Childhood bullying victimization has been empirically established as a risk factor for insecure adult attachment as well as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression in adulthood. However...Show moreChildhood bullying victimization has been empirically established as a risk factor for insecure adult attachment as well as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression in adulthood. However, there is a lack of research exploring adult attachment styles as a mediator between bullying victimization in childhood and adult depressive and anxious symptoms. The present study investigated if the relationship between bullying victimization before the age of 18 and anxious and depressive symptoms in university students is mediated by adult attachment styles. Participants were part of a larger survey study of the Caring Universities Project. The sample included 3388 participants (university students) between the ages of 18 to 36, who filled out an online questionnaire testing for bullying victimization (RBQ), anxious symptoms (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and adult attachment styles (RQ). It was hypothesized that the relationship between bullying victimization and mental health is mediated by insecure attachment styles. A partially mediating effect of fearful and preoccupied attachment styles on the association between bullying victimization and anxious and depressive symptoms was established. A reason for the mediation effect of these two insecure attachment styles might be the underlying negative concept of the self that these attachment styles have in common. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.Show less
Background. There is a growing body of research indicating the importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to evaluate quality of life. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is...Show moreBackground. There is a growing body of research indicating the importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to evaluate quality of life. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is additionally of increasing interest when examining individuals with chronic conditions. PROMs can enhance patient care and monitor progress, possibly contributing to the improvement of HRQoL. The purpose of the current study was to compare the self-reported HRQoL of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and patients who were three months post-stroke. Methods. A sample of n = 419 patients with ALS (66.1% male, mean age M = 65) and a sample of N = 360 patients with a stroke (60.3% male, mean age M = 70) completed the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health (PROMIS-10). Analyses were performed to compare the physical and mental HRQoL scores between the patient samples. Prior research has established Dutch reference norms for the PROMIS-10. Since the current study took place in the Netherlands, the results of the patient samples were also compared to the scores of the Dutch population. Additional analyses examined the influence of covariates such as age and sex. Results. The results showed that patients with a stroke reported significantly lower mental HRQoL than the general population, with a mean difference of T = -0.96 (p < .05). Patients in the ALS sample did not report significantly different mental HRQoL compared to stroke or the general population. Regarding physical HRQoL, ALS reported significantly lower scores than the stroke sample, with a mean difference of T = -2.69 (p < .001), as well as the general population (T = -5.71, p < .001). Age did not have a significant influence on the self-reported HRQoL. Finally, analyses revealed that the women (n = 285) of both patient populations reported lower physical and mental HRQoL than men, with mean differences of T = -2.11 (p < .001) and T = -1.47 (p = .015), respectively. Conclusion. Patients with ALS reported significantly lower physical HRQoL than patients who were three months post-stroke. There were no significant differences in the self-reported mental HRQoL. Compared to the general Dutch population, patients with ALS and patients with stroke both reported lower physical HRQoL, while patients with stroke also reported lower mental HRQoL. The findings of the current study provide support for the integration of HRQoL short-form measures such as PROMIS-10 into clinical care, to identify the need for intervention or for monitoring progress.Show less
Background: This study on gut feelings investigates the correlation between microdiversity in the gut and cognitive reactivity in the brain with sex as a potential moderator. Research on potential...Show moreBackground: This study on gut feelings investigates the correlation between microdiversity in the gut and cognitive reactivity in the brain with sex as a potential moderator. Research on potential correlations and moderators is relevant to gain further insight into the networks involved in the gut-brain axis. The findings can influence treatment approaches in the field of clinical psychology to a greater focus on the gutbrain axis. Two hypotheses were examined: 1) a higher microdiversity in the gut is correlated with less emotion regulation difficulties, and 2) there are sex differences in the correlation between microdiversity and emotion regulation. Methods: This research was an observational between-subjects design with a total number of 75 participants. The primary outcome was the alpha score, assessed with the Shannon Index, which gives insight into individual microdiversity. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale was used to assess self-reported difficulties in emotion regulation to have insight into individual cognitive reactivity. Sex was conceptualised as the moderator variable. A correlational analysis for alpha scores and DERS scores was carried out, followed by a multiple regression analysis, which tested for a moderation with the variable sex. Results: There was no evidence for a negative correlation between high microdiversity and few emotion regulation difficulties. Sex did not have a significant moderation on this correlation either. Implications: Further research is needed on the gut-brain axis and sex differences in gut microdiversity and emotion regulation to adapt the treatment of stress-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or other anxiety-related disorders from a cognitive- to a more holistic approach.Show less
