Background: Coffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by de novo mutations in the BAF-complex, resulting in severe developmental delays. Despite insights from case studies, the...Show moreBackground: Coffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by de novo mutations in the BAF-complex, resulting in severe developmental delays. Despite insights from case studies, the relationship between developmental characteristics of CSS-affected children and parental caregiving burden remains underexplored. Method: This study mainly aimed to investigate to what extent language proficiency and adaptive functioning predict the parental caregiving burden for CSS-affected children, whilst accounting for the chronological age of the children. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires to assess language proficiency (PPVT, CELF-4-NL, CELF-Preschool-2-NL), adaptive functioning (ABAS-3-NL) and parental caregiving burden (OBVL). The sample included 26 CSS-affected children aged 4-18 years (M = 10.30 years, SD = 4.23 years), recruited from the LUMC expert clinic and patient associations in the Netherlands and Belgium. Results: Language comprehension did not correlate significantly with parental caregiving burden. The correlation remained non-significant after controlling for chronological age. Similar patterns were observed between language comprehension and adaptive functioning and between adaptive functioning and caregiving burden. Chronological age significantly correlated positively with language comprehension (r = 0.43, p = 0.04), and a trend was observed for a negative correlation between age and adaptive functioning (r = -0.39, p = 0.08). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that neither language comprehension nor adaptive functioning significantly predicted parental caregiving burden (R² = 0.13; F(2,15) = 1.130; p = .349). even after controlling for chronological age (R² = 0.148; F(3,15) = 1.199, p = .315). Conclusion: Despite exploring language proficiency, adaptive functioning, and chronological age in CSS-affected children, no significant predictors were identified for parental caregiving burden. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the developmental trajectories and caregiving dynamics within CSS-affected families.Show less
Sensitive parenting is important for promoting the parent-child relationship and children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Parental factors related to sensitive parenting are...Show moreSensitive parenting is important for promoting the parent-child relationship and children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Parental factors related to sensitive parenting are depression and parental self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between depression and sensitive parenting, and whether parental self-efficacy mediates this association. Participants were 17 Dutch mothers and 4 Dutch fathers of children aged 3-5 years. Parents played 5-10 minutes with their child during two measurement moments, while the researcher was present through a Microsoft Teams connection. A video of the playing was recorded. In between the two measurement moments, parents completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression-questionnaire (CES-D) and the Me as a Parent-questionnaire (MaaP). Afterwards, the video recordings were encoded according to the Ainsworth sensitivity scale. Only the relation between depression and sensitivity was significant, where depression was positively related to sensitivity. There was no indication found for a mediational role of parental self-efficacy in the relation between depression and sensitivity. Explanatory theories, limitations and practical implications were discussed. Future research will have to show which other factors can explain these unexpected findings.Show less
This study examines primary school teachers' knowledge of mathematic teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models, focusing on the teaching and learning trajectories of 'multi-digit...Show moreThis study examines primary school teachers' knowledge of mathematic teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models, focusing on the teaching and learning trajectories of 'multi-digit addition and subtraction' and 'time'. The study aims to identify knowledge gaps to ensure teachers have adequate knowledge to meet their students' diverse mathematical needs. Factors like the grade level teachers teach, teaching experience, and instructional methods are also considered. The study uses a questionnaire to assess teachers' understanding, including a sequencing task for arranging arithmetic tasks and identifying didactic model phases. Results show teachers better understand the teaching and learning trajectories for 'multi-digit addition and subtraction' than for 'time' (n = 33). Grade level does not affect the knowledge of teaching and learning trajectories, but less experienced teachers sometimes show more insight. The teaching method used also relates to knowledge levels. Teachers excel at classifying assignments by one didactic model but struggle with another. Regarding knowledge acquisition, it appears that teachers gain more understanding of teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models after completing their teacher education rather than during it.Show less
Due to the high prevalence of eating issues for young children, it is important to understand how parental factors can influence these issues. This study investigates the link between temperament...Show moreDue to the high prevalence of eating issues for young children, it is important to understand how parental factors can influence these issues. This study investigates the link between temperament and picky eating for three-year-old children, and the role of maternal parenting styles like restrictive eating and pressure to eat. The research aims to explore the mediating role of these parenting styles in the relationship between shy or anxious temperament and picky eating in young children. Participants were recruited from the 'Baby’s First Bites' study, which tracked mothers and their firstborn children until the child turned 36 months old. In this study 84 mothers completed the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) to assess temperament, the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) to assess picky eating, and the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire (IFSQ) to assess feeding styles. To examine the research hypotheses, a correlation matrix was used to determine whether high levels of shy or anxious temperament correlate with elevated levels of picky eating. Additionally, to evaluate direct and indirect relationships, a mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS model 4. For the correlation and the mediation, a significance level of alpha = .05 was maintained for all hypotheses. Results showed no significant associations between shy or anxious temperament and picky eating. Furthermore, maternal restrictive eating and pressure to eat do not mediate these relationships. These findings contrast with prior research, potentially due to differences in terminology, measurement tools, age of the children, and sample characteristics. Future studies should investigate the longitudinal interplay among temperament, parenting styles, and picky eating, using robust and varied measurement tools while accounting for demographic factors like location and ethnicity to minimize biases.Show less
