese PHNs are guided to chaotic type thinking continuously. PHNs with chaotic type thinking are soft and friendly. However, there is a possibility that they might mistake responses. Theoretically, a person cannot only live his/her life in a chaotic state. Given that a breakaway from chaotic type thinking is required in PHNs, not only skills, but mathematics, laws, and scientific theories are very important in their education.
CONCLUSION:
Female/male type thinking and subjectivity/objectivity type thinking are equivalent to chaotic/fixed states. A counselor accepts a subjective standard for clients at the start of counseling. The skills "listening, reception, and synesthesia" are possible in chaotic type thinking. Given that such skills are taught to Japanese PHNs thoroughly, they are guided to chaotic type thinking. However, rearranging thinking in a fixed direction in the counseling process is not taught. Furthermore, people may have the following strong subconscious thoughts: "I hope that a person before my eyes sees me as a good female/male." Therefore, PHNs cannot deny a mother who hides child abuse when she is talking to the PHN during a visit.
Theoretically, affirmation of child's safety by PHNs in charge of maternal and child health may be equated to using one's mobile phone in driving. Evading the danger of "reception and synesthesia" with respect to mothers and confirmation of children’s safety must be separated. Fixed type thought is more important than chaotic type thought for PHNs.
REFERENCES:
1. Yanagisawa, H. Relationship of a chaos equation to piaget's developmental theory and selective attention deficits. Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology. 18 (1); 2016: 18-23.
2. Kellert, H. S. (1993). In the Wake of Chaos: Unpredictable Order in Dynamical System (pp.2). Chicago: Chicago University Press
3. Yanagisawa, H. Contradiction and Development of Modern Science - Beyond Chaos Theory. Tokyo: Kirishobo Co.; 1996. pp. 115-123. (in Japanese)
4. Feigenbaum, MJ. Quantitative universality for a class of nonlinear transformations. Journal of Statistical Physics. 19 (1); 1978: 25-52.
5. Yanagisawa, H. Decreasing entropy in thoughts and evolution: main ability related to inside nature. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology. 5 (2); 2017. http://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/1498/pdf
6. Yanagisawa, H. Relation Between the Chaos Equation and Gender Differences of the Human Brain Nightingale’s brain was the fixed type – Asian Journal of Nursing Education and Research. 7 (3); 2017: 273–277.
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http://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/download/1044/pdf_49
8. Inuzuka, M. Family support surrounding child abuse: treatment and education. Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 57 (5); 2016: 769-782.
Received on 01.12.2017 Modified on 18.12.2017
Accepted on 13.01.2018 ©A&V Publications All right reserved
Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2018; 8(1): 137-141.
DOI: 10.5958/2349-2996.2018.00028.9