This study explored cognitive function in patients with hypothyroidism who continue to experience complaints despite achieving biochemical euthyroidism with standard care. These subjective...Show moreThis study explored cognitive function in patients with hypothyroidism who continue to experience complaints despite achieving biochemical euthyroidism with standard care. These subjective complaints are related to fatigue and subjective feelings of cognitive difficulties. Although the link between untreated hypothyroidism and neurocognitive complaints has been thoroughly studied, there is limited data on such complaints among treated hypothyroid patients experiencing cognitive complaints, despite its clinical relevance in their care. This study evaluated whether patients with feelings of cognitive difficulties show objective cognitive deficits in attention, working memory, learning ability, executive function, and psychomotor speed. Additionally, the study investigated whether health-related quality of life (hr-QoL) could be predicted by objective overall neurocognitive function. The cognitive domains were measured in patients with hypothyroidism and subjective complaints despite normalized levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (N = 17) using several standardized tests and compared to normative data with one sample t-tests. To measure hr-QoL, a widely used thyroid patient-reported questionnaire was used. Subsequently, a linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictive relationship between objective cognitive function on hr-QoL. Patients showed significantly lower test scores on the domains of working memory (p < .001, Cohen’s d = .69) and memory and learning (p = .008, Cohen’s d = .77). The total composite score of the objective test measures was not a determinant of hr-QoL (p = .963, R² = 0.00). The observed memory deficiencies emphasize the importance of addressing subjective cognitive complaints, while the absence of significant deficiencies in the other domains highlights the complexity of the relationship between subjective and objective neurocognitive measures. Additionally, this study did not find a predictive relationship between cognitive test scores and hr-QoL, which calls for future investigation into individual cognitive domains or other explanations for the lower hr-QoL of this patient group. This is the first study that distinguished the patient group experiencing subjective neurocognitive complaints from the overall group of patients with hypothyroidism. Consequently, this research contributes valuable insights to enhance future care in managing neurocognitive symptoms, particularly for the subgroup that frequently discusses such concerns with their healthcare provider.Show less
Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by a wide range of symptoms, of which physical and cognitive impairments are prominent. Cognitive functioning in...Show moreObjective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by a wide range of symptoms, of which physical and cognitive impairments are prominent. Cognitive functioning in MS has received increasing attention due to its significant impact on quality of life. However, the exact relationship between physical functioning and cognitive functioning in people with MS (PwMS) remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of physical outcome measures on cognitive functioning. Furthermore, the influence of disease severity and anxiety and depression on the relationship between physical outcome measures and cognitive functioning is explored. Methods: Conducted as part of the ‘Don’t be late!’ project, this study included 23 PwMS (Mean age = 46.63, SD = 11.13; 60.9 % female). Physical functioning was assessed using balance, walking speed, grip strength, dexterity and endurance. Furthermore, cognitive functioning was assessed using the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Functions in MS and disease severity and anxiety and depression were measured using the Expanded Disability Status Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, respectively. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the predictive value of physical functioning on cognitive functioning. Mediation analyses were performed with disease severity and anxiety and depression as mediating factors. Results: No significant model for the predictive value of physical outcome measures on cognitive functioning was found (p = .117). Furthermore, the study found no significant mediating effects of disease severity (p = .979) or anxiety and depression (p = .633) on this relationship. Due to missing values on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), a post-hoc analysis was conducted. Significant effects were found for the predictive value of balance (p = .016), dexterity (p = .045) and walking speed (p = .008) on cognitive functioning. Conclusion: The study identified significant links between balance, dexterity, walking speed, and cognitive functioning in PwMS. It faced limitations including a small sample size and its cross-sectional nature. Despite these limitations, this study suggests that the interplay between physical and cognitive domains in MS is multifaceted and warrants more nuance investigation.Show less
