This study focuses on the quality of sibling relationships, measured in warmth and conflict, and its association with internalizing- and externalizing-behavior problems in adolescence. For the...Show moreThis study focuses on the quality of sibling relationships, measured in warmth and conflict, and its association with internalizing- and externalizing-behavior problems in adolescence. For the study, 26 sibling pairs aged 8-15 years were included. These were only biological siblings and all lived in or near Leiden. The sibling pairs came to Leiden University to individually complete a VR task and a computer task and to fill out a questionnaire (SRQ-S). The parent also completed a questionnaire (CBCL 6-18 years) during the study. For this study, the CBCL and the SRQ-S were used. For this specific study, the younger sibling was examined because the older sibling influences the younger sibling more than the younger sibling influences the older sibling. The study found that conflict in a sibling relationship was positively related to internalizing behavior problems in the younger sibling. This can be explained by the cognitive model of depression: conflict causes stress and this stress relates to negative distortions of reality. These negative distorions of reality can form negative cognitive schema’s which relate to internalizing problems. There were no associations between warmth and internalizing problems and between warmth, conflict and externalizing problems. These conclusions must take into account that a general population sample was used: there were no high or low rates of warmth, conflict, internalizing and externalizing problems; they were avarage.Show less
This thesis aims to address the increasing necessity for employers to provide policies to support their employees’ parenthood. How successfully parents’ cope with the competing demands of being a...Show moreThis thesis aims to address the increasing necessity for employers to provide policies to support their employees’ parenthood. How successfully parents’ cope with the competing demands of being a working parent can have an influence on their well-being. It was proposed that a relationship between the policies parents use, and their general well-being would be also influenced by several factors, such as the age of the child, the gender of the parent, and the characteristics of the child. 137 working parents accessed an online survey through social media where they would report on demographics and the policies they have used and their level of satisfaction. Additionally, they completed the GHQ-12 for general well-being and Mary Rothbart’s temperament questionnaires, IBQ, ECBQ or CBQ, depending on their youngest’ child age. Linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the potential relationship between policies and well-being, as well as a hierarchical multiple regression analyses for moderation effects. Lastly, results did not support the hypotheses; however, a relationship between policies and general well-being was concluded. Against the initial hypothesis, it was found that parents that make use of a lot of policies are predicted to report lower general well-being levels, presenting a quality-quantity dilemma. This is explained through the parents’ subjective experience of policies. Companies are urged to provide adjusted support to their working parents while taking their opinion and individual circumstances into consideration.Show less
This study aimed to research the impact of timing in negotiations by manipulating the moment optional issues are introduced and the use of extra negotiation time. In contrary to what was expected,...Show moreThis study aimed to research the impact of timing in negotiations by manipulating the moment optional issues are introduced and the use of extra negotiation time. In contrary to what was expected, the results did not strongly support the hypothesis that introducing optional issues in the middle of negotiations leads to more integrative outcomes in comparison to beginning and ending. However, a minimal pattern was identified. Additionally, using extra time in negotiation did not significantly increase collective points earned. A slight trend appeared in the opposite direction. Factors like experimenter bias, sample size and asymmetrical pay-off sheets have possibly influenced the results. Suggestions for future research include replicating the study with small adjustments to minimize biases and exploring the role of perceived time pressure in negotiation outcomes. Furthermore, how people relate to each other might be of influence of favorability in negotiation. Despite the non-significant findings, this study contributes to our understanding of integrative negotiation dynamics and highlights the need for further research to identify effective strategies for achieving more integrative outcomes together.Show less
The present research investigates the effects of gain-framed messages on psychological detachment from work among self-employed workers in the UK with gain-framed messaging. The research also aims...Show moreThe present research investigates the effects of gain-framed messages on psychological detachment from work among self-employed workers in the UK with gain-framed messaging. The research also aims to investigate the moderating role of financial stress as well as explore the role of earlier psychological detachment in the effect of gain-framed messages. With Prolific Academic, the research team collected data from 226 individuals using a two-wave after the exclusion of some participants, between-subjects design. Three groups of participants were formed: a control group, those who received a message about health benefits, and those who received a message about performance enhancement. This research partially fills a gap in the literature by focusing on the difficulties encountered by the self-employed (as opposed to employees), thus encouraging research and publication of articles on this subject. Additionally, the results show that financial stress did not significantly moderate the effect of performance- gain messages (vs. health-gain messages) on psychological detachment. As a results, the effectiveness of performance-gain messages (vs. health-gain messages) in increasing detachment does not depend on self-employed workers’ levels of financial stress. This study implies that psychological detachment isn't distinctively influenced by the kind of communication (health or performance-related), regardless of the degree of financial stress. The aforementioned findings underscore the significance of customized messaging strategies in fostering well-being among independent contractors, stressing the crucial interaction between content uniqueness and personal financial situations. Furthermore, the exploratory analysis examined whether the initial detachment from work had an impact on how gain messages influenced later detachment. While other factors explained later detachment, initial detachment from work itself did not make the messages any more or less effective.Show less
