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
Objective. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare autosomal dominant single-gene disorder, primarily characterized by multiple (sub)cutaneous neurofibromas and café-au-lait macules. The cognitive...Show moreObjective. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare autosomal dominant single-gene disorder, primarily characterized by multiple (sub)cutaneous neurofibromas and café-au-lait macules. The cognitive profile of children with NF1 is hypothesised to be associated with deficits in three domains; visuospatial ability, executive function, learning and their interdependency. Between ages 11 and 15 years, an increase in PIQ was found in children with NF1. Because visuospatial abilities are strongly related to the level of PIQ as measured with the WISC-III-NL, the objective of this study was to find if improvement in visuospatial abilities in this course of age predicts this progress in PIQ. Methods. In a longitudinal design, 31 children with NF1 were assessed with the WISC-III-NL and a standardised battery of neuropsychological assessments at average age 11 and 15. In the statistical analyses the scores on the subtests of the WISC-III-NL constituting PIQ at age 11 and 15 were compared with paired t-tests and a repeated measures ANOVA. Next, five multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted with the increase in PIQ as the dependent variable and five neuropsychological constructs (visual and auditory attention, visuospatial ability, processing speed and fine motor skills) as the predictors. Results. Picture arrangement was the only WISC-III-NL subtest to increase between age 11 and 15, d = 1.04, p < .001. The repeated measures ANOVA resulted in a difference in improvement between the five WISC-III-NL subtest scores, p < .001. Visuospatial ability was the only neuropsychological construct that predicted the increase in PIQ, b = 1.22, p = .005. There was no correlation between improvement in picture arrangement and improvement in visuospatial ability. Conclusions. Improvement in visuospatial ability appears to predict increase in PIQ in children with NF1 between age 11 and 15. Further investigation is required to determine if these findings are replicable in larger sample sizes. Additionally, there is further research needed to explore variances in the amount of improvement observed across different visuospatial tasks. It may be possible that progress in executive function effects improvement in some visuospatial tasks. Implications are that executive functioning must be taken into account when interpreting (visuospatial) results from neuropsychological assessments in children with NF1, both in science and in the clinic.Show less
The ability to recognize other people’s emotions is essential for successful social interactions. Learning to recognize emotions in others can be more challenging for children with fewer...Show moreThe ability to recognize other people’s emotions is essential for successful social interactions. Learning to recognize emotions in others can be more challenging for children with fewer opportunities for learning in social interactions, such as children with hearing loss. Therefore, it is important to better understand the development of emotion recognition in this group. This study used a multimethod approach to examine three types of emotion recognition abilities in preschool children with hearing loss and followed their development of emotion recognition over a year. 231 children from China (116 children with hearing loss, 115 typically hearing children) aged 2 to 6 years participated in this study. Three behavioral tasks were used to measure children’s emotion differentiation, identification and attribution abilities at time 1. A parent questionnaire was used to measure children's emotion recognition abilities at two time points, with one year apart. Moreover, parents reported children’s internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems at time 1. The outcomes confirmed previous findings that children with hearing loss had more difficulty with identifying and attributing basic emotions than typically hearing children. No differences were found on the emotion differentiation ability or on the verbal emotion attribution ability, specific for negative emotions. The parent reports showed no differences in emotion recognition between children with and without hearing loss. Furthermore, according to the parent report, emotion recognition abilities improved over time, in both children with hearing loss and typically hearing children. No differences in the magnitude of development were found between the two groups. Regression analyses showed no relationship between emotion recognition and internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, regardless of the hearing status. These findings and their implications for future research are discussed in detail, with the intention to enhance our understanding of the unique needs of children with hearing loss and to support their development.Show less
