This study aims to identify the relationship between processing speed and social functioning in patients with a psychotic disorder and examine whether Theory of Mind mediates this relationship. The...Show moreThis study aims to identify the relationship between processing speed and social functioning in patients with a psychotic disorder and examine whether Theory of Mind mediates this relationship. The sample consisted of 323 participants, diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Social functioning was assessed with The World Health Organization’s Disability Assessment Scale II (WHO-DAS II). The outcome measure used for measuring processing speed is symbol coding. Theory of Mind was assessed using the hinting task. The sample had a relatively low symptom severity (M = 1.97, SD = 0.8). The average score for social functioning was 28.4 (SD = 9.6). A linear regression analysis showed a non-significant relationship between processing speed and social functioning (β = .019, p = .774). The mediation analysis showed that the total effect of processing speed on Theory of Mind was significant (β = .196, p =.004). The indirect effect of Theory of Mind on social functioning was not significant (β = .057, p =.335). The direct effect of processing speed on social functioning (c’) was not significant (β = .008, p =.906). Our findings suggest that slower processing speed is not associated with worse social functioning. There was no mediation effect found by Theory of Mind. However, slower processing speed was found to be associated with a worse Theory of Mind. Future research should consider other cognitive processes that impact social functioning.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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Communication involves understanding the difference between our own perspective (visual perspective, beliefs, and knowledge) and that of an addressee. Previous research found that knowledge about a...Show moreCommunication involves understanding the difference between our own perspective (visual perspective, beliefs, and knowledge) and that of an addressee. Previous research found that knowledge about a speaker’s background (e.g., stereotypes, accent, etc.) affects online language processing in listeners. However, the role and automaticity of Theory of Mind (ToM) – the ability to attribute beliefs to someone - remains unclear. Typically, we expect individuals to speak according to their beliefs and perspectives. But what if their utterances mismatch with what we expect them to know? We designed a novel perspective-taking paradigm in a virtual environment, which manipulates an agent’s belief. We then recorded electroencephalographical data from participants, while they listened to the agent making statements either matching or mismatching their false or true beliefs. Specifically, we analyzed the N400: a component, which amplitude scales with the unexpectedness of a content word. We predicted that statements mismatching an agent’s true belief (e.g., seeing a car and saying “That’s a screwdriver”) would result in larger N400 components, compared to statements matching the true beliefs. We found strong evidence for this prediction. Further, we predicted that knowledge of an agent’s unawareness that the state of affairs has changed (i.e., a false belief) is considered when interpreting their statements. We found indirect evidence for this: statements matching their false beliefs do not elicit an N400. However, statements mismatching their false beliefs (e.g., agent says something they couldn’t have known) neither are marked by the N400. Results support ToM’s role in interpreting language.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
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Background and objective: Sex Chromosome Trisomy (SCT) refers to having an extra X or Y chromosome (XXX, XXY, XYY), which occurs in approximately 1-2 of 1000 children. In this study, social...Show moreBackground and objective: Sex Chromosome Trisomy (SCT) refers to having an extra X or Y chromosome (XXX, XXY, XYY), which occurs in approximately 1-2 of 1000 children. In this study, social attention, Theory of Mind (ToM) and neurobehavioral outcomes are investigated in preschool aged children with SCT compared to typically developing controls. Furthermore, the study aims to explore with a longitudinal design whether social attention and ToM in preschool aged children with SCT can be predictive of neurobehavioral outcomes one year later. Methods: In this study 71 children with SCT (aged 3-7) and 71 typically developing age matched controls participated. The Social Interaction Scanning (SIS) eye tracking paradigm was used to investigate social attention. ToM skills were measured with the ToM subtest of the Developmental NEuroPSYchological Assessment, second edition (NEPSY-II). Neurobehavioral outcomes were measured with the Social Responsiveness Scale, second