This research was performed to see how useful dynamic testing of reading and writing would be for children with and without dyslexia and to explore the relationship between dynamic testing of...Show moreThis research was performed to see how useful dynamic testing of reading and writing would be for children with and without dyslexia and to explore the relationship between dynamic testing of reading and writing and intelligence, specifically fluid and crystallised intelligence. To research this, this research had an experimental pretest-training-posttest design with two groups—dyslexic and non-dyslexic—as well as two conditions—training and no-training. The participants were children in primary school between the ages of 7 and 9. The study consisted of two sessions: a preliminary investigation and a dynamic test. The dynamic test used was the EPALE-NL. It consists of four subtests: phonemic awareness, prosodic awareness, sounds and verbs, and context words. A significant difference was found between the group that was trained and the group that was not trained, in specific for the subtest prosodic awareness, with the trained group showing more improvement in accuracy. For the performance on the posttest by the dyslexic group and non-dyslexic group, no significant difference was found between the groups. No significant relationship was found between the gain score and fluid and crystallised intelligence. Dynamic testing of reading and writing has shown potential to be used in the classroom for its previously discovered benefits, as well as its ability to teach both dyslexics and non-dyslexics of varying intelligence.Show less
In order to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change (e.g. increase in the global average temperature), it is important to transition to renewable energy sources, such as onshore wind energy...Show moreIn order to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change (e.g. increase in the global average temperature), it is important to transition to renewable energy sources, such as onshore wind energy, that contribute to the reduction of one of the main cause of climate change, namely global CO2 emissions. The successful implementation of wind farms largely depends on the community acceptance of the wind project. Previous studies have shown that providing citizens with a voice opportunity results in higher levels of wind farms project acceptance via increase in the perception of fair decision making and trust in the project developer. The current study was conducted on a sample of UK citizens (N = 450). It used an experimental scenario to replicate these findings and additionally to examine whether the effects of voice opportunity on project acceptance depend on expectations regarding receiving voice opportunity. We manipulated voice expectations and voice opportunity, and found support that voice opportunity has positive effects on community acceptance of wind farm projects. Additionally, we found support for our prediction that these effects are mediated by perceived procedural fairness and trust in the project developer. We did not find support about the moderating role of voice expectations on the effects of voice opportunity on project acceptance. We discussed the implications of these findings for research and practice.Show less
The current study investigated interactions in Dutch adolescents (N = 160, M age = 15.45) between alexithymia, self-concept clarity, and emotional regulation, as well as gender differences, using...Show moreThe current study investigated interactions in Dutch adolescents (N = 160, M age = 15.45) between alexithymia, self-concept clarity, and emotional regulation, as well as gender differences, using data from the first time-point of a longitudinal study. Participants completed the Alexithymia questionnaire for children (AQC), self-concept clarity scale (SCC), and strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). Results showed a negative relationship between self-concept clarity and alexithymia. In addition, the relationship between self-concept clarity and emotional regulation was partially mediated by alexithymia, and this effect was stronger in females than males. Females demonstrated better emotional regulation, but contrarily to prior research, no significant gender differences were identified in alexithymia or self-concept clarity. In this study, the complexity of these psychological constructs is highlighted, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions for improving adolescent emotional regulation and self-concept clarity. Developing a better understanding of emotional disorders and improving adolescent mental health through further research into gender differences and alexithymia-focused interventions could be beneficial.Show less
