Despite the known effectiveness of digital storybooks for young children's language development, their use in classrooms remains limited. Digital storybooks can lead to a child being read to more...Show moreDespite the known effectiveness of digital storybooks for young children's language development, their use in classrooms remains limited. Digital storybooks can lead to a child being read to more often since they don’t rely on an available adult to read aloud. This study investigated whether the teacher’s attitudes toward printed and digital storybooks correlated with their class's frequency of logging into Bereslim, an interactive digital storybook platform for children aged 3 to 7 years old. The study also examined whether the number of children in a class at risk of developing language problems correlates with the frequency of logins to Bereslim. Additionally, it investigated whether teacher’s attitude toward printed storybooks could predict the amount of Bereslim logins. Lastly, the study explored whether the teacher's age impacted their attitude toward reading digital storybooks and the frequency of logins. In this research 8 teachers from 6 schools and 1 daycare participated, completing an online questionnaire about their attitudes toward reading aloud with print and digital storybooks. Log data was also utilized, containing information about the frequency of logins into Bereslim in each class. No significant results were found regarding teachers' attitudes toward print and digital storybooks and the frequency of logging into Bereslim in their class. There was no significant correlation between the number of children in the class who are at-risk of developing a language problem and the teachers' attitude toward print storybooks. Neither teachers' age nor their attitudes toward digital storybooks significantly predicted login frequency. It's possible that the sample was too small to produce significant effects. To increase the usage of Bereslim in class, providing teachers with more information about the platform and opportunities to gain experience with digital storybooks could be beneficial. A lack of experience with digital storybooks prevents teachers from using them.Show less
Social cognition is crucial for understanding the social world. Early individual differences in social cognition can affect later developmental outcomes. This research, part of the TRIXY project,...Show moreSocial cognition is crucial for understanding the social world. Early individual differences in social cognition can affect later developmental outcomes. This research, part of the TRIXY project, aims to understand these differences and contribute to early interventions that promote the development of social cognition. Given the crucial role parents play in child development, this study specifically investigates how parental skills impact the development of social cognition in preschoolers. Social cognition in this study is assessed through emotion recognition, theory of mind (ToM) and social cognition in everyday life. Emotion recognition and ToM are assessed using A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (de NEPSY-II-NL) and social cognition in everyday life is measured with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) completed by parents. Parental skills, specifically sensitivity and intrusiveness, are measured using video observations of the Teaching Task and Free Play. The study includes 71 normally developing children aged three to six years. Analyses utilize baseline and follow-up measurements over 12 months to track development. Due to violations of assumptions, the non-parametric Spearman’s rank correlation was used for analysis. Results indicated that parental sensitivity and intrusiveness had no impact on the specific cognitive skills of theory of mind and emotion recognition, however they did affect social cognition in daily life. Higher parental sensitivity was associated with an increase in social cognition in daily life, while higher intrusiveness was linked to a smaller increase. The results suggest that intervention programs should help parents become more sensitive and less intrusive to create a safe and supportive environment in which children can develop their social cognitive skills and prevent behavioral problems. Future research should focus on longer periods and a broader range of factors to confirm and extend the findings of this study including studies involving clinical populations.Show less
This study investigated the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in adolescents aged 11 to 21, taking into account the potential effects of age and sex. Given the global...Show moreThis study investigated the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in adolescents aged 11 to 21, taking into account the potential effects of age and sex. Given the global increase in depressive symptoms, particularly among young women, understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing preventive measures and interventions. Prior research has highlighted the protective role of social support during adolescence, which is why we focused on investigating its impact on depressive symptoms. The study utilized regression and moderation analyses to explore whether social support, from family, friends, and teachers, predicts depressive symptoms in adolescents and whether these effects vary by age or gender. The dataset used in this study consisted of 6,504 American adolescents from 80 high schools across the United States, part of the Add Health dataset collected in 1994-1995. Results showed a significant negative relationship between social support and depressive symptoms: higher levels of social support were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. This effect was found for every type of social support but most prominent for family. The effect of total social support on depressive symptoms was stronger for girls, while age did not significantly influence the relationship between total social support and depressive symptoms. This study provides new insights by highlighting that the beneficial effects of social support, particularly from family, are consistent across adolescent age ranges and underscore the greater sensitivity of girls to social support in mitigating depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that interventions should prioritize enhancing family support and consider gender-specific strategies to effectively address adolescent depression.Show less
