Background: Functioning and treatment outcome of persons with a major depressive disorder (MDD) is not only impacted by comorbid anxiety disorders, but also by comorbid anxiety symptoms not...Show moreBackground: Functioning and treatment outcome of persons with a major depressive disorder (MDD) is not only impacted by comorbid anxiety disorders, but also by comorbid anxiety symptoms not fulfilling the DSM-criteria for an anxiety disorders. Previous findings suggest that MDD in older age may differ in symptom profile with respect to anxiety symptomatology, with higher rates of anxiety in older age. However, findings remain inconsistent. Considering its clinical relevance further insight into symptom profiles of depression with anxiety symptomatology across the lifespan is needed. This study examined if and to what extent anxiety symptomatology in persons with MDD differs across age groups in the general population, as research in the general population is largely lacking and previous research mostly refers to clinical samples. Method: Data were derived from a large, general population cohort study, the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2). Selected were 365 subjects (aged 21-72 years) with a MDD episode, of any duration, during three years prior to baseline (e.g. a 3-year MDD). To analyse impact of age on symptom profile, logistic regression analyses were conducted examining the association between age and presence of symptoms, including MDD and anxiety symptoms, using items derived from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 (CIDI 3.0). Results: Overall, logistic regression analyses did not yield significant results with regard to a different association of symptomatology in older persons with MDD, as compared to younger age. Only older age was more strongly associated with feeling anxious (OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.22– 3.97) in comparison to younger age. Conclusion: In general, anxiety symptomatology in depressed persons does not differ across the lifespan. However, we demonstrated that feeling anxious has been found to increase over the lifespan. Since this more anxious presentation in older depressed persons may blur the underlying MDD, attention from clinicians is required to be aware that depression in later-life can present itself with more anxious feelings.Show less
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among university students. Insomnia symptoms have been established as a risk factor for suicidal ideation and feelings of thwarted belongingness have...Show moreSuicide is the second leading cause of death among university students. Insomnia symptoms have been established as a risk factor for suicidal ideation and feelings of thwarted belongingness have been proposed to explain the link between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation, with thwarted belongingness mediating the relationship, in a sample of Dutch university students. The study assessed participants crosssectionally (n = 218) and after six months (n = 83). Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were controlled for. Crosssectionally, insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. When adjusting for symptoms of depression and anxiety, the association became nonsignificant and only symptoms of depression emerged as an independent predictor. Thwarted belongingness mediated the relationship between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation cross-sectionally. When depressive symptoms were controlled for, the mediation model became nonsignificant. Longitudinally, results suggested no predictive effect of insomnia symptoms on suicidal ideation and no mediation effect of thwarted belongingness on the relationship. The results did not support insomnia symptoms as an independent risk factor for suicidal ideation in university students, which underscores the need for more rigorous research to clarify this relationship for the future.Show less
Psychopaths are known for their lack of empathy and immoral behaviours, and have shown to be unable to distinguish moral from conventional violations. Research demonstrated that morality can be...Show morePsychopaths are known for their lack of empathy and immoral behaviours, and have shown to be unable to distinguish moral from conventional violations. Research demonstrated that morality can be influenced by empathy, as well as developmental changes. The current study therefore aimed to investigate differences in moral decision-making behaviours between healthy males and psychopathic males in the evaluation of complex social situations. A total of 39 participants took part in this study, with 20 healthy male controls and 19 psychopathic males. The participants observed and evaluated pictures depicting various social situations. These included offenders of intentional pain (IP), offenders of accidental pain (AP), victims of IP, and victims of AP. Participants were then instructed to distribute coins between themselves and a random target from the social situation. The results showed that the controls could differentiate between more conditions than the psychopaths. More specifically, the controls and psychopaths both showed most prosocial behaviour towards victims of IP, followed by victims of AP, and showed most punishing behaviour towards offenders of IP, followed by offenders of AP. However, the psychopaths showed less prosocial behaviour than the controls towards victims of IP and AP. No significant differences were found in punishing behaviour between the controls and psychopaths towards offenders of AP. Finally, no significant correlation was found between age and prosocial behaviour in both the controls and psychopaths towards victims. Taken together, these findings further support the notion that psychopaths’ lack of prosocial behaviour stems from an empathy deficiency, rather than an impairment in moral judgement.Show less