In an educational setting, every individual may not have equal access to opportunities (such as educational or financial resources) or outcomes (such as grades or evaluations), which could create a...Show moreIn an educational setting, every individual may not have equal access to opportunities (such as educational or financial resources) or outcomes (such as grades or evaluations), which could create a sense of inequality in the individual. Individuals may then attribute these inequalities to their personal efforts and abilities or to their circumstances. Past studies have focused on associations between inequalities (such as social or gender inequality) and educational aspirations (e.g., Guyon & Huillery, 2017; Chen et al., 2022). The present study assesses the main effects of perceived inequality and the attribution of outcomes to internal or external factors (also known as locus of control) on educational aspirations. The study also assesses whether the academic locus of control significantly moderates the impact of perceived inequality on educational aspirations. Utilizing a 1 (continuous measure of academic locus of control) x 3 (inequality: control vs. perception of inequality of outcome vs perception of inequality of opportunity) study design, participants’ aspiration scores were assessed. The participants included N= 190 students enrolled in an undergraduate program. The results from a moderated multiple regression analysis indicated that perceived inequality did not significantly affect educational aspirations. Academic locus of control significantly positively affected aspirations. Academic locus of control also has a significant moderating effect on the impact of inequality. Specifically simple effects analysis indicated that perceived inequality has a significant positive effect on educational aspirations when there is an external locus of control. The study provides an understanding that inequality in an educational context may not impact every individual in the same manner and may differ according to specific factors (such as locus of control).Show less
Many problems in the world are social dilemmas wherein uncertainty whether collective efforts are effective is a threat to cooperation. This experiment investigates whether productivity uncertainty...Show moreMany problems in the world are social dilemmas wherein uncertainty whether collective efforts are effective is a threat to cooperation. This experiment investigates whether productivity uncertainty undermines cooperation because people who distrust institutions and are overconfident estimate a public good to be unproductive. We did this by presenting people with two public good games. Productivity uncertainty was manipulated by telling respondents in one of the games that all contributions could be wasted. Although the results show that productivity uncertainty undermines cooperation, no support was found for the before mentioned underlying mechanisms. Future research with different methodology could encounter other results.Show less
In the past decades, methylphenidate has gained widespread popularity onto the pharmacological market, directed toward individuals with a diagnosis of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD...Show moreIn the past decades, methylphenidate has gained widespread popularity onto the pharmacological market, directed toward individuals with a diagnosis of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and even human immunodeficiency virus infections. This cognitive enhancer exerts its effects by binding to the dopamine transporter, resulting in heightened extracellular dopamine levels. However, the psychophysiological side-effects associated with this medication are not yet fully understood. The present study delves deeper into erratic psychophysiological side-effects, including psychosis, mood changes, experiences of seizures, tics and the development of skin rashes. Our primary objectives were twofold. Firstly, we aimed at exploring the frequency of adverse symptom perception in individuals receiving methylphenidate as treatment. Secondly, we sought to investigate the potential impact of treatment duration on symptom perception, and examine any potential correlation between the two. To achieve this, we implemented an online version of ‘The Methylphenidate monitoring side effects scale’ (MMSES), with a total of 135 participants, 22 belonging to the experimental group, with prescribed medication, and 113 to the control group, not receiving medication. The results of our study revealed that adverse symptom perception did not significantly differ between the experimental and the control group, (t = 0.31, p = .852). However, psychotic symptoms were significantly lower in the control group in comparison to the experimental group (t = 0.56, p = .041). Additionally, the correlational analysis demonstrated a non-significant relationship between treatment duration and symptom perception (r(20) = .21, p = .353). These preliminary findings need to be followed up by future research and require to be interpreted with caution due to a possibly confounding effect of age differences and other limitations. Future directions may comprise the inclusion of neuroimaging techniques to identify the pathophysiological changes associated with methylphenidate administration, and a larger sample size.Show less
The current study experimentally investigated young adults’ help-seeking for financial stress, specifically by testing differences in willingness to seek help between two sources of help ...Show moreThe current study experimentally investigated young adults’ help-seeking for financial stress, specifically by testing differences in willingness to seek help between two sources of help (professionals vs. social network) and between two help types (financial advice vs. emotional support). Young adult participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions, each presented with a flyer showing a combination of one source of help and one help type. Subsequently, participants’ willingness to seek help was measured. A 2 by 2 factorial ANOVA showed, contrary to the hypothesis, no effect of source of help. Neither an effect of help type nor an interaction effect was found. A correlation analysis showed no significant correlation between personality trait conscientiousness and willingness to seek help. Altogether, these results offer new insights into the nuances of help-seeking among financially stressed young adults and call for more research on a broader range of variables that may be influential.Show less
