Support needs assessment device, support needs assessment method, and support needs assessment program

Abstract

To enable determination of whether a rearer needs support or not.SOLUTION: A support needs assessment device is provided, comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether a rearer of a child is in need of support or not based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support need determination device, a support need determination method, and a support need determination program. [Background technology]

[0002] In the above technical field, Patent Document 1 discloses determining the stress level of a subject based on the amount of oxytocin in a biological sample such as saliva collected from the subject (claims 3 and 4, paragraph

[0015] , etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-20136 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, biological samples are collected from the subject themselves, which makes the subject tense up, making it impossible to properly measure specific indicators that can be determined from the amount of oxytocin, and making it impossible to accurately determine whether the subject needs support. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the support need determination device according to the present invention comprises: The device includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the support need determination method according to the present invention comprises: The method includes a determination step of determining whether or not the child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the support need assessment program according to the present invention comprises: The computer executes a determination step of determining whether or not the caregiver of the child needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing the biological sample collected from the child. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not support is required for a child's caregiver. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a support need determination device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the operation of the support need determination device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a support need determination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of a proposal table included in the support need determination device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a support need determination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a support need determination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a support need determination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of a need determination table included in the support need determination device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a support need determination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a support need determination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. However, the configurations, numerical values, processing flows, functional elements, etc. described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and are open to modification and alteration, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the following description.

[0011] [First embodiment] A support need assessment device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a support need assessment device 100 according to this embodiment. The support need assessment device 100 includes a assessment unit 101. The assessment unit 101 assesses whether or not a child's caregiver needs support based on an oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child. According to this embodiment, it is possible to accurately assess whether or not a child's caregiver needs support.

[0012] [Second embodiment] Next, a support need determination device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6. The support need determination device 200 is a device that determines whether or not a caregiver 202 needs support.

[0013] In child-rearing, caregivers 202 worry daily about whether their parenting attitude toward child 201 is appropriate, and may feel the need to obtain objective indicators. Parents and children who need psychological support due to social isolation or child-rearing anxiety need to be recognized and supported early by those around them, such as those involved in childcare facilities, and by the government. However, the relationship between caregivers 202 and child 201 is difficult to gauge from the outside, and support has sometimes been delayed. Here, caregivers 202 include, but are not limited to, not only biological or legal parents such as the mother and father of child 201, but also genetic relatives and siblings, as well as those who are not biologically or genetically related but who are required to supervise and protect the child.

[0014] In response to this, methods have been used such as questionnaires to estimate the psychological indicators of the caregiver 202, but the questionnaire interview itself can be a psychological burden for the caregiver 202, so this method is sometimes not useful. Also, while government officials have conducted visits and observations, it has been difficult to discover a relationship in a natural state because the caregiver 202 becomes defensive.

[0015] In recent years, research on oxytocin, a peptide hormone derived from the brain, has progressed, and it is becoming clear that the amount of oxytocin can be used to measure specific indicators such as the relationship between the caregiver 202 and the child 201. For example, it has been found that there is a correlation between the amount of oxytocin in the caregiver 202 and the stress level of the caregiver 202. For these reasons, attention is being paid to estimating psychological indicators of the caregiver 202 using the amount of oxytocin instead of questionnaires, etc.

[0016] However, in order to measure the amount of oxytocin in the caregiver 202, it is necessary to collect a biological sample from the caregiver 202 himself / herself, and the collection of the biological sample itself can be a psychological burden on the caregiver 202. If a biological sample is collected from a caregiver 202 whose psychological state is different from normal, the amount of oxytocin in the biological sample may also be different from normal, and there is a risk that a specific indicator that can be determined from the amount of oxytocin cannot be measured correctly. In other words, it has not been possible to correctly measure a specific indicator based on the amount of oxytocin in the biological sample collected from the caregiver 202 and accurately determine whether or not support is needed for the caregiver 202.

[0017] Based on this knowledge, as shown in FIG. 2 , the support need assessment device 200 assesses whether or not the caregiver 202 of the child 201 needs support, based on the oxytocin level 212 obtained by analyzing a biological sample 211 collected from the child 201 with an analytical device 203. By collecting the biological sample 211 from the child 201, it is possible to perform normal measurement of a specific index that can be determined from the oxytocin level 212 without being affected by the psychological state of the caregiver 202, and it is possible to accurately assess whether or not the caregiver 202 needs support. As the child grows, there are more external factors that affect the oxytocin level in addition to the caregiver-child relationship. Therefore, from the perspective of improving the accuracy of the assessment of the need for support, it is preferable that the child 201 is an infant (3 months to 24 months old). The child 201 may be an infant (3 months to 11 months old) or a toddler (12 months to 24 months old).

[0018] The obtained oxytocin level 212 is transmitted from the analysis device 203 to the support need assessment device 200. The support need assessment device 200 determines whether or not the caregiver 202 of the child 201 needs support, based on the received oxytocin level 212. The determination result is notified to, for example, a mobile device such as a smartphone 204 carried by the caregiver 202 or a supporter supporting the caregiver 202. Examples of the supporter supporting the caregiver 202 include an administrative official, a hospital official, etc.

[0019] Next, the configuration of the support need determination device 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The support need determination device 200 includes an acquisition unit 301, a calculation unit 302, a determination unit 101, a proposal generation unit 304, and a notification control unit 305. The determination unit 101 further includes a child-rearing stress level determination unit 303. In the following description, the caregiver 202 is assumed to be a parent.

[0020] The acquisition unit 301 acquires the oxytocin level 212. The oxytocin level 212 is obtained by analyzing the biological sample 211 collected from the child 201, as described above.

[0021] Examples of the biological sample 211 include saliva, urine, blood, and lymph, among which saliva and urine are preferred, and saliva is more preferred. There are no particular limitations on the method for collecting the biological sample. For example, saliva can be collected by the spitting method, the cotton swab method, or the like. Alternatively, saliva may be collected by rinsing the oral cavity with water and then spitting out all the saliva into a predetermined container. After collection, the saliva is preferably immediately frozen and stored using dry ice or the like.

