Bij het naleven van gedragsdoelen is een vorm van zelfregulatie van belang. Als deze zelfregulatie niet tot stand komt, spreken we van zelfregulatie falen. Hierbij hoort ook het ervaren van een...Show moreBij het naleven van gedragsdoelen is een vorm van zelfregulatie van belang. Als deze zelfregulatie niet tot stand komt, spreken we van zelfregulatie falen. Hierbij hoort ook het ervaren van een setback, een terugval in het naleven van een gedragsdoel. Om de kans op setbacks zo klein mogelijk te maken, moeten we begrijpen hoe individuen reageren op deze setbacks. In deze thesis wordt onderzoek gedaan naar het belang van gedragsdoelen en welke psychologische constructen invloed hebben of worden beïnvloed door het ervaren van een setback. Deze thesis onderzoekt daarnaast het verschil tussen approach-oriented en avoidoriented doelen in relatie tot subjectief succes bij gedragsverandering. Vanuit de literatuur werd verwacht dat doelen met betrekking tot fysieke gezondheid de belangrijkste gedragsdoelen waren. Daarnaast werd als hypothese gesteld dat approach-oriented doelen meer subjectief succes opleveren dan avoid-oriented doelen. Methoden. Met een steekproef van 167 participanten werden verschillende statistische analyses toegepast om antwoord te geven op de drie onderzoeksvragen. De resultaten duiden op een significant onderscheid tussen beide typen doelen, waarbij approach-oriented doelen aanzienlijk hogere gemiddelde scores op subjectief succes vertonen dan avoid-oriented doelen. In de context van de eerste onderzoeksvraag blijkt dat het verhogen of reguleren van wekelijkse sportactiviteiten het meest voorkomende doel is, terwijl het verhogen of reguleren van gezonde voeding het daaropvolgende meest gangbare doel is. De tweede onderzoeksvraag wijst op een algemene positieve perceptie van doelbereiking onder deelnemers, waarbij approach-oriented doelen, zoals het verhogen van gezonde voeding, meer succesvol lijken dan avoid-oriented doelen, zoals het reduceren van alcoholinname. Echter tonen de resultaten aan dat deelnemers die zich richten op het verhogen of reguleren van sportactiviteiten zich over het algemeen niet significant succesvoller voelen dan degenen die zich concentreren op het verhogen of reguleren van gezonde voeding, Conclusie. De bevindingen suggereren dat het streven naar gewenste resultaten een verhoogd gevoel van succes teweegbrengt in vergelijking met het vermijden van ongewenste resultaten. Dit impliceert praktische implicaties voor interventies gericht op gedragsverandering, waarbij een nadruk op approach-oriented doelen een effectieve strategie lijkt te zijn. Echter wijst dit onderzoek op enkele beperkingen, zoals een beperkte steekproefomvang en de mogelijkheid van vertekening door zelfrapportage. Toekomstig onderzoek zou baat hebben bij een representatievere steekproef en longitudinale ontwerpen om een dieper inzicht te verschaffen in deze dynamiek.Show less
Eerdere studies hebben aangetoond dat er een relatie is tussen kritiek van ouders op het kind en externaliserend gedrag bij het kind. Om de negatieve gevolgen van externaliserend gedrag te...Show moreEerdere studies hebben aangetoond dat er een relatie is tussen kritiek van ouders op het kind en externaliserend gedrag bij het kind. Om de negatieve gevolgen van externaliserend gedrag te voorkomen, is het belangrijk om de mechanismen erachter beter te begrijpen. Het doel van dit onderzoek is om te kijken of deze relatie daadwerkelijk bestaat en of een laag zelfbeeld deze relatie versterkt. In een cross-sectioneel onderzoek met 80 kinderen en hun ouder(s), werden ouderlijke kritiek, het externaliseren van de kinderen en het zelfbeeld van de kinderen gemeten aan de hand van vragenlijsten en een interactietaak. De resultaten toonden dat er geen relatie is tussen kritiek van de ouders en externaliserend gedrag van het kind. Ook versterkte een laag zelfbeeld deze relatie niet. Het blijft echter nog de vraag op welke manier deze drie variabelen met elkaar in verband staan en of factoren zoals het geslacht van het kind of verschillen tussen de ouders hier iets mee te maken hebben. Onderzoek hiernaar zou meer duidelijkheid geven rondom dit vraagstuk.Show less
Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are persistent dysfunctional beliefs that form in childhood and are thought to underlie chronic and recurring psychopathology. EMSs have been categorized into five...Show moreEarly maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are persistent dysfunctional beliefs that form in childhood and are thought to underlie chronic and recurring psychopathology. EMSs have been categorized into five broader schema domains. Transdiagnostic depressive symptoms entail depressive symptoms observed across various psychological disorders. We studied the relative contribution of the five EMS domains on transdiagnostic depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional within-subjects design. The sample consisted of students from Leiden University (N = 125) participating for course credit or monetary rewards, of which 91.2% were assigned the sex female at birth and 8.8% male (median age = 19, IQR = 2). Participants completed measures of