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
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
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
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on individuals’ physical and mental well-being, particularly affecting their sleep patterns. However, prospective research on the...Show moreIntroduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on individuals’ physical and mental well-being, particularly affecting their sleep patterns. However, prospective research on the specific effects of COVID-19 on sleep quality and rumination remains limited. The current study aims to fill this gap by investigating how the pandemic affects sleep quality and nighttime rumination in both adults and adolescents. It was hypothesised that COVID-19 would worsen sleep quality and increase nighttime rumination, particularly in adolescents. Methods: 101 participants (67 adults, 34 adolescents) were assessed using a within-betweensubjects design comparing two time periods (before and during COVID-19) across two age groups. Sleep quality was assessed daily by asking three questions that measured subjective sleep quality, sleep latency and wake after sleep onset. Nighttime rumination was quantified using self-reported rumination scores. Results: No significant differences in sleep quality or nighttime rumination were observed between the two periods for either age group. However, during the pandemic, adults experienced significantly worse sleep quality and increased nighttime rumination compared to adolescents. Additionally, nighttime rumination had a negative effect on sleep quality in both age groups. Conclusion: The study did not find statistically significant differences across time periods, but adults reported poorer sleep quality and higher levels of nighttime rumination during the pandemic compared to adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of further research to understand and address the psychological impact of global health crises in diverse populations.Show less
The main purpose of the current study is to improve interventions for boys with conduct disorder, in order to decrease criminal offenses in this group. Another goal was to gain more knowledge on...Show moreThe main purpose of the current study is to improve interventions for boys with conduct disorder, in order to decrease criminal offenses in this group. Another goal was to gain more knowledge on empathy in this group. There is thought to be a connection between welldeveloped empathy in youth and a decrease of criminal offenses. In this study, boys with conduct disorder (N = 25) and autism spectrum disorder (N = 23) are compared in their empathy, using 2-way ANOVA’s. Boys with conduct disorder score higher on cognitive empathy. There are no differences in affective empathy. Differences in empathy do not increase or decrease as boys grow older. Findings provide arguments to base interventions for boys with conduct disorder on empathy development, similar to what is already done for boys with autism spectrum disorders. However, a careful interpretation of the findings is needed due to limitations in current research.Show less
Earlier research showed that children who endure war are more at risk of developing trauma symptoms or PTSD. Trauma symptoms or PTSD can lead to significant disruptions in cognitive empathy and...Show moreEarlier research showed that children who endure war are more at risk of developing trauma symptoms or PTSD. Trauma symptoms or PTSD can lead to significant disruptions in cognitive empathy and high levels of anxiety. The aim of the current study is to look into the relationships between PTSD, cognitive empathy and anxiety in Syrian refugee children, and to test for gender differences. Participants were 33 Syrian refugee children aged 10-18. PTSD was measured using CPSS, cognitive empathy was measured using the EmQue-CA and the EDG (three social conditions were used: neutral individuals, victims and offenders of intentional pain) and anxiety was measured using the SCARED. Results showed that cognitive empathy did not affect Syrian refugee children in social situations. Secondly, anxiety did not affect cognitive empathy levels. Thirdly, anxiety did not affect cognitive empathy differently for boys and girls. Lastly, cognitive empathy is disrupted within Syrian refugee children with trauma symptoms or even PTSD. Suggesting that cognitive empathy is a predictor of PTSD. The findings of the current study could potentially be important for future faster treatment of trauma symptoms or even PTSD by using cognitive empathy levels as a predictive factor.Show less
This thesis describes an experimental study with a between-subjects and within-subjects design on the possibility to train inferential skills by using expository video. Over the past years the...Show moreThis thesis describes an experimental study with a between-subjects and within-subjects design on the possibility to train inferential skills by using expository video. Over the past years the level of reading comprehension among Dutch students decreases. A low motivation may perhaps explain this downward trend. One way to increase the motivation of Dutch students could be by using digital resources. Inferential skills are crucial during reading to create a mental representation of the text. This is an important part of reading comprehension. This research focusses on the progression in inferential skills of students, when these skills are taught using expository video. The progression made is compared to the progression in inferential skills of students who were taught inferential skills using expository text, and students in the control condition. Furthermore, the relation between this progression and the level of reading fluency was studied. Participants were 105 Dutch student (age 8 to 11 years) in grade six from four different primary schools. They were randomly assigned to one of the conditions, namely video condition, text condition and control condition, where they received either eight trainings with expository video or text, or no training at all. The inferential skills of all participants were tested using a pretest and a posttest, before and after the training was given. Results show that the training, either with expository video or text, is not effective in teaching inferential skills to Dutch students in grade six. In addition was the level of reading fluency not related to the effectivity of the training with expository video or text.Show less