Children with sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) are at increased risk for psychopathology, particularly within the social domain. This study investigates whether children with SCT exhibit elevated...Show moreChildren with sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) are at increased risk for psychopathology, particularly within the social domain. This study investigates whether children with SCT exhibit elevated autism traits compared to typically developing children, given the difficulties in social interaction and communication that are typical of autism spectrum disorders. The sample comprised 67 children with SCT (27 girls with XXX, 29 boys with XXY, 11 boys with XYY) and 70 typically developing children, aged 2.5 to 7.5 years. Autism traits were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second edition (SRS-2). Statistical analyses revealed that children with SCT demonstrate more severe deficits in social responsiveness than typically developing children, scoring primarily in the subclinical range. Children with SCT scored significantly higher on all assessed autism aspects, with social awareness being the least affected compared to the control group. No differences were found across different karyotypes, suggesting a consistent elevation of autism traits across SCT genetic variants. Age had no effect on the severity of autism traits, implying stability across development. These insights enhance understanding of the specific needs and challenges of children with SCT in their social development, which is crucial for the development of effective support and intervention programs. Additionally, these findings underscore the importance of early detection and intervention for children with SCT, with autism traits serving as potential early indicators of SCT presence.Show less
The reading skills of children in the Netherlands have been significantly declining since 2015. Reading skills are fundamental for successful participation in society. The reading enjoyment of...Show moreThe reading skills of children in the Netherlands have been significantly declining since 2015. Reading skills are fundamental for successful participation in society. The reading enjoyment of children is also declining and reading enjoyment is associated with reading skills. Research has shown that struggling readers need individualized intensive multicomponent reading interventions to improve their reading skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two online reading interventions on reading skills and reading enjoyment of struggling readers in grades 4 and 5. The first reading intervention, the ‘Universele Interventie voor Lezen’ (UIL), is individualized and intensive and uses direct and explicit instruction. The second reading intervention, the ‘Meelees Interventie’ (MLI), is individualized, but less intensive and makes less use of direct and explicit instruction. Both interventions cover multiple components of reading. The interventions were compared to a wait-list control group (CG) in which children received the UIL at the end of the study. Reading skills were divided in word reading, reading fluency and reading comprehension and were measured using CBM word reading, CBM reading aloud, and CBM maze-selection. Reading enjoyment was measured using the Reading and Me Survey. Results revealed that struggling readers in the intervention conditions (UIL and MLI) made significantly greater pre-posttest gains in word reading than did struggling readers in the control group. No significant effects were found for reading fluency, reading comprehension or reading enjoyment. The results suggest that providing extra, intensive individualized multicomponent reading interventions to struggling 4th- and 5th-grade readers over a period of 4 weeks with 8 sessions may increase their word reading skills, but not their reading fluency skills, their reading comprehension skills or their reading enjoyment. In addition, the results suggest that interventions with more and less direct and explicit instruction were equally effective.Show less
Background: Child welfare services face substantial challenges in managing out-of-home placements, with various risk factors influencing the duration and outcomes of these placements. Research has...Show moreBackground: Child welfare services face substantial challenges in managing out-of-home placements, with various risk factors influencing the duration and outcomes of these placements. Research has shown that both maternal and child characteristics can significantly impact the stability and length of these out-of-home placements, yet there is a lack of comprehensive studies examining these relationships within the Dutch context. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing effective interventions and support mechanisms. That is why this study aims to investigate the associations between the duration of out-of-home placements and maternal and child risk factors, as well as the role of help provided during the placement. Method: A case file analysis was conducted of 199 children (104 boys, 95 girls) within the Dutch child welfare system. The data was collected from randomly selected case files from various certified agencies across the Netherlands. The study employes both correlation and regression analysis to examine the relationship between the variables. Results: Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between maternal risk factors and the child’s age and a significant positive correlation with the duration of the placement and the amount of help provided during the placement. Child risk factors were positively correlated with the child’s age and negatively correlated with maternal risk factors. Regression analysis confirmed that maternal risk factors and help during the placement are significant predictors of the duration of out-of-home placements. Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of targeted interventions addressing maternal risk factors and providing psycho-education for mothers regarding their role in the duration of out-of-home placements. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that access to support services is easy and straightforward for mothers, to encourage their engagement and participation in available interventions.Show less