Background: Previous studies have shown that the transition to parenthood elicits stress in parents, which may have negative consequences for their children, especially in their first years of life...Show moreBackground: Previous studies have shown that the transition to parenthood elicits stress in parents, which may have negative consequences for their children, especially in their first years of life. Yet, knowledge of paternal stress and its risk factors is scarce, because fathers have been neglected in parenting research. In the current study we, therefore, examined whether a history of child maltreatment, a thoroughly studied risk factor for stress in mothers, predicted parenting stress in fathers, making a clear distinction between neglect and abuse. Additionally, exploratory analyses were run to investigate the possible role of paternal protective tendencies. Method: First-time fathers with children up to three years old were recruited via social media platforms and via clinical facilities that offer perinatal care to fill out an online questionnaire. Results: A total of 210 fathers participated, who were mainly highly educated (72,4% bachelor’s degree or higher). Findings showed a significant positive association between childhood neglect and parenting stress. No mediating or moderating role of parental motivation for protection was found, however, a direct positive association was found between childhood abuse and parental motivation for protection. Conclusion: Current results underscore the importance of supporting fathers with a history of neglect in the early postnatal period and highlight the importance of distinguishing different types of childhood maltreatment. Furthermore, it suggests that fathers have a higher motivation to protect their children after experiencing childhood abuse, emphasizing the importance of more research into the possible overprotection tendencies of abused fathers. Longitudinal and experimental research is needed to support these findings and to unravel the mechanisms that cause paternal stress and factors that may buffer the negative consequences of childhood maltreatment.Show less
Education plays a crucial role in the development of every child, with a particular focus on meeting diverse educational needs, especially for children with high levels of autism traits. These...Show moreEducation plays a crucial role in the development of every child, with a particular focus on meeting diverse educational needs, especially for children with high levels of autism traits. These children often have unique needs that require specific support to successfully learn and participate. Despite the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, the educational needs of this group are often not adequately met within mainstream education. This study focuses on the effects of dynamic testing on the performance and strategy use of children with high levels of autism traits (and therefore weak central coherence) (Wagemans et al., 2018). A dynamic training was conducted, in which children received hints and feedback during task execution, based on the Graduated Prompts Model. The aim was to gain insight into the learning potential of these children and their need for specific instructions. The results showed no significant differences in performance and strategy use between the group of children who received dynamic training and the group that only practiced repeatedly. The hypothesis that dynamic testing would lead to improved performance and strategy use was not confirmed in this study. However, the current research suggests that repeated practice may lead to an improvement in strategy use. These findings suggest that dynamic testing may not provide the expected benefits for improving performance and strategy use in children with weak central coherence. The lack of significant differences highlights the need for further research. This study emphasizes the importance of continuing to seek methods that are effective in supporting the unique educational needs of children, with repeated practice potentially serving as a starting point.Show less
An SCT is a genetic disorder in which children are born with an extra sex chromosome that arises during pregnancy. Even though SCTs are one of the most common chromosome duplications, many people...Show moreAn SCT is a genetic disorder in which children are born with an extra sex chromosome that arises during pregnancy. Even though SCTs are one of the most common chromosome duplications, many people with SCTs go undiagnosed due to a lack of evidence or visible symptoms. Previous studies showed that the neurocognitive functioning, especially executive functions and social cognition of children with SCT differ from those of children without SCT. However, that research focuses mostly on older children, so there was a need for knowledge of the development of children under 4 years with an SCT. Research also showed that ADHD symptoms in children with an SCT increased as these children got older and that there are differences in social-emotional development between boys and girls. This study examined which factors influence the difference in social-emotional development between children with and without SCT. Social-emotional development is about the social and emotional skills that children acquire to communicate and deal with emotions. Differences between SCT and no SCT and between boys and girls as well as the influence of age on social-emotional development were examined. The sample of this study is part of a larger ongoing project investigating development in different domains of children with an SCT. The total score on the Ages & Stages Questionnaires was used to measure social-emotional development. This research shows that there is a significant difference in social-emotional development between children with and without an SCT. Specifically, children with an SCT grow into a deficit as they get older. It could not be shown that gender has an influence. The recommendation is to perform more research towards the early diagnosis of SCTs in children in order to be able to intervene at a young age. This will prevent them from growing into deficit when they get older.Show less