This experimental study used a 2 (social motives; pro-social vs. pro-self) x 2 (gender of the experimenter; female vs. male) design to examine the impact of social motives and gender stereotype...Show moreThis experimental study used a 2 (social motives; pro-social vs. pro-self) x 2 (gender of the experimenter; female vs. male) design to examine the impact of social motives and gender stereotype activation on the negotiating behaviour of female leaders in online group negotiations. A sample of 95 female participants, ranging from 20 to 70 years old and with various educational backgrounds, participated in an online group negotiation experiment. The participants negotiated against two fake counterparts. Their social motives were to either negotiate for themselves (pro-self) or for the group (pro-social) and they negotiated in an environment where gender stereotypes were activated through the gender of the experimenter. Results showed that neither social motives nor gender stereotype activation significantly impacted the negotiating behaviour of the female leaders. However, participants' social motives were more strongly influenced when a female experimenter led the experiment. These findings suggest that women may be more responsive to instructions from other women. Additionally, this study underscores the need to further explore the underlying factors affecting women's negotiation outcomes.Show less
While amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are primarily defined by cognitive deficits, studies have demonstrated that motor impairments can precede cognitive...Show moreWhile amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are primarily defined by cognitive deficits, studies have demonstrated that motor impairments can precede cognitive symptoms by several years in these conditions. However, it is uncertain if the ability to learn sequences of movements is also impaired in this population. Therefore, this study investigated whether aMCI and AD affect motor sequence learning abilities, and how such abilities are related to AD biomarkers. The sample included 33 individuals with aMCI, 28 with AD, and 52 healthy controls (HCs). All groups completed a motor task consisting of performing a sequence of button presses, alternated with random blocks. Reaction time, coefficient of variation, and learning rates were obtained from the task. Participants also completed a series of cognitive tests to assess memory, visuospatial abilities, processing speed, language, and attention. Additionally, the following biomarkers for AD were assessed: amyloid beta via PET imaging, hippocampal volume via structural MRI, and number of e4 alleles via APOE genotyping. ANOVAs showed that AD participants had longer and more variable reaction times, followed by aMCI individuals, and with HCs having the shorter and more consistent reaction times. No significant differences in sequence learning rate were observed between groups. Exploratory analyses revealed that aMCI/AD had significantly slower initial learning rate than HCs. Linear regressions showed associations of slower reaction times with smaller hippocampal volume, and of higher coefficients with higher amyloid deposition. Poisson regressions revealed no significant correlations between motor sequence learning and APOEe4 allele count. Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) results indicated that combining cognitive test with motor measures improves the prediction of AD biomarkers. Overall, AD and aMCI individuals showed impairments in general motor performance but relatively preserved motor sequence learning abilities, with some deficits in initial rate of learning. Moreover, statistical model comparison suggested that adding motor sequence learning measures to neuropsychological assessment tools enhanced the prediction of AD biomarkers. As such, future studies should explore the value of integrating motor sequence learning measures in the assessment and tracking of AD/aMCI.Show less
Selective attention poses a challenge to informed judgment among voters, potentially exacerbating political polarisation (Iyengar & Hahn, 2009). The relationship between ideological orientation...Show moreSelective attention poses a challenge to informed judgment among voters, potentially exacerbating political polarisation (Iyengar & Hahn, 2009). The relationship between ideological orientation and selective attention has been the subject of much debate in the scientific community. This thesis seeks to clarify this relationship by examining epistemic emotions within that context. Participants (N = 202) responded to headlines, differing on political orientation of statements and complexity, and were given the choice to further engage with the corresponding article. I find no ideological differences in selectivity of ideologically congruent information, but right-leaning individuals avoided incongruent information more than leftists. The data also points to an ideological asymmetry of the experience of epistemic emotions, which is surprisingly conditioned by the complexity of headlines. Rightists felt more confused than leftists only towards simple incongruent headlines. Further, leftists reported higher curiosity in incongruent complex headlines, which mediated the relationship of ideology and choosing to engage with those headlines. Implications of cognitive style differences reflected in differing experience of epistemic emotions are discussed. Further research is needed to clarify the role of the complexity of political messaging style information on information processing in ideologues.