[0022] There are no particular limitations on the timing of collection of the biological sample 211. For example, when a parent (caregiver 202) with the child 201 visits a government agency or the like to seek support, the biological sample 211 may be collected from the child 201. Alternatively, the biological sample 211 may be collected from the child 201 at the time of the child's 201 health checkup or regular medical examination.

[0023] The acquired biological sample 211 is subjected to an analytical device 203, and an oxytocin level 212 is measured. An example of a method for the analytical device 203 to measure the oxytocin level 212 is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For example, an Oxytocin ELISA Kit (manufactured by Enzo Life Sciences) can be used as the analytical device 203 that performs ELISA.

[0024] In addition, methods by which the analytical device 203 measures the oxytocin level 212 include high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS), and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

[0025] The acquiring unit 301 may acquire the oxytocin level 212 directly or indirectly from the analyzing device 203. For example, the oxytocin level 212 measured by the analyzing device 203 may be stored in a storage medium separate from the analyzing device 203, and the oxytocin level 212 may be acquired from the storage medium. Alternatively, the operator of the support need assessment device 200 may input the oxytocin level 212 to the support need assessment device 200 using an input device such as a keyboard, and the input oxytocin level 212 may be acquired by the acquiring unit 301.

[0026] An example of a method for measuring the oxytocin level 212 will now be described in detail. [Method for measuring oxytocin levels] [Saliva collection] A child's saliva was collected as a biological sample. Specifically, a commercially available infant saliva collection sponge was used to absorb saliva from around the child's mouth, and then slowly traced the inside of the child's mouth for approximately 2 minutes until approximately half of the sponge was wet with saliva. Alternatively, a commercially available infant saliva collection sponge was used to absorb saliva from around the child's mouth, and then traced the inside of the child's mouth for approximately 10 minutes to collect saliva. If there is a possibility that a single collection may not yield enough saliva for the test, saliva can be collected over three consecutive days, for example, and then mixed and used. Furthermore, saliva collection should be performed at a specific time of day, taking into account the diurnal fluctuations in oxytocin levels, such as between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM, which is a time when working mothers have relatively easy time. If the child becomes upset during saliva collection, it is acceptable to refrain from forcing the collection and try again later. When considering the need for re-collection, collection in the evening or at night is preferable to collection in the morning in order to reduce the burden on the mother. In addition, breastfeeding, eating and drinking other than water, and tooth brushing should be avoided from one hour before saliva collection until the collection is completed. The sponge from which the saliva was collected should be frozen at -20°C immediately after collection and stored until it is used to measure oxytocin levels.

[0027] [Measurement of oxytocin levels] The sponge, stored at -20°C, was returned to room temperature 30 minutes before measuring oxytocin levels and thawed. The thawed sponge was then centrifuged at 3,000 × g for 5 minutes, and the supernatant was collected. In addition to collection by centrifugation, the sponge (swab) could also be compressed and squeezed with a syringe. Specifically, the plunger of a 2.5 ml syringe was removed, the thawed sponge was placed in the syringe, and the plunger was returned to the syringe and compressed to collect the saliva that emerged from the syringe opening. The collected supernatant was mixed with an equal volume of 0.1% (v / v) trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and the mixture was centrifuged at 2,130 × g for 30 minutes, after which the supernatant was collected. This collected supernatant was used as the saliva sample.

[0028] The saliva sample was then loaded onto a Sep-pak C18 column (200 mg, 3 cc, Waters) for extraction. Specifically, 1.0 ml of 100% acetonitrile (ACN) and 10 ml of 0.1% TFA solution (v / v) were passed through the C18 column in that order. Next, the saliva sample (1.0-6.0 ml) was passed through the C18 column. The C18 column was then washed with 10 ml of 0.1% TFA solution (v / v). Then, 3.0 ml of a 95:5 volume mixture of ACN and 0.1% TFA solution was passed through the C18 column to elute the proteins adsorbed to the C18 column.

[0029] The ACN in the eluted solution was evaporated with nitrogen gas, and the remaining solution was freeze-dried. The freeze-dried product was dissolved in 250 μl of Assay Buffer in an Oxytocin ELISA kit (Enzo Life Sciences), and the amount of oxytocin was quantified using the kit. Furthermore, the protein concentration (mg / ml) in the saliva before extraction, i.e., the saliva sample, was quantified using a Bio-Rad Protein Assay (BIO-RAD) based on a calibration curve prepared with bovine serum albumin. The amount of oxytocin was then divided by the protein concentration in the saliva sample to calculate the amount of oxytocin per unit of protein, and this calculated value was used as the oxytocin level.

[0030] The calculation unit 302 calculates the degree of parenting stress of the parent (caregiver 202) based on the oxytocin level 212. Specifically, a parenting stress scale is calculated as the degree of parenting stress. Note that an index other than the parenting stress scale may also be calculated as the degree of parenting stress. Examples of indexes other than the parenting stress scale include a parenting happiness scale, a questionnaire about feelings toward a baby, and an evaluation scale of feelings toward a baby.

[0031] Here, we will explain the Parenting Stress Scale. The Parenting Stress Scale is an index (Parenting Stress Index, PSI) developed in the United States by Dr. Adibin for the early detection and early intervention of stressful parent-child relationships. It consists of 78 questions answered on a five-point scale ranging from completely different to completely true, and is an index that assesses both the child's and the parent's perspectives. For the parental perspective, subscales include questions designed to gauge the parent's psychological state, such as social isolation, depression, guilt, difficulty feeling attached to the child, and parenting anxiety.

