Background: The development of executive functions is important for independent, creative, and socially constructive behavior. Despite the genetic predisposition, executive functions are due to the...Show moreBackground: The development of executive functions is important for independent, creative, and socially constructive behavior. Despite the genetic predisposition, executive functions are due to the long-term development also influenced by environmental factors. The specific impact of environmental factors remains, however, unclear. This research focuses on the influence of family factors on the development of executive functions in children. Method: The influence of parents’ educational level, siblings and an educational parent training was investigated in a total of 437 children, between the ages of 8 and 12. During a baseline assessment and a follow-up six months later, executive functions were measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). A total of 31 parents where randomly selected to participate in a parent training, where parents learned about the development of executive functions and how they could stimulate this development. Results: Parents’ educational level had a significant small effect on inhibition and working memory and not on cognitive flexibility. There was no significant difference in scores on the executive functions between children with siblings and children without siblings. Finally, the educational parent training showed no effect on the development of executive functions in children. Conclusion: This investigation contributes to a more complete overview of the impact of environmental factors on the development of executive functions. This is important for the development of early interventions to optimize executive functioning in children. Children of higher educated parents showed less problems on inhibition and working memory. In contrast to the expectations, other family factors had little influence on the development of executive functions in this age group. Other environmental factors, such as school, teachers and peers, may play a greater role. Future research should focus on the influence of these other environmental factors in children from eight years old up to young adulthood.Show less
Objective This study is a pilot study to investigate the relationship between the teacher training programme of Curious Minds and science learning in pupils aged nine to twelve years. By means of a...Show moreObjective This study is a pilot study to investigate the relationship between the teacher training programme of Curious Minds and science learning in pupils aged nine to twelve years. By means of a multiple mediation model it was explored whether social cognition and executive functions mediate the relation of the teacher training programme on science learning. Gain scores in mathematical performance were used to explain science learning. Methods In this quasi-experimental research sixty-nine pupils were assigned to either the teacher training programme condition (n = 29) or the control group condition (n = 40). A t-test for independent samples was used to explore the unmediated effect of the teacher training programme on mathematical performances. For the mediated effect a bootstrap resampling method (n = 5000) as described by Preacher and Hayes (2004) and Hayes (2009) was used. Mediating variables are social cognition and the executive functions inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory. These variables were tested in thirty-eight pupils, by means of the Dutch Social Cognitive Abilities Test (SCVT; Sociaal Cognitieve Vaardigheden Test) and a computerized test battery, which is part of the Amsterdam‟s Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT; Amsterdamse Neuropsychologische Taken) respectively. Results The results did not support the expectations. These data supported the view that the teacher training programme by Curious Minds significantly decreased mathematical performances. The teacher training programme had a positive effect on social cognition skills, though, no credible evidence indicated mediation. Discussion The examinations in this study were well able to make a contribution to knowledge in the neurological and educational climate. This study provided more knowledge in contribution of a training to children‟s executive functions and social cognition, and hence in mathematical learning. This knowledge must be reflected in education systems, and training must be re-examined. It is advisable for future research to examine the effect of the teacher training programme on practical and explorative science aspects, where Curious Mind initially aims for.Show less
The prevalence of people with a disorder in the autism spectrum (ASD) is estimated on 60 to 100 on 10.000 people. A deficit in executive functions is a possible explanation of the behavior shown in...Show moreThe prevalence of people with a disorder in the autism spectrum (ASD) is estimated on 60 to 100 on 10.000 people. A deficit in executive functions is a possible explanation of the behavior shown in ASD. Mothers of children with ASD experience stress in the daily intercourse with their child. The deficit in executive functions might be a predictor for this maternal stress, because the effort-reward proportion is out of balance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relation between executive functions of children and maternal stress and which of the executive functions contributes the most to maternal stress. This study included 29 mothers with their child (Mage= 4,47, SDage= 1.10). The participants were recruited at schools, libary’s, social assistance organisations and throughsocial networks. The NOSI was used to mearsure maternal stress, the SRS was used to measure signs of autism, the BRIEF-p was used to measure executive functions of the child. Significant correlations were found between all EF and maternal stress: inhibition r=.75 (p<.01), cognitive flexibility r=.72 (p<.01), working memory r=.73 (p<.01), planning and organizing r=.78, (p<.01). The correlations between signs of autism and maternal stress was r=.86 (p<.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that Autism symptoms, β=.62, t(23)=4.59, p<.01, and planning and organization, β=.34, t(23)=2.49, p=.02, contributed to maternal stress and explained 80% of the stress. Signs of autism contributed the most. Results and suggestions for future research are discussed.Show less
Background: Previous research indicates that stress has less effect on the neurobiology of children with disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) in comparison with a controlgroup, and it has a negative...Show moreBackground: Previous research indicates that stress has less effect on the neurobiology of children with disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) in comparison with a controlgroup, and it has a negative effect on executive functions (EF). Children with DBD show deficits in EF. Goal: To examine the effect of stress on the EF of children with DBD. The research question is: To what extent do the EF of children in the age of 7 to 12 years who suffer from DBD, differ from the EF of children in the controlgroup during stress? Methods: 72 Dutch boys participated in this study. The following EF were examined: sustained attention, shifting, working memory and inhibition. This has been measured through parent reports on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and three cognitive subtests of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT). Stress was induced by: telling the child it was going to play a competition against another child which he thought he was going to loose and by negative feedback from the opponent. To test the differences a t-test and ANOVA were used. Results: According to their parents, children with DBD score significant (p<.05) worse on inhibition, working memory and shifting in comparison with the controlgroup. Also there is a significant maineffect of group on sustained attention. Thus children with DBD show deficits in EF. There is a significant maineffect of stress on the following EF: sustained attention, inhibition and shifting. Thus stress reduces the performance on EF. There is no reciprocal influence between stress and group. Conclusion: Children with DBD show deficits in EF. Stress has a negative influence on inhibition, shifting and sustained attention. The groups don’t differ in combination with stress. All children need help in coping with stress, especially children with DBD, because the show deficits in EF during both situations.Show less