edition (SRS-2), Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal behavior (SWAN) and the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) parental questionnaires respectively. Results: Results of the current study show a vulnerability for children with SCT in the domain of social attention to faces and eyes and ToM compared to typically developing controls. Findings are more pronounced for children aged 5-7 years old. Furthermore, children with SCT appear at increased risk for poorer neurobehavioral outcomes. Finally, results of the current study suggest that ToM may have a unique predictive value for social impairment over time, specifically in the domain of social communication and interaction. Secondly, social attention may have a unique predictive value for ADHD symptoms over time. Conclusions: Results indicate that screening of social cognitive functions (around the age of 5-7) and monitoring of neurodevelopmental pathways is important for clinical practice in SCT. In future research the efficacy of early tailored interventions targeting social cognitive skills in SCT can be investigated, to positively influence developmental outcomes of children with SCT.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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Pregnancy leads to volumetric reductions in brain regions involved in Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks. These volumetric reductions appear to be an expression of the woman’s brain preparing itself for...Show morePregnancy leads to volumetric reductions in brain regions involved in Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks. These volumetric reductions appear to be an expression of the woman’s brain preparing itself for motherhood and caregiving. Yet, how pregnancy affects ToM abilities is still largely unknown. The present study investigated how pregnancy affects ToM in primiparous women (i.e., woman who is bearing a first offspring) and whether these changes are predictive of maternal sensitivity. ToM abilities, as assessed through total accuracy scores on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (RMET), were not enhanced at post-pregnancy, compared to pre-pregnancy (H1). Neither did we observe a stronger enhancement in RMET child format performance compared to RMET-adult performance over the course of pregnancy (H2). Moreover, changes in ToM abilities across pregnancy was not a significant predictor of maternal sensitivity at one year postpartum (H3). In conclusion, ToM abilities, as assessed via RMET, did not change over de course of pregnancy. We speculated that the incongruence between our hypotheses and results could potentially be attributed to suboptimal operationalization of ToM abilities. For future studies it may be relevant to include ToM measures that focus more directly on the affective aspect of ToM.Show less
This paper examines the research to date on both Theory of Mind (ToM) and non-literal language (NLL) comprehension in individuals with the developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS). Known for...Show moreThis paper examines the research to date on both Theory of Mind (ToM) and non-literal language (NLL) comprehension in individuals with the developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS). Known for their hyper-social character and strong language abilities relative to their cognitive deficits, individuals with WS provide a way to examine the effect of ToM on language comprehension. Studies on WS are limited and often produce conflicting results, which can be explained in part due to the rarity of the disorder, resulting in sample sizes that are too small to compensate for the heterogeneity of the disorder. The use of different variations of tasks assessing ToM adds to the production of inconsistent results. A combination of these problems has led to the misrepresentation of the role of ToM in NLL comprehension. This problem can partially be resolved by using the Mindreading Scale created by Wellman and Liu (2004) for assessing ToM in future studies on WS. The use of this scale can resolve a number of the questions surrounding the presence and development of ToM in WS.This paper examines the research to date on both Theory of Mind (ToM) and non-literal language (NLL) comprehension in individuals with the developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS). Known for their hyper-social character and strong language abilities relative to their cognitive deficits, individuals with WS provide a way to examine the effect of ToM on language comprehension. Studies on WS are limited and often produce conflicting results, which can be explained in part due to the rarity of the disorder, resulting in sample sizes that are too small to compensate for the heterogeneity of the disorder. The use of different variations of tasks assessing ToM adds to the production of inconsistent results. A combination of these problems has led to the misrepresentation of the role of ToM in NLL comprehension. This problem can partially be resolved by using the Mindreading Scale created by Wellman and Liu (2004) for assessing ToM in future studies on WS. The use of this scale can resolve a number of the questions surrounding the presence and development of ToM in WS.Show less