Facial expressions play a crucial role in social communication, influencing how emotions are understood, communicated, and experienced. This thesis investigates the role of facial mimicry in social...Show moreFacial expressions play a crucial role in social communication, influencing how emotions are understood, communicated, and experienced. This thesis investigates the role of facial mimicry in social interactions between adults and children, focusing on how gender influences these reactions. The study specifically examines how adults mimic the facial expressions of happiness, anger, and sadness in boys and girls, using electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity. The research involved 56 adults (nine men, 46 women, and one non-binary individual) with an average age of 21.05 (SD = 3.18) years. Participants viewed images of children displaying various emotions while their facial mimicry was recorded. The findings revealed significant differences in the activity of the corrugator supercilii muscle for angry and sad faces compared to happy faces, which was associated with frowning. In contrast, the zygomatic major muscle, responsible for smiling, did not show significant variation in response to different emotions. Importantly, gender did not influence facial mimicry for either muscle in this study. These results suggest that emotions primarily influence corrugator supercilii activity, while zygomatic major muscle activity remains stable, regardless of the emotional expression observed. Gender did not significantly impact how adults mimicked children's facial expressions in this study. Further research with broader samples and additional methods is necessary to deepen the understanding of facial mimicry and its relationship with empathy. The study contributes to the broader understanding of social processes, such as empathy and social referencing, and highlights the importance of emotional expressions in the socialization process between adults and children. The findings emphasize the role of facial mimicry in the development of emotional and social competence, illustrating how adults’ emotional responses can influence children’s emotional regulation and social behaviors.Show less
Childhood adversity has a negative impact on mental health and well-being. Self-efficacy, an important aspect of motivation and personal achievement, appears to be a valuable factor for a person’s...Show moreChildhood adversity has a negative impact on mental health and well-being. Self-efficacy, an important aspect of motivation and personal achievement, appears to be a valuable factor for a person’s well-being and mental health and, therefore, has been proven to be affected by childhood adversity. In addition, social support may have a protective effect on the relationship between childhood adversity and negative outcomes. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between childhood adversity and self-efficacy in young adults, examining the moderating role of social support from friends and siblings. Data were collected as part of the Flemish Study on Parenting, Personality, and Development, focusing on 331 participants aged 22-27. Using the Stressful Life Events Questionnaire, the Network of Relationships Inventory-Relationship Qualities Version, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the current study conducts regression and moderation analyses to explore the relationships between childhood adversity, social support, and self-efficacy. The results show no significant relationship between childhood adversity and self-efficacy and social support as a moderating factor. These findings do not support the hypotheses and therefore suggest that in the investigated sample the variables do not have a significant relationship. However, this study highlights the need for further research to understand the dynamics between childhood adversity, social support, and self-efficacy.Show less
In the Netherlands, 17% of the children grow up with divorced parents. Research shows that the bond between siblings is related to several developmental outcomes. The aim of this research is to...Show moreIn the Netherlands, 17% of the children grow up with divorced parents. Research shows that the bond between siblings is related to several developmental outcomes. The aim of this research is to investigate which components stimulate this bonding after divorce. It was expected that both biological siblings and stepsiblings with more shared experiences had a better sibling relationship. In addition, a control variable was used in which siblings were asked how long they lived in a shared household. To investigate this 102 participants between the age of 18 and 25 years old with divorced parents and al least one sibling 63 with only biological siblings and 38 with at least one stepsibling, filled out on online questionnaire. The Lifespan Sibling Scale (LSRS) consisting of 40 questions was used to measure the quality of the relationship between brothers and sisters. To measure the number of shared experiences a questionnaire on shared experienced, consisting of 20 questions, was used. No significant relationship was found among both biological and step siblings between the number of shared experiences and the sibling relationship. A significant relationship was found between the time they had lived together and the quality of the bond between step siblings, indicating that how longer they lived together, the better relationship they reported. In addition, a significant main effect was found for sibling type and relationship quality, in that biological siblings reported a better relationship than step siblings. It is possible that the self-assembled questionnaire is not complete and questions are missing, therefore it is possible that we missed some important shared experiences for a specific participant. A suggestion for follow-up research would be to conduct interviews about shared experienced with step siblings in order to investigate which events contributed to their bond.Show less