[0032] The higher the value of the parenting stress scale, the higher the stress level. As mentioned above, the parenting stress scale is an index judged from both the child's and the parent's aspects. Here, the parent's aspect of the parenting stress scale is calculated using the PSI. p PSI Child Aspects of Parenting Stress Scale c The parenting stress scale from both the parent and child perspectives was calculated as the total score of the parenting stress scale (PSI). sum Parental Stress Scale (PSI) p is an index of parenting stress caused by the parent (caregiver 202) himself / herself. c is an index of parenting stress caused by the child. Total score of the Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) sum is the parental dimension of the parenting stress scale PSI p and the Child Aspects of Parenting Stress Scale (PSI). c This is the sum of the above.

[0033] Through various investigations, the present inventors have found that there is a relationship between the oxytocin level 212 obtained by analyzing the biological sample 211 collected from the child 201 and the parenting stress scale. Specifically, a parental parenting stress scale was calculated from the results of interviewing the parents (caregivers 202) using a questionnaire purchased from the Employment Issues Research Association, a general incorporated association. Then, the parental parenting stress scale was plotted on the horizontal axis and the child 201's oxytocin level 212 on the vertical axis, and the relationship between the parental parenting stress scale and the child 201's oxytocin level 212 was plotted. Specifically, the following relationships (1) to (4) were plotted, respectively.

[0034] (1) Total score of the Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) sum and infant oxytocin levels L i (2) Parental Dimensions of Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) p and infant oxytocin levels L i (3) Total score of the Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) sum and infant oxytocin levels L t (4) Parental Dimensions of Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) p and infant oxytocin levels L t Here, an infant means a child between 3 and 11 months of age, and a toddler means a child between 3 and 24 months of age.

[0035] When a regression analysis is performed on the results of plotting (1) to (4) above, a straight line of the following formula (i) can be drawn from the graph of (1) above, a straight line of the following formula (ii) can be drawn from the graph of (2) above, a straight line of the following formula (iii) can be drawn from the graph of (3) above, and a straight line of the following formula (iv) can be drawn from the graph of (4) above.

[0036] PSI sum =-0.48L i +178.53 (i) PSI p =-0.44L i +110.40···(ii) PSI sum =-0.18L t +172.402···(iii) PSI p =-0.13L t +99.29···(iv)

[0037] The calculation unit 302 calculates the parenting stress scale of the parent (caregiver 202) by substituting the oxytocin level 212 of the child 201 acquired by the acquisition unit 301 into formulas (i) to (iv). When the child 201 is an infant, any of formulas (i) to (iv) can be used. When the child 201 is an infant and the total score of the parenting stress scale is sum When calculating the parental aspect of the parenting stress scale (PSI), either formula (i) or (iii) may be used, but formula (i) is preferably used. p When calculating the total score of the parenting stress scale PSI, either formula (ii) or (iv) may be used, but formula (ii) is preferably used. sum When calculating the parental aspect of the parenting stress scale, the formula (iii) is used. p When calculating, the formula (iv) is used.

[0038] The child-rearing stress level determination unit 303 determines whether or not the parent (caregiver 202) of the child 201 needs support based on the level of child-rearing stress calculated by the calculation unit 302, specifically the child-rearing stress scale. More specifically, the determination is made by comparing the child-rearing stress scale with a set value. There may be only one set value, or there may be multiple set values. When there are multiple set values, multiple determinations can be made. Specifically, it is possible to make a determination as to whether or not support is needed, as well as other determinations.

[0039] The set value can be determined, for example, by the percentile of a parenting stress scale. A percentile indicates where a particular score is positioned relative to other scores within the same data set. In other words, a percentile is an index that indicates what percentage of the total data is below a particular value when the values ​​in a data set are sorted in ascending order. For example, the 30th percentile is the value below which 30% of the total data falls.

[0040] The set value can be, for example, the 30th percentile of the parenting stress scale, the 50th percentile of the parenting stress scale, or the like. By setting the set value to the 30th percentile of the parenting stress scale, even parents whose parenting stress scale scores are not particularly high are determined to need support. Therefore, it is possible to determine that support is needed without omitting parents who are unaware of parenting stress or parents who appear to have no problems to those around them. Parents who are unaware of parenting stress or parents who appear to have no problems to those around them are unlikely to voluntarily visit government agencies or the like to seek support. On the other hand, even these parents are likely to have their children 201 undergo health checkups, regular health checkups, or the like. Therefore, if a biological sample 211 can be collected during a health checkup, regular health checkup, or the like for the child 201, it is possible to determine whether or not these parents also need support. However, not all parents of children 201 who undergo health checkups, regular health checkups, or the like necessarily have high parenting stress. Therefore, by setting the set value to the 30th percentile of the parenting stress scale, it is possible to determine without omitting parents who are likely to need support.

[0041] Furthermore, by setting the set value to the 50th percentile of the parenting stress scale, parents who score significantly high on the parenting stress scale, i.e., parents who are experiencing strong parenting stress, are determined to be in need of support, making it possible to identify parents who urgently need support.

[0042] Parental Dimensions of Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) p and total score PSI sumThe 30th and 50th percentile values ​​for each are as follows: Parental Dimensions of Parenting Stress Scale PSI p and total score PSI sum The respective 30th and 50th percentile values ​​may be obtained statistically and may be derived, for example, from the PSI Percentile Tables published by the Employment Issues Research Institute.

[0043] [Parental Stress Scale (PSI)] p 〕 30th percentile: 95 50th percentile: 105

[0044] [Total score of the Parenting Stress Scale PSI sum 〕 30th percentile: 174 50th percentile: 190

[0045] Parental Dimensions of Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) p When making a judgment based on the above, the parenting stress level judgment unit 303 may, for example, judge that the parent (caregiver 202) does not need support if the score is less than 95, and may judge that the parent needs support if the score is 105 or more. p If the score is 95 or more but less than 105, an intermediate judgment may be made. Examples of intermediate judgments include a judgment that follow-up observation is necessary, a judgment that the need for support needs to be reassessed after a certain period of time has passed, or a judgment that the minimum necessary support is necessary.