Deze studie onderzoekt de invloed van reflectief functioneren van moeders tijdens de zwangerschap op twee hieraan gerelateerde moeder-kind factoren. In eerder onderzoek is een verband gevonden...Show moreDeze studie onderzoekt de invloed van reflectief functioneren van moeders tijdens de zwangerschap op twee hieraan gerelateerde moeder-kind factoren. In eerder onderzoek is een verband gevonden tussen reflectief functioneren na de zwangerschap en sensitiviteit van de moeder en Theory of Mind bij het kind. Er is echter weinig bekend over de invloed van reflectief functioneren tijdens de zwangerschap op deze factoren. Het doel van deze studie is hier meer duidelijkheid over te geven. Hiertoe zijn 114 moeder-kind dyades (48 meisjes) onderzocht. Reflectief functioneren is tijdens de zwangerschap gemeten aan de hand van het Zwangerschapsinterview. Sensitiviteit is onderzocht tijdens vrij spel van moeder en kind, zes maanden na de geboorte. Voor Theory of Mind is ‘volgen van de blik’ onderzocht. Dit is gedaan door te observeren of de 12 maanden oude baby de wijsrichting van de onderzoeker met de blik volgde. De gegevens werden geanalyseerd met logistische regressie. Uit de analyses bleek dat er geen significant verband was tussen reflectief functioneren en volgen van de blik ( = -0.32, SE = 0.20, p = .103). Wat betreft sensitiviteit kwam de richting van de voorspelling overeen met de verwachting, maar was de voorspellende waarde van de onderliggende categorieën te klein om als significant naar voren te komen ( = -0.38, SE = 0.42, p = .368 voor lage sensitiviteit en = 0.38, SE = 0.21, p = .070 voor hoge sensitiviteit). Omdat de resultaten uit dit onderzoek erop wijzen dat sensitiviteit kan worden voorspeld vanuit reflectief functioneren, wordt vervolgonderzoek aanbevolen.Show less
Objective To examine the relationship between maternal reflective functioning (RF) and child aggression and whether this relationship is mediated by child’s precursors of Theory of Mind (ToM). The...Show moreObjective To examine the relationship between maternal reflective functioning (RF) and child aggression and whether this relationship is mediated by child’s precursors of Theory of Mind (ToM). The influence of coaching on maternal reflective functioning and child aggression is also examined. Method The sample consisted of 85 mother-infant dyads. Mothers were allocated to a high or low risk group based on maternal characteristics. Half of the high risk mothers were randomly assigned to a coaching group. Maternal reflective functioning was assessed prenatally and when children were 20 months of age by Pregnancy Interview (PI) and Parental Development Interview (PDI). Mothers were asked to aggressive symptoms in their child. Children’s precursors of ToM were measured at 20 months by an imitation task, a visual perspectives task and a discrepant desires task. Results Maternal prenatal reflective functioning was found to be negatively related to child aggressive behaviour. However maternal postnatal self-related RF was positively related to child aggression. In addition, maternal reflective functioning was found to be positively related to one precursor of ToM, but ToM did not mediate the relationship between maternal reflective functioning and child aggression. No effect of coaching on maternal reflective functioning and child aggression was found. Conclusion The present study provides evidence for the relationship between maternal reflective functioning and child aggression at a young age. This emphasizes the importance of well-developed maternal reflective functioning capacities for the behavioural development of children. This relationship could be mediated by child’s ToM, but this should be further researched. Coaching would be a suitable way to enhance maternal reflective functioning capacities, but the effects of coaching should be investigated after mothers received coaching for a longer period of time.Show less