Individuals diagnosed with a personality disorder (PD) are often confronted with a low quality of life (QoL) and high health costs, both important outcome variables among cost-effectiveness studies...Show moreIndividuals diagnosed with a personality disorder (PD) are often confronted with a low quality of life (QoL) and high health costs, both important outcome variables among cost-effectiveness studies. Several factors have been identified that are associated with a low QoL and high health costs in individuals diagnosed with a PD. The influence of trauma is unknown. It has been found that PDs are associated with both past trauma experiences and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their daily life. While several studies suggested that individuals with a Borderline PD (BPD) and comorbid PTSD suffer from a more impaired QoL compared to individuals with a single disorder, less is known about the effect of PTSD on PDs other than BPD and the relation between trauma severity and health costs. The current study investigates the effect of both childhood trauma and current PTSD symptoms on QoL and health costs in individuals diagnosed with a PD and the possible mediating role of QoL on the relationship between trauma and health costs. The sample consisted of 65 individuals, with a mean age of 38 (SD = 12.3), diagnosed with one or more PDs. Data was collected with several questionnaires (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, Treatment Inventory of Costs in Patients with psychiatric disorders, and the Mental Health Quality of Life questionnaire). The results show that severity of current PTSD symptoms (t(58) = -4.19, p < .001) but not childhood trauma was related to a decreased QoL in individuals diagnosed with a PD. Both current PTSD symptoms and childhood trauma were not significantly related to health costs. QoL did not perform a mediating role on the relationship between trauma and health costs. To conclude, severe PTSD symptoms represent an additional deprivation for QoL among personality-disordered individuals in this sample. This conclusion is based on a relatively small sample, thus should be further investigated with a larger sample.Show less
Research on suicidal ideation indicates the significant role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and early parental attachment but fails to investigate risk potential in student populations....Show moreResearch on suicidal ideation indicates the significant role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and early parental attachment but fails to investigate risk potential in student populations. This study aimed to research how adverse childhood experiences in a population of university students who report mood and stress problems are related to suicidal ideation and whether the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and suicidal ideation is moderated by attachment style. To target students at risk for suicidal ideation, purposive sampling was employed. An independent samples t-test with consecutive multiple regression (n= 234) showed that adverse childhood experiences, measured with the ACE questionnaire, predicted the presence and severity of suicidal ideation, measured by the BSSI. Consecutive ANCOVA showed that disorganized attachment to the mother and father, measured with the PBI, were found to predict suicidal ideation. Secure attachment was negatively associated with suicidal ideation, whereas for avoidant and anxious attachment there was no association found. A logistic regression analysis showed no moderation effect of insecure attachment styles in the relation between adverse childhood experiences and suicidal ideation. Gender, academic pressure, and nationality were controlled. Findings may be limited due to methodological and performance flaws. The results highlight the importance of early identification of adverse childhood experiences and disorganized attachment for intervention and prevention of later suicidal ideation amongst students.Show less
Background. Psychosocial consequences of psoriasis have been studied extensively. Feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are common consequences for patients with...Show moreBackground. Psychosocial consequences of psoriasis have been studied extensively. Feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are common consequences for patients with psoriasis. However, research on the prospective influence of psychosocial factors on psoriasis symptom severity is scarce. Thus, in this study, it is researched if feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are related to the exacerbation of psoriasis symptoms six and twelve months later. Method. This prospective study examined through four multiple regression analyses if the predictors stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress influenced clinician-assessed and self-administered psoriasis severity after six and twelve months. The type of dermatological treatment and baseline disease severity were included as control variables. Data was collected among 49 psoriasis outpatients using an extensive questionnaire containing multiple self-report questionnaires and through clinician-assessed psoriasis severity. This was conducted at three time points: baseline, at six months, and twelve months. Results. Solely for one predictor a significant effect was found, indicating that higher feelings of stigmatization during baseline measurement predicted lower self-administered psoriasis severity after 6 months (ß = -.38, t = -2.25, p = .03) No other significant effects were found for any predictor, regardless of the clinician-assessed or self-administered severity or the time