[0046] In addition, the total score of the Parenting Stress Scale (PSI) sum When making a judgment based on the above, the parenting stress level judgment unit 303 may, for example, judge that the parent does not need support if the score is less than 174, and may judge that the parent needs support if the score is 190 or more. p If the score is between 174 and 190, an intermediate assessment may be made. pExamples of such judgments include intermediate judgments based on the above.

[0047] In addition, the child aspect of the parenting stress scale PSI c Based on this, it may be possible to determine whether or not a parent needs support. c For example, if the child 201 is an infant, the total score PSI calculated by formula (i) is sum From the above, the parent side PSI calculated by formula (ii) p It can be calculated by subtracting

[0048] The proposal generating unit 304 generates proposals to support the parent (caregiver 202) based on the parenting stress scale. Specifically, it is preferable that the proposal generating unit 304 generates proposals based on the determination result of the parenting stress level determining unit 303. The proposals generated by the proposal generating unit 304 may be directed to the parent's supporter or to the parent itself. It is preferable that the proposals to the parent's supporter specifically communicate the need for support so that the supporter who sees the proposal can take immediate action. It is preferable that the proposals to the parent use, for example, gentle language to prevent the parent who sees the proposal from feeling psychological burden.

[0049] Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the proposal generation unit 304 will be described. The child-rearing stress scale used by the child-rearing stress level determination unit 303 for determination is the parental aspect PSI. p If so, the total score is PSI sum The following explanation will be given separately for the cases where

[0050] [[The child-rearing stress level determination unit 303 determines the parent's side PSI p When determining using [Result of assessment by the childcare stress level assessment unit 303: Support required] In this case, it is considered that the parent (caregiver 202) is experiencing parenting stress caused by the parent himself / herself. Therefore, it is preferable that the suggestion generating unit 304 generates suggestions for reducing parenting stress caused by the parent himself / herself. For example, suggestions to the parent include a suggestion encouraging the parent to ask for support from people around them, or a suggestion encouraging the parent to make time away from childcare, etc. Furthermore, suggestions to the parent's supporter include a suggestion encouraging the parent to check in on the parent's condition, or a suggestion encouraging the parent to provide direct support, etc.

[0051] [Result of childcare stress level assessment unit 303: No support required] In this case, it is considered that the parent does not feel any parenting stress caused by the parent himself, or even if he does feel it, the degree of stress is low. Therefore, the suggestion generating unit 304 does not need to generate any special suggestions. Alternatively, the suggestion generating unit 304 may generate suggestions to encourage the parent to maintain or improve their current parenting attitude. For example, suggestions to the parent include praising the parent's parenting attitude or indicating that there is no problem with the current situation. Also, suggestions to the parent's supporter include indicating that there is no problem with the current situation.

[0052] [Result of childcare stress assessment unit 303: Needs follow-up observation] In this case, it is considered that the parent is experiencing parenting stress due to the parent himself / herself, but does not require emergency support. Therefore, it is preferable that the suggestion generating unit 304 generates suggestions to at least prevent the current situation from worsening. For example, a suggestion to the parent may be a suggestion to make the parent aware of the parenting stress he / she is experiencing. Furthermore, a suggestion to the parent's supporter may be a suggestion to encourage the supporter to monitor the progress of the parent's condition.

[0053] [[The childcare stress assessment section 303 is the total score PSI sum When determining using [Result of assessment by the childcare stress level assessment unit 303: Support required] In this case, it is considered that the parent (caregiver 202) is experiencing both parenting stress caused by the parent himself / herself and parenting stress caused by the child 201. Therefore, it is preferable that the proposal generating unit 304 generates proposals to reduce both parenting stresses. The proposal generating unit 304 generates proposals to reduce both parenting stresses. p The system may generate suggestions similar to those described in [Result of determination by the parenting stress level determination unit 303: Support is needed] in [When determining using the above]. For example, suggestions to parents include encouraging them to ask for support from people around them, or encouraging them to make time away from childcare. Furthermore, suggestions to supporters of parents include encouraging them to check in on how their parents are doing, or encouraging them to provide direct support to their parents.

[0054] [Result of childcare stress level assessment unit 303: No support required] In this case, it is considered that the parent does not feel any child-rearing stress caused by the parent himself or herself and the child 201, or even if the parent does feel any child-rearing stress, the degree of the stress is low. Therefore, the suggestion generating unit 304 does not need to generate any special suggestions. In addition, the suggestion generating unit 304 may generate suggestions based on the parent-rearing stress level determination unit 303. p The proposal generator 304 may generate a proposal similar to the proposal described in [Result of determination by the parenting stress level determination unit 303: support is not required] in [When determining using the parenting stress level determination unit 303]. Specifically, the proposal generator 304 may generate a proposal encouraging the parent to maintain or improve their current parenting attitude. For example, the proposal to the parent may include praising the parent's parenting attitude or indicating that there is no problem with the current situation. Furthermore, the proposal to the parent's supporter may include indicating that there is no problem with the current situation.

[0055] [Result of childcare stress assessment unit 303: Needs follow-up observation] In this case, it is considered that the parent feels child-rearing stress caused by the parent himself / herself and the child 201, but does not need emergency support. Therefore, it is preferable that the proposal generation unit 304 generates a proposal to at least prevent the current situation from worsening. The proposal generation unit 304 generates a proposal to at least prevent the current situation from worsening. p The system may generate suggestions similar to those described in [Result of determination by the child-rearing stress level determination unit 303: Need for follow-up observation] in [When determining using the above]. For example, a suggestion to the parent may be a suggestion to make the parent aware that they are feeling child-rearing stress. Also, a suggestion to the parent's supporter may be a suggestion to encourage the supporter to monitor the parent's condition.

[0056] The proposal generation unit 304 calculates the total score of the parenting stress scale PSI sum and parental aspects PSI p The total score of the parenting stress scale (PSI) is used below. sum and parental aspects PSI p We will explain how to generate proposals by taking both of these factors into consideration.