Wanneer kinderen een negatieve competentiebeleving hebben, heeft dit invloed op hun gevoel van eigenwaarde, sociale leven en schoolvaardigheden. Er is echter nog niet veel onderzoek gedaan naar...Show moreWanneer kinderen een negatieve competentiebeleving hebben, heeft dit invloed op hun gevoel van eigenwaarde, sociale leven en schoolvaardigheden. Er is echter nog niet veel onderzoek gedaan naar welke sociaal cognitieve vaardigheden in verband staan met de competentiebeleving. Voor dit onderzoek is gekeken of er een verband is tussen de Theory of Mind (ToM), sociale vaardigheden en competentiebeleving én of de sociale vaardigheden een mediërende factor zijn in de relatie tussen de ToM en competentiebeleving bij kinderen. Voor dit onderzoek is er bij dertien participanten, in de leeftijd van negen tot elf jaar, voor de competentiebeleving een vragenlijst afgenomen en voor de ToM de Sociale Cognitieve Vaardigheden Test (SCVT). De ouders van deze participanten hebben een vragenlijst ingevuld over de sociale vaardigheden van hun kind. De verwachtingen van dit onderzoek werden niet bevestigd; er werd geen verband gevonden tussen de ToM, sociale vaardigheden en competentiebeleving, waardoor er ook geen sprake was van een mediërende rol van sociale vaardigheden. Een mogelijke verklaring hiervoor zou de grootte van de participantengroep en het respondentmateriaal kunnen zijn. Wanneer in een vervolgonderzoek deze twee punten worden verbeterd, kunnen er gegronde conclusies getrokken worden over het verband tussen sociaal cognitieve vaardigheden en competentiebeleving.Show less
Achtergrond: Uit onderzoek blijkt dat het executief functioneren en de taalvaardigheden zijn aangedaan bij kinderen met Autisme Spectrum Stoornis (ASS; Kercood, Grskovic, Banda, & Begeske, 2014...Show moreAchtergrond: Uit onderzoek blijkt dat het executief functioneren en de taalvaardigheden zijn aangedaan bij kinderen met Autisme Spectrum Stoornis (ASS; Kercood, Grskovic, Banda, & Begeske, 2014; Lord & Paul, 1997). Er is nog nauwelijks onderzoek gedaan naar executief functioneren en taalvaardigheden bij jonge kinderen met ASS kenmerken. Doel: In dit onderzoek is onderzocht in hoeverre executief functioneren (inhibitie, werkgeheugen en cognitieve flexibiliteit) en taalvaardigheden (taalpragmatiek en taalbegrip) gerelateerd zijn aan ASS kenmerken bij kinderen tussen de 3,5 en 6,5 jaar oud. Er werd verwacht dat meer problemen met executief functioneren en taalvaardigheden gepaard zouden gaan met meer ASS kenmerken. Methode: Ouders vulden vragenlijsten (BRIEF-P, SRS en CCC-2-NL) in over het executief functioneren en de taalvaardigheden van het kind. Op de data die hieruit kwam zijn Pearson correlaties en multipele enter regressies uitgevoerd. Resultaten: Er bleken positieve correlaties te zijn tussen inhibitie en ASS kenmerken (r = .71, p < .001), werkgeheugen en ASS kenmerken (r = .72, p < .001), cognitieve flexibiliteit en ASS kenmerken (r = .66, p < .001), taalpragmatiek en ASS kenmerken (r = .78, p < .001) en taalbegrip en ASS kenmerken (r = .49, p = .004). Na het uitvoeren van de regressieanalyse bleek dat inhibitie (β = .70, p < .001) en taalpragmatiek (β = .78, p < .001) de enige voorspellers zijn voor ASS kenmerken. Conclusie: Wanneer er meer problemen zijn met inhibitie en taalpragmatiek, zijn er meer ASS kenmerken aanwezig bij het kind. De resultaten zijn mogelijk te verklaren door de Executive Dysfunctie Theory (Hill, 2004a), de centrale coherentietheorie (Frith & Happé, 1994) en de Theory of Mind (Baron-Cohen, Tager-Flusberg, & Cohen, 2000). Meer onderzoek is nodig om deze resultaten volledig te verklaren.Show less
An Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication. Lacks of Theory of Mind, empathy and...Show moreAn Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication. Lacks of Theory of Mind, empathy and emotion recognition have been invoked as an explanatory mechanism for the impairments in the social cognition in an ASD. There is a need for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms for a better diagnosis and treatment of women with an ASD, because they are good in hiding the characteristics of an ASD. The current study compares different aspects of social cognition between women with a high functioning ASD and typical developed (TD) women through a comparison between women with and without an ASD. This comparison is based on their performance of social cognition tasks and through a comparison between women with an ASD mutually based on their reflectivity. A total of 31 women with an ASD and 30 TD women participated in this study. The prosody task of the ANT was used for recognition of basic emotions. For the visual emotion recognition the Facial Expression Recognition task was used. The informant list of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index was used to get the various aspects of empathy in daily life. The Dewey Social Story test was used for an impression of perspective taking and understanding of usual and unusual social situations. Results show that women with an ASD have more difficulty with perspective taking and in understanding of other people’s mental states. Although women with an ASD perform similar to TD women in recognizing the basic emotions, women with an ASD perform worse when these emotions are showed with low intensity. Women with an ASD are also slower in recognizing all basic emotions. The results of the comparison within the ASD-group based on their reflectivity shows that women with a good reflectivity are better in recognizing basic emotions when emotions are showed with high intensity. Furthermore, there are no noticeable differences in the comparison between women with good and poor reflectivity within the ASD-group. The two components, in which women with an ASD perform worse compared to women without ASD, can possibly play an important role in the social interactions, which are often based on high speed unconscious activities. More research is needed for a better understanding of the relationship between the Theory of Mind and the reflectivity and of the relationship between the different explanatory models of the impairments in social interaction and communication.Show less