According to the Family Systems theory, family members are part of an interdependent network in which individuals and relationships affect other family members or other relationships. This study...Show moreAccording to the Family Systems theory, family members are part of an interdependent network in which individuals and relationships affect other family members or other relationships. This study examines the association between the quality of the parent-child relationship and the quality of the sibling relationship and investigates if perceptions of differential parenting mediate the association between within-family differences in parent-child relationship quality and sibling relationship quality. Sibling relationship quality, parent-child relationship quality and the magnitude of perceived differential parenting were assessed in a sample of 26 Dutch sibling pairs aged between 8 and 15 years old and their biological and/or legal parent, using the Parent-Child Interaction Questionnaire - Revised, the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire - Short version and the Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience. The results showed that older siblings and younger siblings reported the same relationship qualities and the same magnitude of differential parenting. In line with the Family Systems theory, the association between the quality of the parent-child relationship and the quality of the sibling relationship was significant for older siblings. Moreover, there was no mediating effect of differential parenting, but differences in parent-child relationship quality and sibling relationship quality were positively related. For younger siblings both associations were not significant. However, the associations between relationships of the older siblings were not significantly different from the associations for the younger siblings, in that both children reported a higher sibling relationship quality when the older sibling had a higher parent-child relationship quality than the younger sibling. This suggests that a spillover effect may exist from the relationship between parent and older sibling to other relationships in the family. Future research could investigate the underlying mechanisms of this association and could clarify the direction of the association between the parent-child relationship quality and the sibling relationship quality.Show less
Part of the origin of anxiety comes from genetic heredity and the rest is explained by environmental factors. Parental and family characteristics play an important role in the environmental factors...Show morePart of the origin of anxiety comes from genetic heredity and the rest is explained by environmental factors. Parental and family characteristics play an important role in the environmental factors of anxiety. Specific parenting styles are linked to childhood anxiety. Several studies showed that parental overprotection can be linked to anxiety in children. However, there are some inconsistent results between the different studies. This inconsistency may occur because previous studies looked at parents and children in general and possibly, this relationship is mainly important in specific groups of parents and children. Therefore, in this study we look at parents’ socioeconomic status and the gender of the child as a moderator for the link between parental overprotection and anxiety in children. This study was part of a larger research project named Cool Little Kids. We used the pre-intervention, baseline data of the Cool Little Kids project in which 170 parents participated. Parents filled out several questionnaires regarding parental overprotection, child anxiety and demographic characteristics. The results showed that there was no significant effect between overprotective parenting and childhood anxiety that is moderated by SES of the parents and gender of the child. However, the results did point at the expected directions, although they are too small to give significant results. This means that overprotective parenting may not be as important as we assumed. Results of this study must be considered with regard to several limitations. The sample size of this study is small, parents with low socioeconomic status are underrepresented and the study is based on cross-sectional data. Further studies might focus on other parental and environmental factors such as an authoritarian parenting style that may have a larger influence on childhood anxiety and the influence of parenting styles on childhood anxiety in same sex parent-child pairs.Show less
This study aims to investigate relative age within primary school grades as a potential influential factor of perceived ADHD symptoms. It examines whether relatively younger pupils show more ADHD...Show moreThis study aims to investigate relative age within primary school grades as a potential influential factor of perceived ADHD symptoms. It examines whether relatively younger pupils show more ADHD symptoms than their classmates. The study is of cross-sectional design, using data of primary school children throughout the Netherlands. Participating children are in the age range of four to twelve years old, N = 168. To measure ADHD symptoms, the SNAP-IV (18) has been filled out by parents of the participating children. Relative age serves as the main predictor of this study. Simple linear regressions have been run on relative age (predictor) and ADHD symptoms (dependent). Analyses showed that relative age is no predictor of ADHD symptoms, implying that relative age is no influential factor in perceived ADHD symptoms. However, data screening pointed out that the sample of the current study might not be representative for the general population. Furthermore, the current research design worked with parental observations of ADHD symptoms, and not official ADHD diagnoses. Whether a child has had an ADHD diagnosis was unknown during this study. Incorporating this information in future research could potentially lead to a better understanding of the topic. All in all, the results of this study must be interpreted with care and future research is needed to (dis)prove the relation between relative age and ADHD symptoms.Show less