[0057] [[Parental Side PSI p and total score PSI sum If both are high (e.g. PSI p ≧95 and PSI sum ≧174) In this case, the parental dimension of the parenting stress scale, PSI p and child's side PSI c This means that both the parental stress caused by the parent themselves and the parenting stress caused by the child 201 are high. In other words, it is considered that the parent (caregiver 202) is experiencing both parenting stress caused by the parent themselves and parenting stress caused by the child 201. Therefore, the proposal generating unit 304 selects the parental aspect PSI of the parenting stress scale. p and child's side PSI cIt is preferable to make suggestions to reduce both of these. For example, suggestions to parents that will provide psychological support, such as introducing them to places to seek advice, may be generated. Specifically, suggestions such as "If you're worried, you don't have to worry alone," or "You can go to these places for advice" may be generated.

[0058] Furthermore, a suggestion indicating high urgency may be generated for the parent's supporter. Specifically, the suggestion may be something like, "You are experiencing a lot of stress from raising your child and may need support. Please check your situation."

[0059] Parental Aspect PSI p and total score PSI sum If both are high, it is preferable to generate suggestions for the parent to receive more direct support, as described above.

[0060] [[Parental Side PSI p Higher total score PSI sum If the PSI p ≧95 and PSI sum <174) In this case, the parental dimension of the parenting stress scale, PSI p Higher side PSI c means that the parent is experiencing child-rearing stress caused by the parent itself, but is not experiencing child-rearing stress caused by the child 201, or even if they are experiencing it, the degree of stress is low. Therefore, the proposal generating unit 304 uses the parental aspect PSI of the child-rearing stress scale to p It is preferable to provide suggestions to reduce the risk of child-rearing. For example, advice on lifestyle improvements and ways of thinking may be generated as suggestions for parents. Specifically, suggestions may be generated such as introductions to local family support systems, advice on age-specific problems such as night crying, and links to websites with articles that make child-rearing more enjoyable.

[0061] Furthermore, a suggestion may be generated for the parent supporter to encourage those around them to keep an eye on the child. Specifically, a suggestion such as "Maybe you're taking it too seriously" may be generated.

[0062] Parental Aspect PSI p Higher total score PSI sum If the value is low, it is preferable to generate suggestions to enable the parent to raise their child in a more relaxed state, as described above.

[0063] [[Parental Side PSI p Low total score PSI sum If the pressure is high (e.g. PSI p <95 and PSI sum ≧174) In this case, the parental dimension of the parenting stress scale, PSI p Lowers the child's side PSI c means that the parent feels child-rearing stress caused by the child 201, but does not feel child-rearing stress caused by the parent himself, or if he does feel it, the degree of stress is low. Therefore, the proposal generating unit 304 uses the child aspect PSI of the child-rearing stress scale c It is preferable to make suggestions to reduce the risk of childcare problems. For example, for parents, suggestions may be generated that acknowledge the efforts of the parents and the diversity of the child 201, or stories of people with childcare experience. In addition, suggestions may be generated that include ideas and advice for childcare, such as how to change a diaper when the child refuses to change.

[0064] Also, a suggestion may be generated to the parent's supporter, recommending that the child 201 be checked for a medical checkup or the like to check the child's condition.

[0065] Parental Aspect PSI p Low total score PSI sum If Λ is high, it is preferable to generate suggestions to improve the parenting skills of the parent or check the status of the child 201, as described above.

[0066] [[Parental Side PSI p and total score PSI sum If both are low (e.g. PSI p <95 and PSI sum <174) In this case, the parental dimension of the parenting stress scale, PSI p and child's side PSI c This means that both parenting stress caused by the parent itself and parenting stress caused by the child 201 are low. In other words, it is considered that the parent does not feel both parenting stress caused by the parent itself and parenting stress caused by the child 201, or even if they do feel them, the degree of stress is low. Therefore, the suggestion generating unit 304 may not generate any special suggestions, or may generate suggestions to maintain the current situation or to move to a more preferable state. For example, suggestions may be generated for the parent, such as "You're having fun raising your child," or a link to a homepage that will help parents enjoy parenting more.

[0067] In addition, a suggestion may be generated for the parent's supporter that the child is considered to have few problems.

[0068] The proposal generation unit 304 also calculates the total score PSI of the parenting stress scale. sum The proposal may be generated taking into consideration the age in months of the child 201. A method for generating a proposal taking into consideration the age in months of the child 201 will be described below.

[0069] [[Total score PSI sum High (e.g. PSI sum ≥ 174), if the child 201 is 11 months old or younger (infant) In this case, the parent (caregiver 202) is likely to be feeling stressed due to being unfamiliar with child-rearing, and therefore it is preferable to generate a suggestion that encourages the parent to rely on others.

[0070] For example, for parents, it may be possible to show them that they are not the only ones who are feeling stressed about child-rearing and generate suggestions to help them ask for child-rearing help.Specifically, it may be possible to generate suggestions such as "You may be trying too hard. Do you have any of these concerns?", "We offer childcare services at the following locations," and "You can call the following phone number to report any problems you may have."

[0071] In addition, suggestions such as "You may be experiencing high levels of childcare stress and need support" or "Because your child is still young, there is a high possibility that you may need emotional support or childcare help" may be generated for parental supporters.

[0072] [[Total score PSI sum High (e.g. PSI sum ≧174), if the child 201 is between 12 and 24 months old (infant) In this case, it is conceivable that the parent is feeling stressed because they are spending too much time with the child 201 or they no longer have the time to do things other than childcare. Therefore, it is preferable to generate a suggestion to encourage the parent to do things other than childcare or to go out.

[0073] For example, suggestions may be generated for parents who have not yet found a place for their child to go outside of the home. Specifically, suggestions such as "You may be trying too hard. Why not connect with other mothers?" or "Please call the number below if you have any concerns" may be generated. Suggestions may also be generated for local lessons or events that offer childcare services.