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 gut- brain 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 explores how people interact with art in museums at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Museums often use labels to provide information about the artworks on display. These labels can either...Show moreThis study explores how people interact with art in museums at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Museums often use labels to provide information about the artworks on display. These labels can either give detailed background about the art and its creation or highlight the historical context. In this research, we used eye tracking technology to understand how different types of labels affect the way visitors view and engage with paintings. We studied two groups of visitors: those who are passionate about art and know a lot about it ("art lovers") and those who visit museums for leisure without much prior knowledge ("pleasure seekers"). Our findings show that different types of labels lead to different viewing behaviors. Labels with detailed art history tend to focus visitors' attention on specific parts of the painting, while labels emphasizing historical context encourage visitors to explore the painting more broadly. Interestingly, both types of visitors responded similarly to these labels. These insights are designed to help museums create better exhibits that cater to their audiences, making the museum experience more engaging and educational for everyone.Show less
Loneliness affects both autistic and non-autistic children. Nevertheless, differences exist in the prevalence and characteristics of loneliness experienced by these two groups, especially in school...Show moreLoneliness affects both autistic and non-autistic children. Nevertheless, differences exist in the prevalence and characteristics of loneliness experienced by these two groups, especially in school settings. This study investigated how four school environment factors, i.e., physical connection, perceived emotional connections, received emotional connections, and recess enjoyment impact loneliness in school-aged children, focusing on the differences between autistic and non-autistic children. Conducted in 2 Dutch special education primary schools, this cross-sectional, between-group study included 104 students (Μ age = 10.4, age range: 6.8 – 14 years): 47 autistic (Μ age = 10.2) and 52 non-autistic (Μ age = 11.4). Loneliness levels were measured with the self-report questionnaire Children’s Loneliness Scale (CLS). For physical connection, the total time children spent in social contact during school recess was measured with proximity sensors (Radio Frequency Identification Device, RFID). Perceived emotional connections was measured with friendship nomination and received emotional connections with the “Like to play” (LITOP) questionnaire. Recess enjoyment was measured with Lunchtime Enjoyment of Activity and Play Questionnaire (LEAP). A regression analysis measured the relationship between feelings of loneliness and the four school environment factors, and the moderating role of autism. An independent sample t-test compared differences between groups for all variables. The results showed a significant relationship between physical connection and loneliness (β = -.409, t = -3.040, p = .003) and recess enjoyment and loneliness (β = .333, t = 2.690, p = .009). Autism moderated the impact of physical connection on loneliness: increased physical connection is associated with reduced loneliness in non-autistic children but heightened loneliness in autistic children (β = .596, t = 2.236, p = .028). Lastly, levels of physical connection (t (97) = 3.393, p = .001) were significantly lower in autistic (M = .539, SD = .221) than in non-autistic children (M = .695, SD). Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the distinct social needs and experiences of social interactions of autistic children. Policymakers and educators should prioritize gaining a deeper understanding of these differences between autistic and non-autistic children in order to develop more effective programs. With this knowledge, tailoring interventions specifically for autistic children can more effectively address loneliness.Show less
The placebo effect is a learning phenomenon strongly associated with cognitive mechanisms. Placebo conditioning, particularly, combines threat learning with verbal instructions and expectations....Show moreThe placebo effect is a learning phenomenon strongly associated with cognitive mechanisms. Placebo conditioning, particularly, combines threat learning with verbal instructions and expectations. These processes are central in shaping subjective pain experience and threat-related episodic memory. However, the specific influence of placebo conditioning on episodic memory accuracy and generalization is not yet known. It is hypothesized that threat associations enhance memory recognition and generalization by increasing arousal; thus, introducing a placebo manipulation in a threat conditioning paradigm might impair memory recognition by decreasing arousal. This can