Background: This study evaluated language and empathy in 8-to-12 year old boys with Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) (n = 31) and age-matched normal controls (n = 34). Method: Language was...Show moreBackground: This study evaluated language and empathy in 8-to-12 year old boys with Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) (n = 31) and age-matched normal controls (n = 34). Method: Language was measured by the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4 Dutch Version, CELF-4-NL, 2010, a language test for the evaluation of language skills in school aged children. Empathy was assessed by the Basic Empathy Scale (BES), a self-report questionnaire for children. Results: Results revealed that language is not related to empathy and that DBD has no influence on the presence of affective and cognitive empathy. Only when it comes to generalized empathy it shows that normal controls possess higher levels of empathy than DBD boys. In addition, DBD does not have a moderating effect on the relationship between language and empathy. Conclusions: These findings are not in line with predictions based on the known literature which might be due to the fact that it is unsure if empathy and language were correctly measured. Conclusions based on these results should be done carefully. Further research is required. Keywords: Language, empathy, theory of mind, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, aggression, school aged children. Abbreviation: DBD: Disruptive Behavior Disorder; CD: Conduct Disorder; ODD: Oppositional Defiant Disorder.Show less
Several studies have demonstrated a robust relation between executive functioning (EF) and Theory of Mind (ToM) in preschoolers, yet the developmental course of this relation in older children...Show moreSeveral studies have demonstrated a robust relation between executive functioning (EF) and Theory of Mind (ToM) in preschoolers, yet the developmental course of this relation in older children remains unclear. This follow-up study examined the concurrent and predictive relations between the EF components inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory and ToM skills in 89 typically developing children, aged four to eight years old, over a period of one year. Executive functioning was measured with the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks, a computerized test battery. ToM skills were measured with the Social Cognitive Skills Test. The results showed that inhibition and cognitive flexibility, but not working memory, correlates significantly with ToM skills. None of the EF-components turned out to be an important predictor of ToM skills at one year follow-up. Repeated analyses for the children aged 6 to 8 years old, appears to show an involvement of EF in ToM skills, but further research is needed to investigate this possible relationship more thoroughly.Show less
In het huidige onderzoek is gekeken naar de sociaal-cognitieve vaardigheden en het empathisch vermogen van 40 acht- tot en met twaalfjarige jongens met een DBD en 34 jongens in een controlegroep....Show moreIn het huidige onderzoek is gekeken naar de sociaal-cognitieve vaardigheden en het empathisch vermogen van 40 acht- tot en met twaalfjarige jongens met een DBD en 34 jongens in een controlegroep. Volgens de literatuur zorgt een laag ontwikkelde Theory of Mind en empathisch vermogen voor agressief gedrag. In het huidige onderzoek is sprake van een trend die erop duidt dat de jongens in de DBD-groep minder empathisch zijn dan de jongens in de controlegroep. Tevens blijkt binnen de DBD-groep sprake van een significant negatief verband van agressie, en tevens van proactieve en reactieve agressie, met het affectieve empathisch vermogen. Voorzichtig kan hier geconcludeerd worden dat dit verband sterker is voor proactieve agressie. Van maatschappelijk belang is het onderscheid tussen deze twee soorten agressie bij de diagnose DBD.Show less
