Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
closed access
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
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2020-12-31T00:00:00Z
The goal of the present study was to investigate whether maternal sensitivity and infant temperament were predictors of infant jealousy. The differential susceptibility hypothesis was also tested....Show moreThe goal of the present study was to investigate whether maternal sensitivity and infant temperament were predictors of infant jealousy. The differential susceptibility hypothesis was also tested. It was investigated if infant temperament could moderate the relationship between maternal sensitivity and infant jealousy. Forty-eight 10-month-olds and their mothers participated in the study. Jealousy was measured during a 10 minutes episode of free-play between mother and infant during which mothers were instructed to care for a life-like doll. The doll cried for 5 minutes of the total episode. Infants were able to play with a large variety of toys during the jealousy evoking situation. Maternal sensitivity was measured during three additional short episodes (break, free-play without toys, free-play with toys). Infant temperament was measured by the Infant Characteristic Questionnaire (ICQ). The results showed that maternal sensitivity and infant temperament were not predictors of infant jealousy within the present study. Also, no proof was found for the differential susceptibility hypothesis. Infant temperament was not a significant predictor in the relationship between maternal sensitivity and infant temperament. The results of the present study indicate that the relationships between maternal sensitivity and infant jealousy and between infant temperament and infant jealousy might not be as strong as suggested by previous studies.Show less
In deze studie participeerden 36 moeder-kinddyades (tien maanden) waarin de relatie tussen maternale sensitiviteit en jaloezie werd onderzocht. Jaloezie was in deze studie het externaliserende...Show moreIn deze studie participeerden 36 moeder-kinddyades (tien maanden) waarin de relatie tussen maternale sensitiviteit en jaloezie werd onderzocht. Jaloezie was in deze studie het externaliserende gedrag dat een baby liet zien in een jaloezie-uitlokkende conditie met een babysimulator. In deze conditie zorgde de moeder tien minuten voor een babysimulator die zodanig was ingesteld dat hij vijf minuten huilde. Sensitiviteit van de moeder werd gecodeerd aan de hand van de Ainsworth-schaal voor sensitiviteit in een vrijspelsituatie met speelgoed. Jaloezie werd gecodeerd met een jaloezieschaal gebaseerd op het codeersysteem van Hart en Behrens (2013b). Op basis van de literatuur werd verwacht een negatieve relatie te vinden tussen maternale sensitiviteit en jaloezie bij kinderen. Jaloeziegedrag nam tijdens het huilen van de babysimulator significant toe en erna significant af. Er werd geen relatie gevonden tussen maternale sensitiviteit en jaloezie. Ook de variabelen geslacht en het hebben van broertjes of zusjes hadden geen effect op het jaloeziegedrag. Bovendien hadden deze variabelen geen moderatie-effect op de relatie tussen sensitiviteit en jaloezie. De onverwachte resultaten komen mogelijk door methodologische verschillen met voorgaande studies zoals het niet negeren van het eigen kind en het huilen van de babysimulator in de jaloezie-uitlokkende conditie.Show less
Maternal sensitivity influences the maternal working model of the way mothers act on their infant’s signals. In the current study we investigated if this working model also influences mother’s...Show moreMaternal sensitivity influences the maternal working model of the way mothers act on their infant’s signals. In the current study we investigated if this working model also influences mother’s monitoring of an animation of social interaction. Forty mothers participated in the study with their twelve-month-old infants. Maternal sensitivity was observed during three episodes, using the Ainsworth’s Scales. Mothers watched animations while their eye-movements were registered by an eye-tracking apparatus. In the animation a mother-infant interaction was shown at an incline, in which a separation took place. The infant figure made crying or laughing sounds and at the end the larger figure either returned to the smaller figure or went uphill. We analysed the duration of fixations at the baby figure and overall fixations during the response segment. No effects for sensitivity were found, but mothers tended to look longer when the larger figure was unresponsive compared to responsive. Mothers also looked significantly longer at the first four movies, compared to the second four movies. The results suggest that mothers’ looking behaviour at the animation is not affected by maternal sensitivity. This could be due to the relatively small sample or the classification of the low- and high sensitive groups. Another possibility is that the working model of sensitivity is not generalized to other interactions. More research in the future is needed on this topic.Show less