offer insights into the broader clinical implications of placebo, as threat-related responses and memory bias are hallmarks of anxiety disorders. This study used a within subjects experimental design with 72 healthy participants undergoing a pain calibration/placebo conditioning procedure, a Pavlovian threat conditioning paradigm with a placebo manipulation using pictures, and a memory test. Participants completed pain, mnemonic, and confidence ratings. We predicted that the placebo condition would correlate with lower subjective pain experience, and the CS+ condition with increased recognition memory and generalization compared to the CS+ placebo and CS- conditions. Although the placebo manipulation was successful, it did not significantly affect memory recognition, generalization or discrimination. There were indications that the CS+ condition correlated with higher recognition compared to the CS- condition, but these should be interpreted with caution. We conclude that the placebo manipulation’s subtle effects may not have reached the necessary threshold of arousal and motivational engagement required to alter memory processes. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.Show less
Numerous studies have extensively explored the direct associations between Borderline, Personality Traits (BPT) and suicidal ideation (SI), but there has been limited focus on the moderating...Show moreNumerous studies have extensively explored the direct associations between Borderline, Personality Traits (BPT) and suicidal ideation (SI), but there has been limited focus on the moderating factors and interactions that could potentially influence this association. This study investigates this gap in literature by examining the moderating effects of Substance Use (SU) and Social Isolation on the relationship between BPT and SI. The primary objective was to investigate whether increased SU and Social Isolation could strengthen the relationship between BPT and elevated levels of SI. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted, collecting data over one month through a standardized questionnaire measuring BPT. At the same time, we examined other demographic and clinical variables, including SI, SU, and social isolation as variables that are included in the ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to assess the relationships between these variables, with moderation analysis conducted using the PROCESS macro. Contrary to our beliefs and expectations, this research did not find significant results in the direct relationship between BPT and SI, nor did it detect any moderating effects of substance use or social isolation on this relationship. Despite the outcome, the study provided a unique approach by being among the few studies to utilize the innovative tool of EMA on this specific topic, encouraging and inspiring researchers to continue and enhance research on the foundation of real time measurements and studies.Show less
Keuzegedrag is een belangrijk cognitief proces dat binnen de wetenschap veel wordt onderzocht. Uit onderzoek van Damaso en collega’s (2022) bleek dat de reactietijd van participanten toeneemt na...Show moreKeuzegedrag is een belangrijk cognitief proces dat binnen de wetenschap veel wordt onderzocht. Uit onderzoek van Damaso en collega’s (2022) bleek dat de reactietijd van participanten toeneemt na het maken van een fout. Dit fenomeen, genaamd post-error slowing, komt mogelijk voort uit de afleiding van aandacht na een fout, om te proberen accurater te handelen. De speed-accuracy trade-off toont aan dat reactietijd toeneemt als mensen accurater zijn. In dit onderzoek werd post-error slowing onderzocht en gekeken naar de invloed van feedback en moeilijkheid hierop. Dit werd getoetst aan de hand van een twee- alternatieven geforceerde keuzetaak, afgenomen bij 43 participanten, waarin trials varieerden in moeilijkheid en trial- of blockwise feedback. Uit de resultaten bleek geen significant effect van zowel moeilijkheid als van trial- of blockwise feedback. Mogelijke limitaties lagen bij de moeilijkheid en de deadline van de trials. Voor toekomstig onderzoek was het advies de huidige taak enigszins aan te passen en een grotere/diversere sample te onderzoeken.Show less
Introduction: The Locus Coeruleus (LC) is a small structure residing in the midbrain and is the primary source of Noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. The LC-NA system’s roles include focusing...Show moreIntroduction: The Locus Coeruleus (LC) is a small structure residing in the midbrain and is the primary source of Noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. The LC-NA system’s roles include focusing attention towards salient stimuli. Animal studies suggest that the LC-NA system plays a role in reward related functions, an aspect primarily attributed to the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) Dopamine (DA) system. Animal studies suggest that habituation of the LC to salient stimuli occurs rapidly. The Dorsal and Ventral attentional networks (DAN and VAN respectively) are other regions relevant in attentional focus. Thus, we hypothesise that the reward and salient stimuli will elicit higher responses in the LC compared to the control, the LC will habituate across trials, the DAN