the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 - short form (YSQ-S3) and the DSM-5 self-rated level 1 cross-cutting symptom measure – Adult (DSM-XC). Pearson correlations were inspected between each EMS domain and transdiagnostic depressive symptoms. A multiple regression analysis including the total scores of the five EMS domains as predictors was carried out. Individually, the EMS domains Disconnection & Rejection, Impaired Autonomy & Performance, Impaired Limits, Other-directedness, and Overvigilance & Inhibition were positively associated with transdiagnostic depressive symptoms (rs .451, .365, .289, .298, .345, p < .001), as hypothesized. The joint effect of the five EMS domains was positively associated with transdiagnostic depressive symptoms (Adj. R2 = .18, F(7, 117) = 4.88, p <.001). Interestingly, when holding the other domains constant, only the Disconnection & Rejection domain significantly predicted transdiagnostic depressive symptoms in the model (β = .44, 95% CI [.15, .74], p = .004). The domain groups the beliefs about expectations that one’s needs for security and stability will not be met predictably. Our findings suggest that each EMS domain is positively related to transdiagnostic depressive symptom severity in a university student population. The Disconnection & Rejection domain, relative to the other four domains, seems to uniquely contribute to transdiagnostic depressive symptoms. Future research could test whether identifying and changing the EMSs someone has in psychotherapy could reduce their transdiagnostic depressive symptoms across different psychological disorders. It remains a question if paying specific attention to the Disconnection & Rejection domain in psychotherapeutic treatment could improve the reduction of transdiagnostic depressive symptoms.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
closed access
Objective: The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) is the gold standard to assess post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although the CAPS-5 was developed and validated in Western...Show moreObjective: The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) is the gold standard to assess post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although the CAPS-5 was developed and validated in Western populations, many clinicians and researchers also use it to assess PTSD in non-Western refugee populations. In this study we investigated whether PTSD as assessed with the CAPS-5 has the same structure and meaning across trauma-exposed, treatment-seeking individuals with either a Dutch (i.e. Western) background or a non-Western refugee background. Method: We evaluated commonly accepted DSM-5 PTSD factor models and tested different levels of measurement invariance (configural and scalar invariance) in a clinical sample of non-Western refugee patients (N = 710) and Dutch patients (N = 1162) suffering from prolonged complaints of psychotrauma, using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Results: CFAs showed that the Hybrid model of PTSD fit the data best in the Dutch and non-Western refugee subsample, as well as in the combined sample, indicating that configural invariance was met. The model representing scalar invariance showed a worse fit compared to the model representing configural invariance, indicating that factor loadings and/or symptom severity differed between the subsamples. Further investigation showed that this result could mainly be attributed to non-Western refugee patients often manifesting higher scores on the CAPS-5 items than Dutch patients. Conclusions: Non-Western refugee patients showed a similar structure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms as Dutch patients. Furthermore, the relative contribution of the majority of symptoms to its belonging symptom cluster was similar between non-Western refugee patients and Dutch patients. This meant that both groups understood these symptoms in the same way. However, non-Western refugee patients often manifested a higher symptom severity than Dutch patients.Show less
This study has investigated the (possibly) mediating role of stress in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and quality of life (QoL) in adolescents with substance use...Show moreThis study has investigated the (possibly) mediating role of stress in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and quality of life (QoL) in adolescents with substance use disorder (SUD), whilst correcting for the severity of the addiction. Adolescents are vulnerable to developing SUD and as substance misuse has a neurodegenerative effect, it is important to understand the mechanics behind SUD in adolescents. This current study consisted of 334 adolescents with SUD, with the age ranging from 16 to 23 years old. Cannabis was the primary substance for which participants entered treatment (63.5%), followed by alcohol (17.7%) and cocaine (11.1%). The WHODAS-2.0 was used to measure Qo. To measure self-reported stress the DASS-21 was used, whereas hair cortisol concentration (HCC) was used to measure chronic stress. The YIT-Q was used to measure the ACEs and finally, the MATE-Y was used to measure the SUD severity. HCC is a proposed