Present studies fail to supply unambiguous prove for a relationship between the quality of Theory of Mind and the quality of social skills. Also, the relationship between the quality of emotion...Show morePresent studies fail to supply unambiguous prove for a relationship between the quality of Theory of Mind and the quality of social skills. Also, the relationship between the quality of emotion recognition and social skills is not clear. Studies about the Theory of Mind and emotion recognition almost never include children. Because of the relevance of developing adequate social skills, it is of great importance to investigate children who are vulnerable for experiencing difficulties with social skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the Theory of Mind, emotion recognition and social skills in a group of eight till eighteen years olds (M = 11.7, SD = 2.1). Sixty-one children with an ASD performed the Sociaal Cognitieve Vaardigheden Test (SCVT) and an emotion recognition task. Their parents/caregivers completed the Social Skills Rating System. The findings of this study do not suggest a significant relationship between the quality of the Theory of Mind and social skills. The findings also do not provide prove for a significant relationship between the quality of facial emotion recognition and social skills in children with an ASD. Consequently, the quality of social skills can not be predicted by the quality of one of these skills. However, the reaction time of recognizing the emotion surprise seems to predict the quality of the social skills and in particular the quality of self control.Show less
This research describes the correlation between the Theory of Mind and several aspects of language in children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this research, data from an...Show moreThis research describes the correlation between the Theory of Mind and several aspects of language in children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this research, data from an earlier study was used, that was done by the Universiteit Leiden (N = 147). This study included 65 girls (M = 10.6) and 82 boys (M = 11.1), between 8 and 17 years old. A t-test for independent samples was used, and several Pearson’s r correlation coefficients. The results show a weaker Theory of Mind in children diagnosed with an ASD, in comparison to children without ASD. In addition, all language aspects have a significant positive correlation with the Theory of Mind. These correlations all have a large effect. In future studies, more research is needed about the correlation of other language aspects with Theory of Mind, and the level of these language aspects in children diagnosed with an ASD. With this knowledge, a complete image can be created about the correlation of every aspect of the language development. Also, a complete image can be created about the strengths and weaknesses of the language development of children with an ASD.Show less
Social anxiety occurs in 7% of the population and has a high rate of comorbidity with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The present study examined the relation between social anxiety and the theory...Show moreSocial anxiety occurs in 7% of the population and has a high rate of comorbidity with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The present study examined the relation between social anxiety and the theory of mind (TOM) in a population of children with and without ASD. This research hypothesized that children with a more developed TOM experience more social fear. Participants were 59 children (M= 11.7 years, SD=2.1 years) with an ASD and 86 children (M=10.6 years, SD=1.1 years) without an ASD. In total 145 participants made the Social Cognitive Skills Test for measurement of Theory of Mind and the Social Anxiety Scale for Children for the measurement of social anxiety. Contrary to the expected, children without ASD with a better developed TOM experience less social anxiety (r (85) = -.26, p <.05). No significant findings were observed between social anxiety, TOM and children with ASD (r (26) = -.18, p = .371). When controlling for age and gender, there are no differences between children with or without ASD on the TOM (F (1, 102) = 2.54, p = .11, η2 =.024). Overall, girls (M =130.6 en SD = 19.2) and children older than eleven years (M=132.6, SD=16.5) have a better developed TOM than boys and younger children. The results from this study can contribute to the knowledge for treatments that are effective for children with ASD, children in general and possibly for children with low-functioning autism in particular. Recommendations for future research are to research the differences between low-functioning and high-functioning autism in the relation between social anxiety and TOM.Show less