network will respond highest to reward, and the VAN highest to salience. Methods: Forty-five healthy participants were recruited to complete a reward-oddball task during fMRI scanning. Repeated Measures (RM)-ANOVAs assessed changes in BOLD levels in our regions of interest (LC, VTA, DAN, VAN) as participants responded to the different stimuli oddballs (reward, salient, no reward). Results: A main effect for stimulus type on LC activity was not found (p=.079). Activity in the LC did not significantly habituate (p=.469). The DAN had overall higher activation than the VAN and had higher activation to the reward oddball compared to the salient (p<.001). The VAN region also had higher activation to the reward compared to the salient condition (p<.001). Conclusion: Results suggest that the LC had a similar degree of activation to each stimulus. This may suggest that the LC responds to contextual saliency and may not account for how goal relevant a stimulus is. We did not find a statistically significant habituation across trials. This may suggest that habituation in humans happens at a slower/less extensive rate than rats. The DAN region had globally higher activation than the VAN, reflecting this region’s role in sustained and goal related attention. The lack of activation within the VAN may suggest an orientation response was not required during this task. Strengths, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.Show less
People in debt often avoid contacting their creditors, a behaviour likely driven by feelings of shame. In the Netherlands, around one million households face significant debt, leading to stress and...Show morePeople in debt often avoid contacting their creditors, a behaviour likely driven by feelings of shame. In the Netherlands, around one million households face significant debt, leading to stress and shame, which exacerbates financial problems by hindering communication with creditors. This study investigates the impact of building shame resilience on reducing avoidance behaviours among debtors. Enhancing shame resilience means increasing individuals' sense of control over their situation and reducing feelings of being trapped. These factors can empower debtors to confront their financial problems rather than avoid them. Thus, an experiment involving 308 participants with financial distress evaluated the effectiveness of different versions of the same creditor letter. These messages were adjusted to either increase a sense of control, reduce feelings of being trapped, or serve as a baseline with no specific emotional content. The study hypothesised that these adjustments would lead to greater willingness to contact creditors and that gender might moderate the impact. Results showed that messages enhancing control or reducing feelings of being trapped significantly increased participants' willingness to engage with creditors. Although the hypothesis regarding gender moderation was not supported overall, women responded more positively to messages reducing feelings of being trapped. These findings suggest that supportive communication strategies addressing emotional barriers like shame can facilitate better debt management. The study's implications for policy and creditor practices emphasise prioritising psychological well-being to enhance financial stability.Show less
Young patients with moderate to severe psychiatric disorders often have a reduced quality of life and well-being linked to factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, and individual...Show moreYoung patients with moderate to severe psychiatric disorders often have a reduced quality of life and well-being linked to factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, and individual vulnerability related to their disorder and treatment (Vancampfort et al., 2017; Thompson et al., 2020). This study aimed to investigate whether participating in an 8-week group-based physical activity and exercise training program affected the positive well-being of patients with moderate to severe mental disorders. Additionally, the goal was to investigate whether there was an interaction between the participants' age and their well-being scores. The physical activity and exercise occurred during a program called 4F (Fit, Fun, Food, Feel), which has been validated in other studies. In the current study, we analysed the well-being scores of 15 patients (53.33% men, 46.67% women) with moderate to severe psychiatric disorders aged between 18 and 35 years old (M=27.28, SD= 5.59). We looked at their well-being scores before (T0) starting the program and after 8 weeks (T1) and examined the interaction effect between age and well-being scores using a Generalized Linear Model. The results showed no difference between the well-being scores at T0 and T1 and no interaction effect with the patient’s age. This study had limitations such as a limited sample and no control group. The results weren’t significant, meaning that more research needs to be done before this intervention can be implemented as an adjuvant treatment. For future research, it would be interesting to investigate other types or durations of the PA and exercise and understand how the different components of the 4F program might influence the patient’s well-being.Show less