Background: Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder where individuals fail to speak in specific situations despite being able to speak in others. Research indicates a significant association...Show moreBackground: Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder where individuals fail to speak in specific situations despite being able to speak in others. Research indicates a significant association between selective mutism and social anxiety. Moreover, specific parental behaviours, particularly overprotection, are linked to the development of social anxiety in children. In families with children diagnosed with selective mutism, various parenting styles are observed. Aim: This study analyses the possible relation between parental behaviour and social anxiety in four- and five-year-old children, both with and without the risk of developing selective mutism. Method: The current comparative study employs a cross-sectional design (n = 31), comprising fifteen children in the risk group and sixteen children in the comparison group. Two questionnaires completed by parents were used: the Social Anxiety Scale for Children Revised (SASC-R) to measure social anxiety in their children and the Comprehensive Early Childhood Parenting Questionnaire (CECPAQ) to assess parental behaviour. Results: The main findings indicate that children in the risk group exhibit higher levels of social anxiety and that their parents demonstrate less positive parenting behaviour compared to the control group. No relationship was found between positive parenting behaviour and social anxiety, with group status not being a significant moderator. However, a significant positive correlation was found between the level of structure provided by parents in the risk group and their children's social anxiety. Implications: Longitudinal research and parent-child observations are necessary to further verify and understand these findings. This study suggests that refining and improving interventions for selective mutism may involve increasing the focus on parental behaviour characteristics and parent-child interaction.Show less
Teacher shortage is a significant issue in the Netherlands affecting the entire country, but especially impacting schools in larger cities, where education is particularly important. As a result,...Show moreTeacher shortage is a significant issue in the Netherlands affecting the entire country, but especially impacting schools in larger cities, where education is particularly important. As a result, the children at those schools are more severely affected by the shortage and the shortage therefore acts as a catalyst for social inequality. Strategies to prevent teacher attrition and to promote teacher retention remain unclear. Therefore, in this thesis the motivating and demotivating factors for being a teacher in The Hague were examined. Through interviewing primary education teachers (n=5) and secondary education teachers (n=5) in The Hague, along with a literature study, was attempted to define those factors. The self-determination theory was used as a framework to describe the motivation of teachers. Results showed that fulfilling the basic psychological needs could motivate teachers in their work, while failure to satisfy the basic needs could demotivate teachers. Autonomy seemed crucial, including involvement in decision-making, feeling heard and professional development aligned with personal interests. Relatedness seemed to be fostered through positive student-teacher relationships and the sense of contributing to students' development. Competence seemed to be undermined by illegitimate tasks, yet a strong bond with students made teachers feel competent along with good results from students. The findings of this study can be used in educating school leaders in motivating their teachers. It is hoped that this thesis forms a starting point towards a better understanding of teachers' motivation.Show less
Former recent research has shown a worrying trend in current reading skills of Dutch youth, indicating that more young people are leaving school with low literacy. Differences in literary skills...Show moreFormer recent research has shown a worrying trend in current reading skills of Dutch youth, indicating that more young people are leaving school with low literacy. Differences in literary skills exist and increase at early ages. It is important to close the gap early so that every child gets an equal opportunity to develop their literary skills. This research evaluates the effectiveness of digital readingaloud programs aimed at developing early literary skills, such as broad and deep vocabulary which form the basis for later reading comprehension. The role of active attention is studied, as differences in active attention during the reading-aloud programs might cause differences in effectiveness of the program on developing reading skills. Different reading-aloud programs are used in pre-school classrooms (groups 1 and 2 in the Dutch education system) during several weeks. A total of 88 toddlers, of which 53 girls, have participated. Participants’ levels of broad and deep vocabulary are measured prior to following the programs and each time after following one of the programs. Active attention is measured using observations. Results indicated a strong effect for the development of broad vocabulary over the programs, where a program with instructions focused on semantics had the strongest effects. Students with higher degrees of active attention showed greater increases in broad vocabulary. Deep vocabulary develops to a lesser extent and additional instructions from the teacher did not show stronger effects. Toddlers with different degrees of active attention seemed to develop their deep vocabulary similarly. Active attention might play a smaller role in the development of broad and deep vocabulary than previously thought. Follow-up research should be aimed at the development of programs that are effective for every child, especially for those at risk of falling behind.Show less