point (all p ≥ .06). There were predominantly no to small effect sizes found (-.36 ≤ r ≤ .30). Conclusion and discussion. The results of this study cannot substantiate the effect of perceived stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress on psoriasis severity later. However, a lack of power, the extended interval between measurements, and low mean baseline scores can partly explain the lack of results. Future research should enhance their research design by considering more control variables such as treatment adherence, alcohol consumption, visibility of the lesions, and coping strategies. Besides, a broader range of disease severity should be included. As psoriasis has a serious psychological impact, it is worthwhile to continue the research on the effect of psychosocial factors on psoriasis severity. Previous research suggests the existence of an effect, and establishing this could enhance and increase the use of tailored psychological interventions in the treatment of patients diagnosed with psoriasis. This subsequently can contribute to alleviating their disease burden.Show less
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy....Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy. This study also examined whether visual working memory plays a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. For this study participated 85 children between the ages 50-75 months (M = 63.08, SD = 6.07) old. The sample consisted of 44 girls and 41 boys. During four different conditions a kindergarten teacher read to the class four times a week based on a protocol and using the SMART board. The first week (condition A) the teacher did non-interactive reading. The other weeks of the study teachers used the ePrent&ABC program with every week another consolidation form for learning target words (condition B: semantics, condition C: PK and condition D: phonological awareness), except condition C, which was two weeks. Pretests and posttests were administered on target words, PK, and phonological awareness. Tests were also administered for general vocabulary and executive functions. This study focused in particular on the consolidation form of PK. During this consolidation form, teachers used non-verbal and verbal cues to draw the children’s attention to the text of the book. This study shows that children acquire more vocabulary and PK during ePrent&ABC than during non-interactive reading. In addition, a large effect (r = .67) was found of the growth in PK during the consolidation form PK. The consolidation form PK has a positive effect on multiple domains of the early literacy. This study shows also that visual working memory does not play a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. EPrent&ABC offers teachers the opportunity to stimulate early literacy in preschoolers based on an evidence-based foundation with an interactive classroom method that considers both technical developments and the interests of preschoolers.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
open access
Bullying victimization is a major public health concern, because victims often experience long-term negative mental health outcomes. Longitudinal brain structure research in children is needed to...Show moreBullying victimization is a major public health concern, because victims often experience long-term negative mental health outcomes. Longitudinal brain structure research in children is needed to understand the possible mechanisms underlying the relation between bullying victimization and negative mental health outcomes. Previous research has shown that the fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC are impaired in victims. Therefore, this thesis examined the relation between victimization and fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC volume over time. We hypothesized that victims of bullying, compared to children uninvolved in bullying, would have a larger fusiform gyrus volume and a steeper volume increase. Furthermore, we hypothesized that victims of bullying, compared to children uninvolved in bullying, would have a smaller amygdala and vmPFC volume and a steeper volume decrease. The sample consisted of 156 children (62% female), aged between 7 and 9 years old at baseline, from the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development. At the beginning of the study, the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was administered to measure bullying victimization and high-resolution structural MRI scans were taken. This was done again two years later. Children were classified as victims if they had been bullied regularly in the past two months. We did not find an effect of victimization on fusiform gyrus, amygdala and vmPFC volume. Future research examining the influence of victimization on both structural and functional brain development is needed to provide further insights, which can help inform the design of interventions to reduce the negative consequences of bullying victimization. The current findings emphasize the importance of protective factors that make a victim’s brain development resilient against victimization. This indicates a need for interventions targeting the development of social-emotional skills or the increase of family support.Show less
Financial stress among young adults is a growing problem that could significantly affect their well-being. This study examines the help-seeking behaviors of young adults under financial stress,...Show moreFinancial stress among young adults is a growing problem that could significantly affect their well-being. This study examines the help-seeking behaviors of young adults under financial stress, focusing on the preference of source and type of help. Here, a distinction was made between professional help and help from the social network and between financial advice and emotional support. Four flyers were developed, each representing one type of help, to encourage young adults to seek help. An experimental design with 197 participants from the United Kingdom was used to test their willingness to seek help. Contrary to expectations, the results showed no significant preference for a specific source or type of help and no strong correlation was found between self-efficacy and willingness to seek help. These findings suggest that young adults may not have a specific preference when seeking help for financial stress and that self-efficacy does not play a determining role, highlighting the need for further studies on the various factors influencing and stimulating help-seeking behavior.Show less
