Background: Impairments in cognition are considered as one of the core features of psychotic disorders, including impairments in executive functioning (EF). EF is an umbrella term that incorporates...Show moreBackground: Impairments in cognition are considered as one of the core features of psychotic disorders, including impairments in executive functioning (EF). EF is an umbrella term that incorporates several higher cognitive functions. Findings on the relationship between substance use and EF are inconsistent. A potential mechanism underlying the effect of substance use on EF may be sleep disturbance. Therefore, the aim of this thesis study was to identify the relationship between substance use and EF in people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and examine whether sleep quality mediates this relationship. Methods: The current sample comprised 301 participants with a primary diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis in the sample (43.2%). EF was assessed using the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function for Adults (BRIEF-A). Substance use was assessed using the Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation questionnaire (MATE). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Results of a linear regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between the MATE and BRIEF-A (β = .25, p < .001). The mediation analysis confirmed this significant positive relationship between the MATE and the BRIEF, by a significant total effect (β = .25, p = .001). The indirect effect of the MATE on the PSQI was not significant (β = -.0004, p = .996). The indirect effect of the PSQI on the BRIEF-A was significant (β = .22, p = .002). The direct effect of the MATE on the BRIEF-A was significant as well (β = .25, p < .001). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that more problematic substance use is associated with worse EF. This relationship is not mediated by sleep quality in our study, as substance use was not found to be associated with sleep quality. However, we found that better sleep quality was associated with better EF. These results highlight the importance of taking substance use and poorer sleep quality into account in the treatment of psychotic disorders.Show less
In this study, the role of gender identity in self-esteem and substance use was examined. It was also studied whether the adolescents’ sex functioned as a moderator. The goal of this study was to...Show moreIn this study, the role of gender identity in self-esteem and substance use was examined. It was also studied whether the adolescents’ sex functioned as a moderator. The goal of this study was to give more insights on the role of gender identity, considering that previous research mainly focused on adolescents from the LGBTQIA+ community and not on all adolescents, regardless their sexual preference. Adolscents at the age of 17 (N = 100) filled out quesstionaires to research this topic. Gender identity was measured with the Multi-dimensional Gender Identity Measure and consisted of three different aspects, namely gender typicality (the extent to which someone’s interests and behaviors align with the ones of peers from their gender group), gender contentedness (the extent to which some is content with his or her gender identity) and felt pressure (regarding their gender identity, mainly from their parents). Self-esteem was measured with the Self-Perception Profile for Children – Global self-worth subscale and substance use was measured with five questions regarding the frequency to which they used different substances. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of gender identity on the dependent factors self-esteem and substance use. The analyses showed that the aspect gender typicality was positively and significantly related to self- esteem and alcohol use. No moderating effects for gender were found for the relation between gender identity and the outcome variables. The current study showed that the aspect gender typicality of gender identity plays an important role in the degree of self-esteem and amount of alcohol use among adolescents. It is important to focus on how to decrease the impact of gender typicality and to increase the normalization and acceptation of diversity regarding adolescents’ gender identity.Show less
Network theory perceives mental disorders as a network of interconnected symptoms influencing each other instead of latent variables of a diagnosis. A similar approach is taken in inpatient...Show moreNetwork theory perceives mental disorders as a network of interconnected symptoms influencing each other instead of latent variables of a diagnosis. A similar approach is taken in inpatient treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) by treating the psychological factors and curating the contextual factors related to substance use. Since previous studies have found contextual, psychosocial, and mental health factors to influence SUD recovery and outcome, it is important to understand these inter-factor relations promoting successful and durable change. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate what role these factors play in a network of individuals in inpatient treatment for SUD. The difference between pre- and post-treatment was investigated and a distinction was made in networks of patients with and without personality disorder (PD) comorbidity at post-treatment. Data from 307 patients recruited from Norwegian treatment facilities was used. Contextual, psychosocial, and mental health factors were examined by estimating four regularized partial correlation networks (Pre-Treatment, Post Treatment, PD, Control) and their respective accuracy and stability bootstraps. Whereas, to test the differences between these networks the NetworkComparisonTest was performed. Results of all networks indicate strong connections between depression and anxiety, and between emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Furthermore, the Post-Treatment and PD networks show connections between contextual factors and substance use thereby illustrating the importance of a curated environment. Further investigation of contextual, psychosocial, and mental health factors through employment of a network intervention analysis in longitudinal research is important to purposefully target mechanisms of change in treatment for SUD recovery.Show less
This study was designed to examine the influence of a ‘high risk’ group and a ‘low risk’ group of 150 mothers, with ages varying between 17-25 years, living in The Netherlands and self-regulation...Show moreThis study was designed to examine the influence of a ‘high risk’ group and a ‘low risk’ group of 150 mothers, with ages varying between 17-25 years, living in The Netherlands and self-regulation and emotional reactivity from babies at six months old. Also the influence of physical problems, substance use, single parenting, unemployment, no high school education, financial problems and / or poor social support on the score of self-regulation and emotional reactivity is examined. The relations and effects on self-regulation and emotional reactivity have been tested through t-tests, Repeated Measures ANOVA and regression analyses. The data that has been used for this study are from a longitudinal study by Leiden University ‘Een Goed Begin’. Results show no significant difference between high- and low risk mothers on the self-regulation and emotional reactivity of the babies at the age of 6 months. Drug abuse, single parenting and no secondary education are significantly related to the scores of babies looking at their mothers, which is a part of self-regulation. There is no significant relation between self soothing behavior and arching and squirming as a part of emotional reactivity and the risk factors. Also no significant difference is found between positive affect and negative affect as a part of self-regulation and high or low risk mothers. Further research has to find out if there is a relationship between mothers behavior and self-regulation and emotional reactivity of babies.Show less
