Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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Adolescence is characterized by the onset of puberty. Puberty, in turn is shown to be a driver of brain development and has been related to the onset and increase of internalizing symptoms. However...Show moreAdolescence is characterized by the onset of puberty. Puberty, in turn is shown to be a driver of brain development and has been related to the onset and increase of internalizing symptoms. However, the relationship between puberty, brain development, and internalizing symptoms has not been studied using multiple pubertal measures in both sexes. Here we examine the mediating role of brain development on the relationship between puberty and internalizing symptoms. Pubertal status, timing, age at menarche, and internalizing symptoms were assessed based on self-reports in 160 adolescents between 10 and 25 using a three-wave accelerated longitudinal design. Structural MRI scans were only obtained in the first wave. Subsequently, the relations between the pubertal measures (status, timing, age at menarche) and internalizing symptoms were tested as well as their relations with grey matter thickness and volume in frontal, cingulate, and subcortical areas. Only age at menarche as a timing variable had a significant effect on internalizing symptoms at T1 in girls (ß = -.36, p = .002, 95% CI [-.68, -.17]). Mediation models revealed no significant mediation of grey matter thickness and volume in our ROIs. Other effects did not reach significance or became non-significant after Bonferroni corrections. These findings indicate that menstruating before one’s peers is a risk factor for developing internalizing symptoms. This highlights the importance of supporting early menstruating girls to possibly prevent them from developing internalizing symptoms. Replication studies are needed to assess the accuracy of our results.Show less
The current study focuses on the influence of giftedness and pubertal phase on prosocial giving. Specifically, it was examined whether young adolescents differentiate between different targets in...Show moreThe current study focuses on the influence of giftedness and pubertal phase on prosocial giving. Specifically, it was examined whether young adolescents differentiate between different targets in prosocial giving, whether gifted young adolescents show more prosocial giving than non-gifted young adolescents and whether young adolescents in pubertal phase show more prosocial giving than young adolescents in pre-pubertal phase. The participants were 145 young adolescents (9-12 years old) who performed the Prosocial Donation Task (PDT) and filled out the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS). In the PDT participants divided ten coins between themselves and a specific target (friend, disliked peer, anonymous peer, father and mother). We measured their pubertal development with the PDS, after which we compared it to the Tanner Stages. This study found that young adolescents differentiate in prosocial giving towards the different targets, and that disliked peers and anonymous peers receive fewer coins than friends or parents. However, we did not find that gifted adolescents engage in more prosocial giving than non-gifted adolescents. The results of puberty showed that the pubertal phase itself does not affect prosocial giving, but that young adolescent girls do differentiate differently towards the targets than young adolescent girls in pre-pubertal phase do. For boys we found that young adolescent boys in pre-pubertal phase give fewer coins towards anonymous peers than young adolescent boys in pubertal phase. These findings suggest that targets influence young adolescents’ prosocial giving, which is insightful for social development in young adolescents. Young adolescents can act upon the person facing them and indicate that they show more prosocial giving towards their in-group than an out-group, which is in line with earlier research.Show less
Introduction. Adolescence represents a period of high risk for the development anxiety problems and disorders. This is due to an impaired extinction of fear. Adolescents seem to show a less...Show moreIntroduction. Adolescence represents a period of high risk for the development anxiety problems and disorders. This is due to an impaired extinction of fear. Adolescents seem to show a less successful fear extinction, but unclear remains if sex and puberty are of influence. Additionally, it remains unclear whether gifted or typical developing adolescents are more vulnerable to an impaired fear extinction. Therefore, this study examines the question “Do sex and puberty affect fear extinction learning in gifted versus typically developing early-adolescents?”. Method. The role of sex, puberty and being a gifted or typical developing adolescent on the fundamental process of fear extinction were measured with the ‘Fear Conditioning Task: The Screaming Lady’ and the Self-Rating Scale for Pubertal Development (N = 130). The obtained data was analyzed by looking at several main- and interaction-effects with a Repeated Mixed Measures ANOVA. Results. Girls seem to better learn fear than boys. Prepubertal adolescents seem to be better at extinguishing fear than pubertal participants. Gifted and typical developing adolescents showed an equal process of fear extinction. Prepubertal adolescents that follow regular education seem to better learn fear than pubertal and/or gifted adolescents. Discussion. Findings in this study contradict with findings in literature. Only the given that prepubertal adolescents seem to be better at extinguishing fear than pubertal participants can be confirmed. Further research on the complex interactions of this study should be done to make conclusions on processes of fear extinction in adolescents.Show less