Over the past forty years, there has been a significant increase in the number of referrals to gender identity clinics in the Netherlands. The children referred to these clinics experience distress...Show moreOver the past forty years, there has been a significant increase in the number of referrals to gender identity clinics in the Netherlands. The children referred to these clinics experience distress due to a discrepancy between their assigned gender at birth and their experienced gender. This study aims to gain insight into parents' attitudes and thoughts regarding gender-related topics and how they convey these gender-related messages to their children. The research question formulated for this study is: Is there a relationship between the attitudes parents convey regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of adolescents, and is this relationship influenced by the adolescents' self-confidence? To answer the research question, fathers, mothers, and their eldest child within Dutch families participated in the study (N = 100). The eldest children completed questionnaires to measure self-confidence and gender identity. Fathers and mothers completed a questionnaire to measure attitudes towards gender nonconforming. The results indicated that fathers scored higher on gender nonconforming statements than mothers, and there was a relationship between the attitudes conveyed by fathers regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of the eldest children. The study also found that the relationship between the attitudes conveyed by parents regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of the eldest children was not influenced by the self-confidence of the eldest children. Based on the results, it is important for parents, particularly fathers, to become aware of the gender-related messages they (consciously or unconsciously) transmit to their children. By supporting fathers in this aspect, mental health professionals can improve mental health outcomes within the entire family.Show less
In the last few years there has been an increase of divorces and blended families. It is estimated that in about two-thirds of these blended families, the relationship between the new partners ends...Show moreIn the last few years there has been an increase of divorces and blended families. It is estimated that in about two-thirds of these blended families, the relationship between the new partners ends in separation. Improving the relationships between siblings is crucial to improve the stability and the dynamics in these families. Biological siblings seem to have better relationships than step- and halfsiblings, possibly due to the number of shared experiences in their childhood. This study examines the connection between shared experiences in childhood and the quality of the sibling relationship and examines whether this connection differs between different types of siblings. To investigate this, young adults between the age of 18 and 25 years old were asked to complete a questionnaire about the quality of the relationship with their siblings, the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale, and other related aspects. The sample consisted of 112 participants that were recruited through online ads through social media, through flyers at Leiden University, and through SONA. The results show a significant association between the number of shared experiences in childhood and the quality of the brother-sister relationship. The experiences that were significant for the quality of the sibling relationship were ‘having the same hobbies or interests’ and ‘played together’. This association did not differ between the different types of siblings, this highlights the universal relevance of shared experiences between siblings. These findings underscore the importance of stimulating shared experiences between siblings. Especially within blended families, where sibling relationships play an important role in family cohesion. Future research should further explore approaches to enhance sibling relationships to improve the development of children and the family itself.Show less
Math is a skill that is relevant throughout life. Therefore, a good mastery of math is crucial for a successful education and career. Previous research indicates that training spatial skills...Show moreMath is a skill that is relevant throughout life. Therefore, a good mastery of math is crucial for a successful education and career. Previous research indicates that training spatial skills improves both math and spatial skills in students. Spatial anxiety might influence the effectiveness of the training. This study aims to determine which spatial training condition works best to improve students' math and spatial skills and what role the spatial anxiety has on this effect. The training in the current research consists of mental rotation tasks. Four training conditions are compared in the current study: concrete, digital, video and control. In the concrete condition, the students can hold a physical figure identical to the task. In the digital condition, the students can turn the figure on their laptop screen. In the video condition, the students can watch a video of the figure turning. In the control condition, the students were not provided with any tools. After correcting for missing values, 189 students from group 7 and 8 of primary schools in the West of The Netherlands participated in the current study. Math and spatial skills were measured through tests. Spatial anxiety was determined using a questionnaire. The results showed that students improved their spatial skills between the pretest and the posttest across all conditions. However, no significant differences were found between the conditions. Math skills improved among students in the control, digital and concrete condition. Spatial anxiety was not found to affect gains in math and spatial skills. These findings were partially aligned with previous research. The differences could possibly be explained by differences in research design or limitations of the current study. Based on this study, several suggestions are made for future research, such as adding an additional control group that does not undergo training.Show less