[0074] Also, suggestions may be generated for parent supporters, indicating that the child has not been able to find a place for themselves outside of the home. Specifically, suggestions such as "You may be under a lot of stress from raising your child and need support," or "Your child is old, so you may be worried about not being able to adapt to daycare, etc." may also be generated as a suggestion. Inviting the parent to go out may also be generated as a suggestion.

[0075] [[Total score PSI sum low (e.g. PSI sum <174) If the child is 11 months or younger (infant) In this case, it is considered that there is no particular problem with child rearing, but a suggestion may be generated according to the age of the child 201. Also, a suggestion may be generated that praises the parent's child rearing attitude or indicates that there is no problem with the current situation.

[0076] For example, for parents, a suggestion such as "Childcare can be difficult, but you may be able to relax well" may be generated.

[0077] For parent supporters, a suggestion such as "No issues found" may be generated.

[0078] [[Total score PSI sum low (e.g. PSI sum <174) If the child is between 12 and 24 months old (infant) In this case, it is considered that there is no particular problem with child rearing, but suggestions may be generated according to the age of the child 201. Also, suggestions may be generated that praise the parent's (caregiver's) attitude toward child rearing or indicate that there is no problem with the current situation.

[0079] For example, for parents, a suggestion such as "Raising a child can be difficult at times, but it seems like you're doing a good job of relaxing and raising your child" may be generated.

[0080] For parent supporters, a suggestion such as "No issues found" may be generated.

[0081] The notification control unit 305 notifies the generated suggestion to at least one of the parent (caregiver 202) and a supporter who supports the parent. Destinations of the suggestion include, for example, the parent, an administrative official, a responsible administrative department, the child's 201's family doctor, or the child's 201's family hospital. The suggestion may be notified to a mobile terminal such as the smartphone 204 or a personal computer using, for example, email, a short message service (SMS), or a social networking service (SNS).

[0082] Next, an example of the proposal table 401 held by the support need determination device 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The proposal table 401 stores proposal contents 414 in association with a parenting stress scale (parent aspect) 411, a parenting stress scale (total score) 412, and a child's age in months 413. The parenting stress scale (parent aspect) 411 is a parent aspect PSI of the parenting stress scale. p The Parenting Stress Scale (total score) 412 is the total score of the Parenting Stress Scale PSI sum The child's age in months 413 is the age in months of the child 201. The proposal content 414 is the content of a proposal to the parent (caregiver 202) or the parent's supporter according to the parenting stress scale (parent aspect) 411, the parenting stress scale (total score) 412, and the child's age in months 413. The support need determination device 200 references the proposal table 401 to generate a proposal to the parent or the parent's supporter.

[0083] The hardware configuration of the support need assessment device 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 510 is a processor for arithmetic control, and by executing programs, it realizes the various functional components of the support need assessment device 200 shown in FIG. 3. The CPU 510 may have multiple processors and execute different programs, modules, tasks, threads, etc. in parallel. The ROM (Read Only Memory) 520 stores fixed data such as initial data and programs, as well as other programs. The network interface 530 communicates with other devices via a network. The CPU 510 is not limited to a single CPU, and may include multiple CPUs or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) for image processing. The network interface 530 preferably has a CPU independent of the CPU 510 and writes and reads transmitted and received data to and from an area of ​​the RAM (Random Access Memory) 540. It is also preferable to provide a DMAC (Direct Memory Access Controller) (not shown) for transferring data between the RAM 540 and the storage 550. The CPU 510 recognizes that data has been received or transferred to the RAM 540 and processes the data accordingly. The CPU 510 also prepares the processing results in the RAM 540, and leaves the subsequent transmission or transfer to the network interface 530 or DMAC.

[0084] The RAM 540 is a random access memory used by the CPU 510 as a work area for temporary storage. The RAM 540 has a storage area reserved for storing data necessary for implementing this embodiment. The oxytocin level data 541 is data on the oxytocin level 212 obtained by analyzing a biological sample 211 collected from the child 201. The parenting stress scale data 542 is data on the parenting stress scale of the parent (caregiver 202) calculated based on the oxytocin level 212. The proposal data 543 is data on proposals generated based on the parenting stress scale.

[0085] The transmitted / received data 544 is data transmitted and received via the network interface 530. The RAM 540 also has an application execution area 545 for executing various application modules.

[0086] The storage 550 stores a database, various parameters, or the following data or programs required to implement this embodiment. The storage 550 stores a proposal table 401. The proposal table 401 is a table that manages the relationship between the parenting stress scale (parental aspects) 411, the parenting stress scale (total score) 412, the child's age in months 413, and the proposal content 414 shown in FIG. 4.

[0087] The storage 550 further stores an acquisition module 551, a calculation module 552, a determination module 553, a proposal generation module 555, and a notification control module 556. The determination module 553 has a parenting stress level determination module 554. The acquisition module 551 is a module that acquires an oxytocin level 212 obtained by analyzing a biological sample 211 collected from the child 201. The calculation module 552 is a module that calculates a parenting stress scale for the parent based on the oxytocin level 212. The parenting stress level determination module 554 is a module that determines whether the parent of the child 201 needs support based on the parenting stress scale. The proposal generation module 555 is a module that generates a proposal to support the parent based on the parenting stress scale. The notification control module 556 is a module that notifies at least one of the parent and a supporter who supports the parent of the generated proposal. These modules 551 to 556 are read into the application execution area 545 of the RAM 540 by the CPU 510 and executed. The control program 557 is a program for controlling the entire support need determination device 200 .

[0088] The input / output interface 560 interfaces input / output data with input / output devices. A display unit 561 and an operation unit 562 are connected to the input / output interface 560. A storage medium 564 may also be connected to the input / output interface 560. A speaker 563 serving as an audio output unit, a microphone (not shown) serving as an audio input unit, or a GPS position determination unit may also be connected. Note that the RAM 540 and storage 550 shown in FIG. 5 do not show programs or data related to the general-purpose functions of the support need determination device 200 or other feasible functions.