The present thesis examines the impact of parental ethnic-racial socialization practices of monoracial parents of two distinct racial backgrounds, on the ethnic-racial identity development of their...Show moreThe present thesis examines the impact of parental ethnic-racial socialization practices of monoracial parents of two distinct racial backgrounds, on the ethnic-racial identity development of their biracial children. Utilizing a narrative review methodology, the research synthesizes findings from ten publications between 2013-2022, focusing on how various ethnic-racial socialization strategies influence biracial children’s ethnic-racial identity. The findings revealed nine sub-themes that highlight the complexity of ethnic-racial socialization, including the impact of parents' beliefs and socialization goals, the child’s physical appearance, and their experiences with racism and discrimination. These factors collectively influence the racial identification labels that parents assign to their children. This thesis emphasizes the nuanced roles that monoracial parents play in shaping the ethnic-racial identities of their biracial children through both conscious and unconscious socialization practices. It stresses the need for approaches that recognize and address the unique challenges faced by biracial children in navigating multiple racial identities. Notably, the research was primarily based on studies conducted in North America, which may limit the generalizability of findings to other cultural contexts where racial dynamics and terminology differ significantly. This limitation underscores the importance of extending such studies to European settings, particularly to explore how different historical and cultural understandings of race affect ethnic-racial socialization. The study advocates for further research to explore the longitudinal effects of parental ethnic-racial socialization practices and to develop supportive frameworks that enhance the identity development of biracial individuals in diverse contexts, thereby addressing the gaps identified in current research.Show less
Mothers and children who have been exposed to domestic violence can suffer from PTSD. This study examined PTSD by mothers and children in the age of 1 to 6 years old living in domestic violence...Show moreMothers and children who have been exposed to domestic violence can suffer from PTSD. This study examined PTSD by mothers and children in the age of 1 to 6 years old living in domestic violence shelters in the Netherlands. The first aim of this study was testing the relationship between PTSD symptoms of mothers and PTSD symptoms of children. The second aim of this study was testing whether PTSD clusters by mother have a different relationship with PTSD symptoms of the child. Data were collected by using two questionnaires: the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) for measuring PTSD by mothers and the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) for measuring PTSD by children. Data were analysed by using a simple regression analysis and a multiple regression analysis. Results showed a positive relationship between PTSD symptoms of mothers and PTSD symptoms of children. However, the multiple regression analysis was not significant, indicating that the specific PTSD clusters by mother could not predict PTSD symptoms of children. The results of this study suggest that it is better to examine PTSD as a whole than to use PTSD clusters separately to predict other outcomes like PTSD by children. However, this finding should be used carefully, because of the limitations of this study.Show less
Dutch law mandates that every secondary special education school develops post-secondary transition plans for their students. Currently, there are no established guidelines for creating these...Show moreDutch law mandates that every secondary special education school develops post-secondary transition plans for their students. Currently, there are no established guidelines for creating these transition plans. This study aimed to investigate two potential factors that could be considered, specifically for students with autism: IQ and social-emotional functioning. To examine the relationship between IQ, social-emotional functioning, and transition plans, this research assessed the correlation between IQ and transition plans, the correlation between social-emotional functioning and transition plans, and whether IQ or social-emotional functioning more strongly predicted transition plans. Recruitment resulted in a sample of n= 14 participants: with n= 13 boys and n= 1 girl. N= 7 was assigned the transition profile Labor and n= 7 was assigned the transition profile Post-Secondary Education, none of the participants were assigned the transition profile Daytime Occupation. This study utilized the developmental prospect plans of the students. Upon data analysis, it was found that there was no significant correlation between IQ and transition planning (p = .428), no significant correlation between social-emotional functioning and transition planning (p = .855), and neither IQ nor social-emotional functioning emerged as a stronger predictor for transition planning. The limitations of the current research were a small sample size, the variability of entries in the developmental prospect plans and the multidimensionality of the variables IQ and social-emotional functioning. Future research should be done to investigate the replicability of the current findings within a bigger sample and the potential of alternative variables that may be associated. Teachers working with students with autism may need additional training to understand the complexities of transition planning beyond the intellectual or social-emotional functioning. Considering these findings, it is concluded that neither IQ nor social-emotional functioning should be used as sole criteria for transition plans for autistic students in secondary special education.Show less