biomarker for chronic stress. As it is relatively new, HCC has not yet been investigated for adolescents with SUD. Two mediations were investigated, one with HCC as variable for stress, and one with self-reported stress. Study findings showed that the relationship between ACEs and QoL was fully mediated by self-reported stress, whereas no mediation was found for HCC. This indicates a difference in HCC and self-reports as a measure of stress and highlights the importance for continued research into HCC as biomarker for chronic stress. A recommendation for future research is to further investigate the usability of HCC as a biomarker for chronic stress, for example by continuing investigating HCC in adolescents with SUD, as current study was the first to do so. Additionally, it is recommended to repeat the mediation analysis in a broader population to investigate whether HCC does have a mediating role in other populations.Show less
This study aims to investigate whether parental sensitivity is related to the level of correspondence within parent-child dyads in terms of the strategies that they use while monitoring animations...Show moreThis study aims to investigate whether parental sensitivity is related to the level of correspondence within parent-child dyads in terms of the strategies that they use while monitoring animations of social interactions. Higher levels of synchrony, or the level of correspondence in behavior between parents and their children, is related to better social and emotional developmental outcomes for the children. In total, 69 parents and their 12-months-old baby’s participated in an eye-tracking study, in which an animation was shown that depicted a situation, wherein a “baby figure” shows distress after it is separated from a “parent figure”. This so-called separation segment of the animation was followed by the so-called response segment, wherein either a reunion or further separation of the two characters was shown. Both the parental sensitivity during free-play and the relative fixation duration to the “parent figure” in regards to the “baby figure” were measured. Within this study, no relationship between parental sensitivity and the level of correspondence in monitoring strategies has been found. Moreover, there was no proof for the statement that overall the monitoring strategies of parents and their children correspond with each other while watching animations that depict a social interaction. The baby’s tend to look more at the “parent figure” than their parents do. The focus on the “parent figure” increased from the separation segment to the response segment, for both the parents and their baby’s, although this increase in fixation is bigger for the parents than for their baby’s. These results imply that further research into the possible precursors or influences on the correspondence of behaviors within parent-child dyads is necessary.Show less
Background: Selective mutism (SM) is a rare, heterogenous disorder classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5 (APA. 2014). Due to a lack of research and the complexity of the disorder, much...Show moreBackground: Selective mutism (SM) is a rare, heterogenous disorder classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5 (APA. 2014). Due to a lack of research and the complexity of the disorder, much remains unclear about the etiology and contributing risk factors of SM. More knowledge about the risk factors can contribute to early identification of children that are prone to developing SM. This may lead to better treatment outcomes, as earlier treatment is preferred. Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional case-control study investigates if there is a relationship between facial emotion recognition and social anxiety in 4- and 5-year-olds that are exceptionally quiet in social situations. Additionally, this study tried to identify whether parental behavior has a moderating effect. This was done by performing independents samples t-tests and multiple regression analyses. 16 silent children (M = 5.1 years, SD = 0.64) and 17 healthy controls from the same group (M = 4.8 years, SD = 0.52) participated in this study. The children performed an affect recognition subtest and parents filled in online questionnaire about their child. Results: Results showed that the quiet children had higher levels of social anxiety compared to the controls, with a medium, negative effect (r = -.4). Additionally, parents of quiet children were found to show less positive parenting compared to the controls. No group differences were found in facial emotion recognition. Regression analysis showed a negative, but non-significant, relation between emotion recognition and social anxiety, in both the quiet children and the control group. Positive parenting was negatively correlated with social anxiety but did not show a moderating effect on the relation between social anxiety and emotion recognition. Discussion: According to this study, emotion recognition cannot be seen as a risk factor for social anxiety. Positive parenting is associated with lower social anxiety in the child. However, the direction of this relation remains unclear. Replication of this study with a clinical population is advised, as well as further research on the causal relation between social anxiety and parenting behavior.Show less