This study explores the relationship between teacher-student connectedness and teachers' efforts to adopt students' perspectives, considering the potential moderating role of emotional exhaustion....Show moreThis study explores the relationship between teacher-student connectedness and teachers' efforts to adopt students' perspectives, considering the potential moderating role of emotional exhaustion. Data were collected from 65 pre-service teachers who completed measures of connectedness, perspective-taking difficulty, and emotional exhaustion. Correlation analysis revealed weak, non-significant relationships among the variables and regression analyses indicated that connectedness was not a significant predictor of perspective-taking efforts. Additionally, emotional exhaustion did not moderate the relationship between connectedness and perspective-taking. The findings highlight the need for professional development programs aimed at enhancing teacher-student relationships and equipping teachers with strategies to manage emotional exhaustion and strengthen perspective-taking, contributing to a more positive and effective educational environment.Show less
The diagnosis of Sex Chromosome Trisomy (SCT) is increasing rapidly worldwide. About 1 in 650-1000 children are born with an extra X or Y chromosome. These common chromosomal abnormalities,...Show moreThe diagnosis of Sex Chromosome Trisomy (SCT) is increasing rapidly worldwide. About 1 in 650-1000 children are born with an extra X or Y chromosome. These common chromosomal abnormalities, including XXY/Klinefelter syndrome, XXX/Trisomy X and XYY syndrome, affect both physical development and behaviour. There is an increased risk of behavioural problems, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, in children with SCT (Rijn, 2019; Tartaglia et al., 2010; Urbanus, 2022). Despite these findings, there has been limited research on the variations in ASD characteristics in children with SCT and possible protective and risk factors. Therefore, this study aims to better understand the characteristics of ASD in children with SCT, identify possible protective and risk factors related to parenting skills for this group, and ultimately optimise support measures, early detection and appropriate interventions for this specific genetic population. For this purpose, the following research question was formulated; Is there a difference in the level of ASD characteristics in children with SCT 3-7 years compared to peers? And to what extent do the parenting skills (mentalisation and sensitivity) of parents with children aged 3-7 years with SCT correlate with the level of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristics of this specific population? Data for this study is selected from a larger quantitative study conducted by Leiden University and the TRIXY Centre of Expertise. Children with SCT and their parents were recruited through support groups and clinical genetics departments in hospitals in the Netherlands, Belgium and the US. The control group was recruited from nurseries, public locations and primary schools. The study includes 145 children aged between 3 and 7 years, with 71 participants in control group and 74 participants in the SCT group. This study showed that a significant difference was found in the level of autism traits between children with SCT and children without SCT. Children with SCT scored significantly higher on every autism trait that was tested. In addition, no correlation was found between parenting skills; sensitivity and mentalisation and the level of autism traits in children with SCT. Based on this, a dimensional approach, rather than a binary criterion, is recommended as this could help detect subtle variations and gradations in ASD symptoms earlier, enabling early diagnosis. In addition, this research outcome implies that other factors such as biological, neurological and other environmental factors may have a greater influence on the level of ASD characteristics in children with SCT. More research needs to be done on this to say this with great certainty. This study is limited by no distinguish between different types of sex chromosome trisomy, which may limit the generalisability of the results. In addition, the study included children aged 3-7 years, but at this stage children develop rapidly, and ASD traits may manifest differently depending on age, which may limit the generalisability of the results to any age between 3 and 7 years. Besides these limitations, the study also has many strengths, such as contributing to increasing scientific knowledge about ASD traits in children with SCT, early detection of these and possible risk and protective factors.Show less
In Europe, more than half of adults are obese (WHO, 2022). Enhancing the self-regulation of energy intake, the ability to respond to one's own hunger or satiety signals, can reduce the risk of...Show moreIn Europe, more than half of adults are obese (WHO, 2022). Enhancing the self-regulation of energy intake, the ability to respond to one's own hunger or satiety signals, can reduce the risk of obesity (DiSantis et al., 2011). Promoting the self-regulation of energy intake as early as possible in development is therefore crucial. The present study examined the relation between maternal sensitivity in different contexts (during free play and during meals) at 18 months and the child's self-regulation of energy intake at 24 months. The sample consisted of 103 mother-child dyads (41.7% boys), obtained from the longitudinal study "Baby's first bites” (Van der Veek et al., 2019). Maternal sensitivity was measured using “the Ainsworth Maternal Sensitivity Scale” (Ainsworth et al., 1974). The self- regulation of energy intake was assessed using an “Eating in Absence of Hunger” paradigm (Schultink et al., 2021). First, no significant relation was found between maternal sensitivity during free play at 18 months and self-regulation of energy intake at 24 months. Second, maternal sensitivity during mealtime at 18 months was not related to self-regulation of energy intake at 24 months. Finally, maternal sensitivity during free play and during mealtime at 18 months did not make a unique contribution to the child's self-regulation of energy intake at 24 months. This study contributed to the emerging research area of parenting practices and the self-regulation of energy intake. Based on the current research, it cannot be stated that maternal sensitivity contributes to the child's self-regulation of energy intake. Therefore, it is not yet clear how parents can best contribute to good self-regulation of energy intake. Follow-up research is needed.Show less