Children differ in their school performances, which are influenced by their executive functions (EF). The cause of these differences can probably be explained by individual differences in sleep...Show moreChildren differ in their school performances, which are influenced by their executive functions (EF). The cause of these differences can probably be explained by individual differences in sleep duration and temperament. The moderating effect of temperament on the association between sleep duration and EF and mutual relations have been studied. The sample consisted of 499 ‘normal’ children (228 boys, 271 girls) between 9 to 12 years (M = 10.5; SD = 0.85). Sleep duration is measured by a sleep log, temperament factors Extraversion, Negative Affectivity and Effortful Control by the EATQ-R. EF is divided in working memory (Visual digit span task) and inhibition (PVT Go/No-Go). ANCOVA has showed only an association between shorter sleep duration and less working memory for introvert children and the other way around (F(2, 410) = 5.15, p = .006), but not for neutral extraverted children or high extraverted children. Also other temperament factors did not show moderation effects. Furthermore, shorter sleep was significantly related with less inhibition (r = .12), but with better working memory (r = -.52). Extraverted children differ from introverted children on working memory (F(2, 433) = 3.24, p = .040) and little Effortful Control differs from the average level of Effortful Control (F(2, 436) = 3.55, p = .030). There were no other significant results in this study. This study has shown that school performances are not only influenced by cognitive capacities, but also by sleep and child’s temperament traits.Show less
Aggression is a phenomenon which is seen more and more in society. Therefore, it is important to research this phenomenon more actively. Aggression has a big influence on the future prospects of a...Show moreAggression is a phenomenon which is seen more and more in society. Therefore, it is important to research this phenomenon more actively. Aggression has a big influence on the future prospects of a child. It has been suggested that less developed executive functions are related to more aggressive behavior. This study examines whether there is a difference in executive functioning in children with a disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) compared to typically developing children. In addition, it is examined if there is a relation between executive functions and proactive aggression and reactive aggression. The DBD group consisted of 37 boys aged 8 to 12 years (M =9.57) and the control group consisted of 42 boys aged 8 to 12 years (M = 9.64). Two questionnaires were used, the BRIEF (Smidts, & Huizinga, 2009) for executive functioning and the IRPA (Polman & Orobio de Castro, 2008) for proactive and reactive aggression. The DBD-group scored significantly lower on all the executive functions than the control group. Correlation analyses on the parental questionnaires indicated a positive relationship within the DBD group between inhibition skills and reactive aggression. An explanation for these results is that children with DBD struggle to resist their impulses and emotion regulation, tend to respons aggressively to frustrations. Moreover, a negative correlation was found within the DBD-group between emotion regulation and proactive aggression. By examining these relationships further treatment can be aimed at specific executive functioning deficits for the different forms of aggression. This could help negate future behavioral problems with these children.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2017-07-19T00:00:00Z
The investigation of aggressive behaviors in specific types – reactive and proactive – on the basis of knowledge about executive dysfunctioning is important for determining both the etiology and...Show moreThe investigation of aggressive behaviors in specific types – reactive and proactive – on the basis of knowledge about executive dysfunctioning is important for determining both the etiology and the treatment strategies for aggression. The present study aimed to identify executive functions as the mechanisms underlying reactive and proactive aggression. Twenty-seven boys from 7 to 12 years old (M = 9.78, SD = 1.37) participated in this study. We created a sample including boys with different types of aggression and a wide range of aggression scores. Several (computerized) neurocognitive tasks were used for the measurement of the executive functions: inhibition, attention, frustration tolerance, cognitive flexibility and planning. A teacher questionnaire was administered for the reactive and proactive aggression scores of the boys. We found that the executive dysfunctions were associated with higher levels of aggression. Inhibition problems were associated with both types of aggression, but we also delineated unique factors in the prediction of reactive or proactive aggression. These results are not only important for theoretical frameworks about the etiology of aggression, but we can also underpin the importance of stimulating the development of specific executive functions for the prevention and treatment of different types of aggression.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2017-01-01T00:00:00Z
Individuals with a SCT characterized with an additional X chromosome encounter difficulties in social functioning, which is most prominent in there higher susceptibility for developing autism. The...Show moreIndividuals with a SCT characterized with an additional X chromosome encounter difficulties in social functioning, which is most prominent in there higher susceptibility for developing autism. The current study aimed to systematically address underlying mechanisms related to these difficulties by examining differences in executive functions of children with a SCT karyotype and typically developing children. Furthermore, we examined to what extent executive function deficits were related to higher autism traits. 135 boys and girls (M = 11.4, SD = .2) participated in this study, 85 typically developing children and 50 children with a SCT. We used computerized tasks, a questionnaire, and a verbal task to asses a wide range of executive functions. A questionnaire was used to address autism traits. Children with a SCT showed increased difficulties in encoding verbal information, cognitive flexibility, sustained attention, and more difficulties in executive functions during daily life compared to the typically developing children. Higher autism traits were associated with more difficulties in executive functions during daily life, cognitive flexibility, and encoding verbal information. This provides evidence for impairments in executive functions among individuals with a SCT of which some of them are related to increased difficulties in social functioning. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.Show less