Sensitivity involves understanding the child's signals and responding to them promptly and appropriately (IJzendoorn, 2019). A sensitive and responsive parent provides comfort and security to the...Show moreSensitivity involves understanding the child's signals and responding to them promptly and appropriately (IJzendoorn, 2019). A sensitive and responsive parent provides comfort and security to the child when needed (Bowlby, 1969). Various factors may play a role in parental sensitivity. This correlational study examined whether factors such as child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being contribute to the degree of parental sensitivity. Thirty-two respondents participated in the study. Sensitivity was measured through observations, while child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being were assessed using various validated questionnaires. The results showed that child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being did not determine the degree of parental sensitivity. Despite the lack of a found correlation, it remains important to conduct further research on sensitivity and the factors that play a role in it. Sensitivity can be enhanced through appropriate support of the parents, leading to more sensitive responses to the child.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
closed access
Both youth with a substance use disorder (SUD) and youth who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) show heightened vulnerability to psychopathology. We aimed to quantify the risk of...Show moreBoth youth with a substance use disorder (SUD) and youth who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) show heightened vulnerability to psychopathology. We aimed to quantify the risk of comorbid disorders in SUD youth with ACE-history. Additionally, we aimed to examine relations between ACEs, overall household experience, and general distress. We used cross-sectional YIT-study data from interviews with Dutch youth (aged 16-22) upon SUD treatment entry for cannabis, alcohol, or stimulant use. We measured ACE-types experienced up until 15 years of age, past-year DSM-5 disorders, general distress (DASS-21), and overall household experience rating. Logistic regressions quantified relations between ACE sum score and anxiety, depressive, behavior, and any disorder. Higher ACE sum scores related to increased risks for a(n) anxiety (OR = 1.12, highest odds = 2.84; χ2(1) = 6.71, p < .010; Nagelkerke R2 = 0.2), depressive (OR = 1.21, highest odds = 5.43; χ2(1) = 18.11, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 = 0.6), behavior (OR = 1.20, highest odds = 5.24; χ2(1) = 17.41, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 = 0.6), and any (OR = 1.25, highest odds = 7.58; χ2(1) = 17.26, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 = 0.7) disorder. Exploratory analyses revealed that frequency of parental fighting, being hit/abused, getting belittled, emotional neglect, physical neglect, insufficient household income, long parental sickness, and overall household experience positively related to DASS-21. In a hierarchical regression analysis with all ACEs and overall household experience, only emotional neglect related to DASS-21 (B = 3.68, t(373) = 2.41, p = .017). Overall household experience did not improve the model (F(12) = 3.51, p < .001; R2change < .001). In hierarchical regression analyses containing ACE sum score and overall household experience, overall household experience was not uniquely related to DASS-21 (t = -0.22, p = .824; R2change < .01). In conclusion, ACEs relate to comorbid disorders in SUD youth. Our exploratory research suggests that ACE frequency might influence this relation, while overall household experience does not further explain this relation. Further research should investigate which ACE measures (a.o., type, frequency) strongly relate to SUDs and psychopathology and examine improved treatment options.Show less
Tien procent van de bevolking van 16 jaar en ouder meldt in de afgelopen vijf jaar slachtoffer te zijn geweest van een of meerdere vormen van dwingende controle als vorm van huiselijk geweld (CBS,...Show moreTien procent van de bevolking van 16 jaar en ouder meldt in de afgelopen vijf jaar slachtoffer te zijn geweest van een of meerdere vormen van dwingende controle als vorm van huiselijk geweld (CBS, 2023). Het is een vorm van huiselijk geweld waar nog relatief weinig over bekend is. Daarom is de organisatie Enver bezig met het opstellen van een nieuw protocol voor het werken met deze problematiek. In dit adviesrapport staat beschreven wat de kennis over dwingende controle is binnen Enver en wat de behoeften zijn van medewerkers in het verbeteren van de kennis en de aanpak. Hierbij is gezocht in reeds bestaande literatuur naar de definitie, de mogelijke gevolgen en waarop gelet moet worden bij het signaleren van dwingende controle. Daarnaast is onderzocht welke kennis de medewerkers van Enver al hebben en waar eventuele behoeften liggen, door middel van een vragenlijst die is verspreid onder de