[0089] Next, the processing procedure of the support need determination device 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 6. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 510 in Fig. 5 using the RAM 540, and realizes each functional configuration of the support need determination device 200 in Fig. 3.

[0090] In step S601, the acquisition unit 301 acquires the oxytocin level 212. In step S603, the calculation unit 302 calculates the parenting stress scale of the parent (caregiver 202) based on the oxytocin level 212. In step S605, the parenting stress degree determination unit 303 of the determination unit 101 determines whether the parent needs support based on the parenting stress scale. Specifically, whether the parent needs support is determined depending on whether the parenting stress scale is equal to or greater than a set value. If the parenting stress scale is equal to or greater than the set value (step S605: YES), it is determined in step S607 that the parent needs support. On the other hand, if the parenting stress scale is less than the set value (step S605: NO), it is determined in step S609 that the parent does not need support. In step S611, the support need determination device 200 notifies at least one of the parent and a supporter supporting the parent of the determination result, i.e., that the parent does not need support. If there are multiple set values, the child-rearing stress scale may be compared with each set value in turn in step S605.

[0091] In step S613, the suggestion generation unit 304 generates a suggestion to support the parent based on the parenting stress scale. In step S615, the notification control unit 305 notifies at least one of the parent and a supporter supporting the parent of the generated suggestion.

[0092] According to this embodiment, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not a parent (caregiver 202) needs support. Therefore, it is possible to accurately identify parents who need support, and provide appropriate support to the parents. Furthermore, by notifying the parent or the parent's supporter of suggestions for supporting the parent, it is possible to easily make the parent or the supporter aware that support is needed. Therefore, it is possible for the parent to ask for help from those around them at an early stage, and for the parent's supporter to provide the parent with the support they need early.

[0093] Furthermore, the support need determination device 200 can inform the supporter of the parent that the parent needs support without causing the parent to feel psychological burden by notifying the supporter of the generated proposal. This makes it possible to support the parent while preventing the parent's child-rearing stress from worsening and preventing adverse effects on the child 201.

[0094] Furthermore, when the generated suggestions are notified to the parents, the suggestions can be expressed in gentle language, so that the parents can be made aware of their need for support without feeling any psychological burden.

[0095] [Third embodiment] Next, a support need determination device 700 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 7 to 10. Fig. 7 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the support need determination device 700 according to this embodiment. The support need determination device 700 according to this embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the determination unit 101 includes an oxytocin level determination unit 701. Since the other configurations and operations are the same as those in the second embodiment, the same configurations and operations are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0096] The oxytocin level determination unit 701 determines whether or not the parent (caregiver 202) of the child 201 needs support based on the comparison result of the oxytocin level 212 with a reference value. Specifically, the determination is made by comparing the oxytocin level 212 with the reference value. For example, if the oxytocin level 212 is equal to or greater than the reference value, it may be determined that support is needed, and if the oxytocin level 212 is less than the reference value, it may be determined that support is not needed. There may be only one reference value, or there may be multiple reference values. When there are multiple reference values, multiple determinations can be made. For example, when the determination is based on the amount of oxytocin in saliva, the reference value may be 50 μg / μl or 100 μg / μl.

[0097] A method for determining the reference value will be described below. For example, a value obtained by statistically processing the oxytocin levels 212 of multiple children 201 may be used as the reference value. Specifically, the average or median of the oxytocin levels 212 of multiple children 201 may be used as the reference value. Alternatively, the 30th percentile value of the oxytocin levels 212, the 50th percentile value of the oxytocin levels 212, or the 80th percentile value of the oxytocin levels 212 may be used as the reference value.

[0098] Next, an example of support need determination tables 801, 802 held by the support need determination device 700 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The support need determination tables 801, 802 store support need 812, 822 in association with oxytocin level values ​​811, 821. The oxytocin level values ​​811, 821 are values ​​of the oxytocin level 212 obtained by analyzing the biological sample 211. The support need 812, 822 indicate whether support is needed for the parent (caregiver 202).

[0099] In the necessity determination table 801, the reference value for the oxytocin level 212 is only one, "α." In the necessity determination table 801, when the oxytocin level value 811 is "above α," the support necessity 812 is set to "needed," and when the oxytocin level value 811 is "below α," the support necessity 812 is set to "not required."

[0100] In the necessity determination table 802, there are two reference values ​​for the oxytocin level 212: "β" and "γ." "β" is greater than "γ." In the necessity determination table 802, when the oxytocin level value 821 is "β or greater," the support necessity 822 is set to "Needed." When the oxytocin level value 821 is "less than β and greater than γ," the support necessity 822 is set to "Follow-up observation required." When the oxytocin level value 821 is "less than γ," the support necessity 822 is set to "Not required."

[0101] The support need determination device 700 determines whether support is needed for the parent by referring to need determination tables 801 and 802. Specifically, when only one value is used as the reference value for the oxytocin level 212, the support need determination table 801 is referenced, and when two values ​​are used as the reference values ​​for the oxytocin level 212, the support need determination table 802 is referenced. When there are three or more reference values, the support need determination device 700 may have tables according to the number of reference values.

[0102] 9, the hardware configuration of the support need determination device 700 will be described. The RAM 940 is a random access memory used as a temporary storage work area by the CPU 510. A storage area for storing data necessary for implementing this embodiment is secured in the RAM 940.

[0103] The storage 950 stores a database, various parameters, or the following data or programs required to implement this embodiment. The storage 950 stores necessity determination tables 801 and 802. The necessity determination tables 801 and 802 are tables that manage the relationship between oxytocin level values ​​811 and 821 and support necessity values ​​812 and 822, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0104] Similar to the second embodiment, the storage 950 further stores a determination module 553. The determination module 553 has an oxytocin level determination module 951. The oxytocin level determination module 951 is a module that determines whether or not the parent (caregiver 202) of the child 201 needs support, based on the comparison result of the oxytocin level 212 with a reference value.

