The tree-drawing technique is a projective technique that involves the drawing of a tree, and it is one of the most frequently used techniques in Japan. One modified procedure of the technique is "the twice-application method" of the tree drawing technique. The technique is administered by drawing a tree in the first picture and then immediately drawing a tree again in the second picture. It has been demonstrated that through this technique the subject expresses their self-image in two different projection levels-"social attitude" in the first picture, and "internal self-image" in the second. However, little recent studies have addressed the validity of the technique. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the relationship between the twice-application method of the treedrawing technique and ego identity. The participants were 277 university students who completed the twice-application method of the tree drawing technique and the ego identity status scales. In the present study, we scored the forms of the tree trunk drawing because the relationship between the indices in that element of the drawing and ego status has already been examined. The results of the ego identity status scales demonstrated that the subjects were distributed in identity statuses as follows: 15 identity achievements and 46 identity diffusions. The tree drawings of two groups were compared by chi-square tests. As a result of chi-square tests, we observed that identityachieved individuals who drew a trunk at the center in the first picture with consecutive lines also drew a trunk of medium thickness in the second picture. On the other hand, identitydiffused individuals who drew a trunk on the left side or the right side with a considerably wide trunk base in the first picture also drew a trunk with discontinuous lines and a thin trunk in the second picture. These results reveal that the uncertainty and the conflicts of their self-images were expressed in the twiceapplication method of the tree drawing technique. Adolescent smoking in China has become a major public health problem, with initiation rates on the rise, comparable to those in Western countries (Unger et al, 2001) . While many studies have documented the associations between peer influences and smoking behaviors in the U.S. (Hoffman et al, 2006 ) and among Chinese adolescents (Weiss et al., 2008) fewer studies have shown how these influences occur in relation to one's popularity and social status as measured by an individual's position in their social network. Furthermore, recent advances in social media channels now serve as an extension of one's social network and sphere of influence. Online social network sites such as Facebook (QQ in China) and mobile phone text messaging are rapidly gaining popularity. This study examines the interplay between these new media channels, peer influences, and smoking outcomes. Data were collected from 5,563 students from 24 professional and vocational high schools in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, China. Exploratory factor analysis of 12 Internet usage items revealed two types of online activity-social and non-social. Students' social status was measured by the number of "wellliked" nominations from classmates and the outcome variable was past-month smoking. Multilevel logistic models were constructed, controlling for school-level random effects and subject-level covariates such as age, gender, SES, friend smoking and friend media use. Results indicated that social Internet activity (gaming, chatting) was a risk factor for smoking (p=.01), while non-social Internet activity (news, forums, homework) had a protective effect (p<.01) among adolescents. High social status was positively associated with smoking (p<.01) and was found to significantly moderate the association between mobile phone usage and smoking (p=.04). Findings suggest that media usage may have differential effects on risky adolescent behaviors, which may have implications for designing tailored Web or mobile phone-based applications for health promotion interventions. Whereas race/ethnic disparities in health have been widely documented in pediatric populations, there is a dearth of information regarding disparities in quality of life (QOL) of children in the general population. Reflecting the child's wellbeing across multiple domains, QOL captures well the broad meaning of health espoused by WHO. This research therefore examined whether there are race/ethnic disparities in QOL. A multi-site study enrolled 4,824 5th grade children from one of the three major race/ethnic groups in the U.S. (Hispanic=38%, African American=36%, White=26%). Children reported their QOL with the PedsQL providing scores for their physical and psychosocial domains, as well as with instruments to measure selfworth and social well-being. Parents rated children's overall health status and provided demographic information on the household. Complex sampling analysis revealed non-White children reporting significantly lower QOL in all domains than White children. However, after controlling for SES differences (parent's education, income), these race/ethnic disparities remained only in the domains of school, self-worth, satisfaction with appearance, and social well-being. After also controlling for family contextual differences (family structure, English proficiency), disparities remained in the domain of social well-being only. Findings suggest that disparities across race/ethnicity in children are, mainly, products of sociodemographic differences, rather than being endemic to minority race/ethnic groups. As one of the first studies examining racial/ethnic disparities in QOL of children in the general population, this study provides a basis for further exploration of contextual influences on the QOL experienced by children. Correspondence education was introduced into Japan from the United States in 1946, and many working young people used it to learn. However, since many of the students today have mental or physical health problems, in this study we conducted a questionnaire survey by mail of 1984 students enrolled in correspondence high schools in two regions of Japan in order to determine the health status of the students and factors that affect it. 1083 students out of 1452 students (reply rate: 73.2%), who were included in the analysis, were between 15 and 29 years of age and were not being treated for any diseases and had replied to all of the items on a psychosomatic complaints scale (valid reply rate: 54.6%). The chi-square test was used to statistically analyze associations between psychosomatic complaints and both personal attributes and lifestyle habits according to gender, and the t-test was used for age and the self-esteem scale scores. We identified items which has a significant difference, and then performed a multiple logistic regression analysis. The results for factors that affected psychosomatic complaints among the males showed that low self-esteem (OR=0.90,95% CI=0.87-0.94,p<0.001), irregular or skipped breakfasts (OR= 1.91, p=0 .01), being a fussy eater (OR = 1.84,95%CI = 1.17-2.89,p = 0.008), and age (OR = 1.13,95% CI= 1.03-1.24,p=0.008) increased psychosomatic complaints. Among the females, low self-esteem (OR=0.89,95%CI=0.86-0.92,p<0.001), poor health status during puberty (OR=2.93,95% CI=1. 75-4.90,p<0 .001), being a fussy eater (OR=2.57, p<0.001) , and being a smoker (OR=1.95, p=0 .011) increased psychosomatic complaints. "Low self-esteem" and "being a fussy eater" increased psychosomatic complaints in both sexes. Thus, we would like to make a program which allows correspondence high school students themselves to reconsider their diets by increasing their self-esteem for the future investigation. BACKGROUND: US adolescent obesity increased from 5% to 18.1% between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008 . In addition to health complications (e.g., type 2 diabetes), adolescents who are obese are at risk for developing negative body image which is related to depression and is a risk factor for eating pathology. Having a supportive peer group is an essential part of healthy adolescent development, and for overweight adolescents, could be a protective factor against negative body image. PURPOSE: To examine whether the association between adolescent weight status and body image varies by peer support. METHODS: A US nationally-representative sample of 6,909 students in grades 6 -10 with over-sampling of African-American and Hispanic students completed the 2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. Body image, was assessed with 5 items (α = .87) asking for agreement or disagreement with statements about one's body. Weight status, determined from body mass index, was computed from selfreported height and weight and categorized using CDC 2000 growth charts. Peer support was computed as the average of 8 items (α = .67) asking about interactions with peers; higher scores indicated greater peer support. Linear regressions, separately by gender and controlling for age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, were conducted with an interaction term (weight status x peer support). RESULTS: Adolescents' overweight status was related to poor body image in boys and girls. However, peer support moderated the relationship between weight status and body image for girls but not for boys. Overweight girls with higher peer support were more likely to have a positive body image (β=−0.69, p<0.000) compared to overweight girls with lower peer support (β=−.99, p<0.000). Overweight boys had lower body image compared to their normal weight peers, regardless of the level of peer support. CONCLUSION: Encouraging adolescent girls to develop strong healthy relationships with peers may prevent a negative body image. More research is needed to examine whether these findings vary by individual (e.g., race) or familial (e.g., presence of parental support) characteristics.