The level of reading skills and the reading motivation are decreasing, causing more and more school-aged children to experience difficulties in reading. When reading in children is difficult, it is...Show moreThe level of reading skills and the reading motivation are decreasing, causing more and more school-aged children to experience difficulties in reading. When reading in children is difficult, it is less fun to do. They will read less often so their reading skills will not improve (negative reading spiral) although reading is an important skill to participate in society and labor market. The current study investigated the effectiveness of two different online reading interventions aimed at improving the reading performance and reading motivation of children with reading difficulties in grade 4/5: the online, individually, guided Universal Intervention of Literacy (UIL) based on explicit direct instruction (EDI) and the Reading Along (RA) reading method based on the guided oral reading method. The interventions differed in instructional approaches. The current study examined whether EDI is needed to improve the reading performance of children with reading difficulties. In addition, it was examined whether the change in reading motivation can be explained by the change in reading achievement, from the reading spiral. The children with reading difficulties, divided into three conditions, received the UIL or RA intervention or no additional reading support (BAU, control group). Reading performance of technical reading and reading motivation were measured before and after the intervention period. The analyses showed that the UIL and RA were effective in improving reading achievement among children with reading difficulties in grade 4/5 after a five-week intervention period. The children who followed the UIL or RA grew equally in reading achievement. This suggests that EDI is not needed to improve reading achievement in children with reading difficulties. In addition, the children in the UIL, RA and BAU condition grew equally in reading motivation. The suggests that the UIL and RA interventions were not effective in improving reading motivation. Finally, no correlation was found between the change in reading achievement and the change on reading motivation. Change in reading motivation cannot be predicted by change in reading performance.Show less
This study investigated the effects on the victim of bystander non-intervention in the workplace. We performed a vignette study, with three different scenarios: active bystanders, passive...Show moreThis study investigated the effects on the victim of bystander non-intervention in the workplace. We performed a vignette study, with three different scenarios: active bystanders, passive bystanders, and no bystanders. We hypothesised that in the passive bystander condition the four psychological fundamental needs (belonging, meaningful existence, control, and self-esteem) would go down, sexual harassment myth acceptance would be higher, self-blame and bystander blame would be higher and blame towards the perpetrator and society would be lower. The data from the 159 participants showed that the fundamental needs of belonging and meaningful existence decreased, and that bystander blame was higher in the passive bystander condition, compared to the active bystander condition. The fundamental needs of control and self-esteem, sexual harassment myth acceptance, self-blame, perpetrator blame and society blame were not affected. Possible explanations for the results are provided, as well as the limitations of the study and recommendations for further research.Show less
Background: Many patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) suffer from self-stigma. Self-stigma can lead to a decrease in recovery speed and treatment adherence. Psychoeducation for depression...Show moreBackground: Many patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) suffer from self-stigma. Self-stigma can lead to a decrease in recovery speed and treatment adherence. Psychoeducation for depression has shown to be effective in improving treatment adherence and self-stigma. In recent years, researchers investigated Virtual reality (VR) as a potential tool in the treatment of depression. Studies have shown that VR interventions can reduce, among other things, self-stigma and depressive symptoms. We investigated the impact of a VR experience combined with psychoeducation compared to traditional, non-VR psychoeducation on self-stigma and depressive symptoms in individuals with MDD. We expected the VR intervention to have a more positive effect in reducing self-stigma and depressive symptoms than non-VR. Methods: The 31 recruited participants, aged 18-65 years old, were randomized into two groups: VR and non-VR. Two 360-degree VR videos were developed to experience a day in the life of a patient with depression. Self-stigma and depressive symptoms were measured before intervention (T0), directly after intervention (T1, only self-stigma), after 1 week (T2), and a follow-up after 10 weeks (T3). A repeated measures ANOVA was used for comparing the treatment groups. Results: Contrary to the hypothesis, the repeated measures ANOVA results indicated no significant interaction effect between time and treatment group for self-stigma (p = .393). In terms of depressive symptoms, a repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect between time and treatment group (p = .027), with a medium effect size (η2 = .095). Post hoc testing using Bonferroni showed that non-VR significantly decreased depressive symptoms across different time points compared to VR. Additionally, post hoc testing revealed that self-stigma and depressive symptoms may be positively correlated. Conclusion: No significant difference was found between the two treatment conditions in terms of decreasing self-stigma. However, the non-VR condition demonstrated a significant decrease in depressive symptoms compared to the VR condition. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between self-stigma and depressive symptoms, which emphasize the value of incorporating psychoeducation into treatment plans for people with MDD.Show less