[0105] Next, the processing procedure of the support need determination device 700 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 10. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 510 in Fig. 9 using the RAM 940, and realizes each functional configuration of the support need determination device 700 in Fig. 7.

[0106] In step S1001, the oxytocin level determination unit 701 compares the oxytocin level 212 with a reference value. If the oxytocin level 212 is equal to or greater than the reference value (step S1001: YES), the oxytocin level determination unit 701 determines in step S607 that the parent (caregiver 202) needs support. If the oxytocin level 212 is less than the reference value (step S1001: NO), the oxytocin level determination unit 701 determines in step S609 that the parent does not need support. Note that if there are multiple reference values, the oxytocin level 212 may be compared with each reference value in turn in step S1001.

[0107] According to this embodiment, the oxytocin level 212 is used directly to determine whether or not support is needed for the parent (caregiver 202), so the amount of calculation and calculation time of the support need determination device 700 can be reduced, and the above-mentioned determination can be made quickly.

[0108] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, systems or devices that combine separate features included in each embodiment in any manner are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0109] The present invention may also be applied to a system consisting of multiple devices or to a single device. Furthermore, the present invention may also be applied when an information processing program that realizes the functions of the embodiments is supplied to a system or device and executed by a built-in processor. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention also includes a program installed on a computer to realize the functions of the present invention, a medium storing the program, a WWW (World Wide Web) server from which the program can be downloaded, a processor that executes the program, and a program product. In particular, the technical scope of the present invention includes at least a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the processing steps included in the above-described embodiments.

[0110] The following supplementary notes are further disclosed regarding the above-described embodiment of the present invention. <1> A support need determination device comprising a determination unit that determines whether a child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child. <2> The method further includes: acquiring the oxytocin level; <1> The support need determination device described in <3> a calculation unit that calculates the degree of parenting stress of the caregiver based on the oxytocin level; The determination unit determines whether or not the caregiver needs support based on the degree of child-rearing stress calculated by the calculation unit. <1> or the above <2> The support need determination device described in <4> a proposal generator that generates a proposal to support the caregiver based on the degree of child-rearing stress; a notification control unit that notifies the generated proposal to at least one of the caregiver and a supporter who supports the caregiver; The above further comprising <3> The support need determination device described in <5> The biological sample is saliva. <1> or the above <2> The support need determination device described in <6> The child's age is between 3 months and 24 months. <1> or the above <2> The support need determination device described in <7> The determination unit determines whether or not the caregiver of the child needs support based on a comparison result of the oxytocin level with a reference value. <1> or the above <2> The support need determination device described in

[0111] <8> A method for determining whether a child needs support, comprising a determination step of determining whether the child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child. <9> further comprising the step of acquiring the oxytocin level. <8> The method for determining whether support is required is described above. <10> The method further includes a calculation step of calculating a degree of parenting stress of the caregiver based on the oxytocin level, In the determining step, it is determined whether or not the caregiver needs support based on the degree of child-rearing stress calculated in the calculating step. <8> or the above <9> The method for determining whether support is required is described above. <11> a proposal generation step of generating a proposal to support the caregiver based on the degree of child-rearing stress; a notification control step of notifying at least one of the caregiver and a supporter who supports the caregiver of the generated proposal; The above further comprising <10> The method for determining whether support is required is described above. <11> The biological sample is saliva. <8> or the above <9> The method for determining whether support is required is described above. <12> The child's age is between 3 months and 24 months. <8> or the above <9> The method for determining whether support is required is described above. <13> In the determining step, it is determined whether or not the caregiver of the child needs support based on a comparison result of the oxytocin level compared with a reference value. <8> or the above <9> The method for determining whether support is required is described above.

[0112] <14> A support need assessment program that causes a computer to execute a assessment step of determining whether or not a child's caregiver needs support based on oxytocin levels obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child. <15> The step of acquiring the oxytocin level is further performed by the computer. <14> The support need assessment program described above. <16> a calculation step of calculating a degree of parenting stress of the caregiver based on the oxytocin level; In the determining step, it is determined whether or not the caregiver needs support based on the degree of child-rearing stress calculated in the calculating step. <14> or the above <15> The support need assessment program described above. <17> a proposal generation step of generating a proposal to support the caregiver based on the degree of child-rearing stress; a notification control step of notifying at least one of the caregiver and a supporter who supports the caregiver of the generated proposal; The above-mentioned further causes a computer to execute <16> The support need assessment program described above. <18> The biological sample is saliva. <14> or the above <15> The support need assessment program described above. <19> The child's age is between 3 months and 24 months. <14> or the above <15> The support need assessment program described above. <20> In the determining step, it is determined whether or not the caregiver of the child needs support based on a comparison result of the oxytocin level compared with a reference value. <14> or the above <15> The support need assessment program described above.

Claims

1. A support need determination device comprising a determination unit that determines whether a child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.

2. The support need determination device according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition unit that acquires the oxytocin level.

3. a calculation unit that calculates the degree of parenting stress of the caregiver based on the oxytocin level; The support need determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the caregiver needs support based on the degree of child-rearing stress calculated by the calculation unit.

4. a proposal generator that generates a proposal to support the caregiver based on the degree of child-rearing stress; a notification control unit that notifies the generated proposal to at least one of the caregiver and a supporter who supports the caregiver; The support need determination device according to claim 3 , further comprising:

5. The support need determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the biological sample is saliva.

6. The support need determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the child's age is between 3 months and 24 months.

7. The support need determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the caregiver of the child needs support based on a comparison result of the oxytocin level with a reference value.

8. A method for determining whether a child needs support, comprising a determination step of determining whether the child's caregiver needs support based on the oxytocin level obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.

9. A support need assessment program that causes a computer to execute a assessment step of determining whether or not a child's caregiver needs support based on oxytocin levels obtained by analyzing a biological sample collected from the child.

Images