medewerkers van Enver. Uit de resultaten van de literatuur komt naar voren dat er verschillende definities worden gehanteerd voor dwingende controle. De definitie van Stark (2007) is het meest passend. Hierin definieert Stark dwingende controle als een strategische reeks onderdrukkend gedrag die verder gaat dan fysiek geweld. Daarnaast zijn in het literatuuronderzoek ook resultaten gevonden over de signalering van dwingende controle. Hieruit is een helder dader- en slachtoffer profiel naar voren gekomen. Verder blijkt in de literatuur geen consensus te zijn over concrete richtlijnen van signalering van dwingende controle. Wel zijn twee recente gidsen (Instrumenten Voor Opsporing van Dwingende Controle, z.d.), een gespreksinstrument (DASH; Myhill & Hohl, 2019) en een training voor professionals gevonden (Geweldspatroon van Dwingende Controle in (Ex-)Partnerrelaties - het Verschil Tussen Wat Er Gebeurt op het Toneel en in de Coulissen | RINO Groep Utrecht, z.d). Als laatste is uit de literatuur gebleken dat er verschillende negatieve gevolgen zijn op persoonlijke en relationele vlakken voor partners. Ook kunnen er gevolgen zijn voor een kind. Uit het empirisch onderzoek blijkt dat, als er gekeken wordt naar de afdelingen, ‘gedragswetenschappers’ de hoogste score behalen en deze significant hoger scoren dan de ‘jeugdhulpverleners’. Verder is naar voren gekomen dat op het cluster gevolgen beter wordt gescoord dan op de clusters signaleren en gedragskenmerken. Wat betreft de behoeften blijkt dat medewerkers behoefte hebben aan duidelijke richtlijnen binnen de organisatie over hoe te handelen in het geval van dwingende controle. Het advies voor Enver is om richtlijnen op te stellen voor gepaste hulpverlening na signalering van dwingende controle en eventuele bijscholing voor afdelingen te overwegen.Show less
Verbal information transmission has been proposed as one of the most influential fear learning pathways in the acquisition of social fears among children. Empirical studies have demonstrated that...Show moreVerbal information transmission has been proposed as one of the most influential fear learning pathways in the acquisition of social fears among children. Empirical studies have demonstrated that the content of parental verbal information regarding social situations plays a crucial role in shaping children’s development of social fear. Specifically, verbal threat (versus safety) information by the parent regarding novel stimuli significantly influenced children’s reported fear of the social scenario. The current study aims to further investigate whether such verbal threat and safety messages affect children's reported fear in social situations. Additionally, the study explores the potential moderating influence of parental social anxiety on this relationship, as evidence suggests that socially anxious parents convey more negative information regarding novel stimuli, thereby amplifying children's fear beliefs. A total of 69 children (mean age = 11.92 years; 38 girls) received standardized threat and safety information regarding a stranger from their primary caregivers. Subsequently, children engaged in three social tasks with each stranger and reported their fear beliefs about the stranger at the end of the social tasks. Results indicate significantly higher fear beliefs among children who received threat information compared to safety information regarding the stranger. However, parental social anxiety did not moderate the effects of negative verbal information on children’s reported fear beliefs. These findings underscore the role of negative verbal information transmission in children's acquisition of social fears while highlighting the complexity of factors within social anxiety that could contribute to the intergenerational transmission of these fears.Show less
Mensen worden zich steeds bewuster van de potentie van ademhalingsoefeningen. Uit voorgaande onderzoeken blijken deze oefeningen zelfs de hartslagvariabiliteit te verhogen. Dit wijst op de...Show moreMensen worden zich steeds bewuster van de potentie van ademhalingsoefeningen. Uit voorgaande onderzoeken blijken deze oefeningen zelfs de hartslagvariabiliteit te verhogen. Dit wijst op de activatie van het parasympathische zenuwstelsel. Ademhalingsoefeningen blijken vooral effectief te zijn bij onder andere angststoornissen. Bij deze stoornissen ligt de hartslagvariabiliteit gemiddeld hoger dan in de gezonde populatie. Een groot deel van de mensen met een angststoornis zoekt geen hulp omdat ze een hoge mate van angst ervaren bij sociaal contact. Vooral jongeren blijken hier last van te hebben. Om toch deze groep te helpen, kunnen er behandelingstechnieken worden ingezet waarbij er geen sociaal contact nodig is. In deze studie is er onderzoek gedaan naar het effect van de ademhalingstechniek ‘slow breathing’ bij jongeren met sociale angst. Dit is onderzocht bij een subklinische populatie om te kijken of de ademhalingstechniek ook bij deze groep effectief is. De meeste onderzoeken zijn namelijk uitgevoerd bij de gezonde of klinische populatie. Om te kijken of de ademhalingsoefening effectief is, is tijdens een sociaal stressvolle taak de hartslagvariabiliteit gemeten. Uit de resultaten is gebleken dat slow breathing significant de hartslagvariabiliteit van de interventiegroep verlaagt. Ook is er een significant verschil gevonden in de hartslagvariabiliteit tussen de interventie- en controlegroep na het uitvoeren van de oefening. De ademhalingstechniek is dus effectief bij het op de korte termijn verlagen van de hartslagvariabiliteit bij jongeren met sociale angst. In vervolgonderzoek is het interessant om te kijken naar het langetermijn effect van de slow breathing oefening.Show less