Deze studie heeft onderzoek verricht naar de relatie tussen roken tijdens de zwangerschap en agressie bij het kind, met Theory of Mind (ToM) als mediërende factor. Participanten (N = 345) zijn...Show moreDeze studie heeft onderzoek verricht naar de relatie tussen roken tijdens de zwangerschap en agressie bij het kind, met Theory of Mind (ToM) als mediërende factor. Participanten (N = 345) zijn geworven via peuterspeelzalen, kinderdagverblijven en basisscholen in Nederland. Prenataal roken en agressie zijn bij de ouders van de participerende kinderen geïnventariseerd aan de hand van vragenlijsten (algemene vragenlijst, aangepaste variant CBCL 1½ - 5). Bij de kinderen (gemiddelde leeftijd: 5.31, SD 0.64) zijn diverse taken afgenomen, waaronder zes taken gericht op het meten van Theory of Mind. Uit het onderzoek blijkt dat roken tijdens de zwangerschap meer agressie voorspelt bij het kind, een beter ontwikkelde ToM voorspelt daarentegen een afname in agressief gedrag. Wanneer beide worden opgenomen in het regressiemodel ondervangt prenataal roken het effect van ToM, waarmee roken tijdens de zwangerschap een onafhankelijke voorspeller blijft van agressie. Wegens scheefheid van de data is nader onderzoek op dit vlak gewenst.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2017-09-20T00:00:00Z
One of the dysfunctions associated with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) (47,XXY) are difficulties in social functioning, which may arise as a consequence of executive functioning (EF) and Theory of Mind ...Show moreOne of the dysfunctions associated with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) (47,XXY) are difficulties in social functioning, which may arise as a consequence of executive functioning (EF) and Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits. In this study, the influence of EF on ToM skills in KS boys was examined, as well as how these skills relate to autistic features. ASD traits were assessed with the parent-report Autism-Spectrum Quotient. ToM skills were measured with the Social Cognitive Skills Test. EF skills were measured with the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals and Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks. 28 KS boys (Mage=13.2, SD=3.0) participated in this study, along with 45 ASD boys (Mage=11.9, SD=2.0) and 46 boys from the general population (Mage=12.2, SD=2.9) as control groups. KS boys showed substantially elevated levels of ASD traits compared to the general population, but lower levels than ASD boys. In addition, difficulties regarding ToM and cognitive flexibility were more prominent in KS boys than in ASD boys compared to the general population. ToM task performance could partly be explained by spatial WM and attention switching (as autistic trait) could partly be explained by ToM skills in KS boys. The current study highlights the importance of attention modulation skills and ToM skills in social functioning of individuals with KS, providing promising insights regarding prevention and intervention. Future studies should focus on the effectiveness of enhancing EF skills in KS boys and the role of the X chromosome in vulnerability for autistic traits.Show less
This study addressed the relationship between emotion recognition and Theory of Mind (ToM) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Emotion recognition was measured with the Eprime Emotion...Show moreThis study addressed the relationship between emotion recognition and Theory of Mind (ToM) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Emotion recognition was measured with the Eprime Emotion Recognition. ToM was measured with the Social Cognitive Skills Test. The ASD-group consisted of 28 children between 9 – 16,9 years old (M = 11,8). The control group consisted of 85 children between the age of 9 – 14,2 (M = 10,6). Significant correlations were found between sadness and ToM in both groups. A possible explanation is that emotions have shared brain structures, but also their ‘own’ pathways, with the exception of sadness. It might be that sadness mostly uses shared brain structures, which also play a considerable role in ToM.Show less
With this master thesis research is conducted using two clarifying theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); namely the influence of Theory of Mind (ToM) and Executive Functions (EF) on the...Show moreWith this master thesis research is conducted using two clarifying theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); namely the influence of Theory of Mind (ToM) and Executive Functions (EF) on the social behavior of children with ASD and normal developed children. The average age of these children was between 10;6 and 10;7 years. In this research 27 children participated diagnosed with ASD and 83 healthy children participated as control group. Also the parents of both groups of children participated, and were required to fill in questionnaires. Social skills were measured with the help of the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS), and executive skills were measured using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). Furthermore, ToM skills of 27 children with ASD and 83 children from the control group were identified, using the Social Cognitive Skills Test (SCVT). Findings in this study do not confirm the hypothesis that ToM and EF are important theories in relation to the development of social skills by the ASS group. However, in the control group EF appeared to be a good predictor for social behavior.Show less