In this study is examined whether internationally adopted young adults (N = 146) show differences in physiological response in reaction to two different infant cry sounds, 500 Hz versus 900 Hz....Show moreIn this study is examined whether internationally adopted young adults (N = 146) show differences in physiological response in reaction to two different infant cry sounds, 500 Hz versus 900 Hz. There is also examined whether maternal sensitivity experienced in infancy and stressful life events at age 23, had influence on this physiological response. The adoptees were followed from infancy to the early adulthood. Maternal sensitivity was measured at 12, 18, and 30 months during different short tasks situations at the laboratory. The physiological response, pre-ejection period (PEP) and skin conductance, was measured with the VU-AMS during a cry task at age 23 in which three different frequencies cry sounds were presented. Stressful life events at age 23 were measured with a questionnaire consisting of 17 items. No differences were found between the physiological responses in reaction to infant cry sounds of 500 Hz versus 900 Hz. In addition maternal sensitivity and stressful life events did not influence the physiological responses in reaction to different infant cry sounds. These results suggest that adopted young adults do not react differently to infant cry sounds of 500 Hz than 900 Hz. Further research can investigate whether other factors, like attachment, may influence the physiological response to psychological stressors. Future research can also examine whether adoptees react differently to psychological stressors in comparison to an additional group.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2018-11-01T00:00:00Z
This study investigated the effect of maternal depression on mother and infant behavior during the Still Face Paradigm (SFP). It was investigated whether the SFP elicited the still-face effect. In...Show moreThis study investigated the effect of maternal depression on mother and infant behavior during the Still Face Paradigm (SFP). It was investigated whether the SFP elicited the still-face effect. In addition, the effect of maternal depression on infant’s emotion regulation and maternal behavior during the SFP was examined. Fifty-two mother-infant dyads participated in this study. Maternal depression was measured using a positive score on either the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) or Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) during the first or second appointment. Additionally, the cognitive development of six-month old infants was measured using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II). During a home-visit, the SFP was administered by trained PhD- or graduate students, and mother and infant behaviors were coded afterwards. Results indicated that the still face effect was found for negative affect, arching and/or squirming behavior, gaze toward mother, and additionally for maternal sensitivity and maternal positive affect. Infants of depressed mothers averted gaze during all episodes of the SFP compared to infants of non-depressed mothers. Combination of SFP episodes and maternal depression resulted in more arching and/or squirming behavior during the play and reunion episodes for infants of depressed mothers. Furthermore, mothers who feel depressed showed more internalizing or helpless behavior during the reunion. The findings of this study increase the knowledge of the effects of maternal depression on mother behavior and infant’s regulatory capacities during stress exposure.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2018-07-19T00:00:00Z
This study investigated whether maternal reflective functioning was related to maternal sensitivity during the Still Face Paradigm (SFP). It was investigated whether the SFP elicited the still face...Show moreThis study investigated whether maternal reflective functioning was related to maternal sensitivity during the Still Face Paradigm (SFP). It was investigated whether the SFP elicited the still face effect. Additionally, the effect of maternal sensitivity on infants’ regulatory behaviors during the SFP was examined. Infants’ stress reactivity during the SFP was explored using skin conductance levels. Maternal risk status and infants’ temperament has been taken into account. The sample consisted of 52 mother-infant dyads (mean age infants 5.96 months). Reflective functioning was measured with an interview around 27 weeks of pregnancy. During a home-visit the SFP was administered and mothers reported about the infants’ temperament using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Infant and maternal behaviors were coded based on the SFP. Results indicated that the still face effect was found for arching and squirming, while it was not found for self-soothing behavior. Preliminary results showed an increased skin conductance level, and thus stress reactivity, over the whole SFP. Furthermore, maternal reflective functioning was found as predictor of maternal sensitivity during the SFP. Higher levels of maternal sensitivity predicted more self-soothing behaviors during the first minute of the reunion and less arching and squirming behaviors during the second minute of the reunion. It was not related to any other regulatory behaviors measured. Infants’ temperament was not associated with infants’ regulatory behaviors. The findings of this study can be used in developing interventions to improve maternal reflective functioning and sensitivity, which, in turn, can influence infants’ regulatory behaviors and emotional development.Show less