The prevalence of overweight children in the Netherlands poses a threat to both mental and physical health. While genetic factors are important, the environment, particularly parental influence,...Show moreThe prevalence of overweight children in the Netherlands poses a threat to both mental and physical health. While genetic factors are important, the environment, particularly parental influence, also plays a significant role in the development of childhood overweight, as children of overweight parents are more often overweight. Parents pass on their genetic predispositions but also their learned eating behaviors to their children. This thesis explores how three different parental feeding styles moderate the intergenerational transmission of BMI between mothers and children: Restriction, Pressure to Eat, and Responsiveness to Child Fullness Cues. Participants were recruited through the Baby's First Bites project and were visited repeatedly at home. This study included 205 mother-child dyads, and children were assessed aged 36 months. Responsiveness to Child Fullness Cues and Pressure to Eat were assessed through observations, while Restriction was measured using the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire. Both mothers and children were weighed at home and their BMIs were calculated using their height and age. The moderation analysis revealed a significant relationship between maternal and child BMI. Pressure to Eat acted as a negative moderator, with high levels of Pressure to Eat weakening the BMI relation between mothers and children. When analyzing the effect of gender, the full model was not significant for boys. However, for girls, Pressure to Eat remained a significant negative moderator, with high levels of Pressure to Eat weakening the BMI relation between mothers and children . These findings suggest that maternal BMI is a significant predictor of BMI in 36-month-old girls but not in boys, and that maternal Pressure to Eat moderates this relation. Intervention programs should consider these gender differences. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of this study, causal relationships cannot be inferred.Show less
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health disorders among children and adolescents, significantly impacting various aspects of their lives. Preventative measures are crucial in...Show moreAnxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health disorders among children and adolescents, significantly impacting various aspects of their lives. Preventative measures are crucial in reducing these disorders' incidence and negative outcomes. However, preliminary research on the mechanisms behind anxiety prevention programs is limited. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate a program designed to prevent anxiety development by targeting parents of behaviorally inhibited children, as they are at risk for anxiety. The research question was: What is the moderating effect of the gender of the child and the age of the parent in the mediating relationship of parental anxiety on the effectiveness of the Cool Little Kids (CLK) intervention on child anxiety post-intervention, compared to pre-intervention? A total of 76 parents and their inhibited children aged three to six years were included in this study. The study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to assign them to either the CLK parenting training or a book with general parenting tips. Child anxiety was measured using a condensed version of the Diagnostic Infant and Preschool Assessment (DIPA) interview administered to the parent, and parental anxiety was assessed using the State-Trate Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. A moderated mediation analysis was conducted for separation anxiety, specific phobias, and social anxiety using the PROCESS plug-in for SPSS. The findings indicated that none of the moderated mediation models nor the individual pathways were significant. All hypotheses were rejected. No significant difference in child anxiety was found pre- to post-intervention in both the CLK intervention and active control condition, and parental anxiety does not mediate this relationship. Child gender and parental age did not significantly moderate the link between child and parental anxiety. Despite excelling in among others its preventive system-oriented approach and credibility, this study has several limitations that warrant further research to firmly conclude the role of parental anxiety in CLK’s effectiveness on child anxiety. Recommendations include employing a larger and more diverse sample and experimenting with different scoring methods for the DIPA interview.Show less
