Objective. To determine the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program including physical exercise, in improving cognition, participation, and coping in patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)...Show moreObjective. To determine the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program including physical exercise, in improving cognition, participation, and coping in patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Secondary, it was aimed to identify the role of clinical characteristics in the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program. Methods. A longitudinal pilot intervention study was performed, with measurements before the start (T0), after three months (T1), and after six months (T2). Cognition was measured with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, participation with the Impact on Participation and Autonomy questionnaire, and coping with the Utrecht Proactive Coping Competence Scale. Generalized Estimating Equation analyses were performed. Results. A total of 19 patients with SAH participated; 13 in the intervention group and 6 in the control group. For the intervention group, cognition improved between T0 and T2 and between T1 and T2. Participation declined between T0 and T1, but improved between T1 and T2. Proactive coping declined between T0 and T2 and between T1 and T2. Cognition of the control group did not change, but participation improved between T0 and T1 and proactive coping declined between T0 and T1. There was no significant difference between the control and intervention groups in improvements in cognition between T0 and T1 (p = 0.090). However, there was a significant difference between the control and intervention groups in changes in participation between T0 and T1 (p = 0.001) and in changes in coping between T0 and T1 (p < 0.001). The location of SAH played a role in the differences in participation, but not in cognition and coping. For treatment type and time since SAH, no significant effects were found. Conclusion. There was no effect of the rehabilitation program on cognition. The control group had a better participation level after three months and the intervention group worsened. The intervention group had a stable coping style after three months, whereas the control group declined in the use of proactive coping. Only the characteristic location of the aneurysm played a role in the participation level after three months, but not in cognition or coping. The other characteristics did not play a role in the changes. This study indicates that some long-term complaints can improve after the rehabilitation program, but more research is needed.Show less
In this thesis we present an experimental realisation of a double loop type Magnetic Paul Trap. We show that a microgram heavy NdFeB permanent magnet can stably be levitated for hours at room...Show moreIn this thesis we present an experimental realisation of a double loop type Magnetic Paul Trap. We show that a microgram heavy NdFeB permanent magnet can stably be levitated for hours at room temperature in this trap. Magnetic levitation of a magnetized particle is theoretically possible with this trap by generating opposed alternating magnetic fields. We show the fabrication of a printed circuit structure capable of producing these fields, as well as the engineering behind the realisation of the trap. Both by optical and magnetic readout we characterize the motion of the trapped magnet and show that its center of mass motion frequencies $\omega_z = 2\omega_{x,y} \approx 20Hz$. We characterize the damping on these modes and find that at low pressure the quality factor is strongly limited (to $Q \approx 90$) by coupling to the environment through generation of Eddy currents.Show less
It has been demonstrated that exploring a new environment promotes memory in young adults. Animal studies propose that the enhancement of memory in novel settings is linked to hippocampal dopamine....Show moreIt has been demonstrated that exploring a new environment promotes memory in young adults. Animal studies propose that the enhancement of memory in novel settings is linked to hippocampal dopamine. While the dopaminergic system undergoes changes across the lifespan, little is known about the effects of novelty on memory throughout different life stages. This research contributes to the understanding of the effects of novelty in older adults. The participants (n=14) explored both novel and previously familiarised virtual environments to assess the influence of spatial novelty on declarative memory. Subsequently, participants were presented with a word list to memorise, and their memory performance was evaluated through both immediate and delayed recall. Our results indicate superior immediate recall compared to delayed recall, with no evidence for an effect of novelty. We found no difference in spontaneous eye blinking rate following exposure to a novel or familiar environment. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spontaneous eye blinking rate and memory recall. Finally, this sample showed that participants had a slightly better performance on day two compared to day three, especially when they had lower expectations. This suggests that there is an extra novelty effect that is noticeable on the second day, which is suggestive of a decreasing novelty effect over the course of subsequent days. Our findings could potentially be explained by the fact that the advantageous effects of novelty decrease as individuals age, likely due to deterioration in the neural pathways associated with novelty processing. In today's society, where the active contribution of older adults is increasingly valued, it is crucial to address age-related cognitive decline. In order to develop intervention for age-related memory decline, further research is necessary for the specific role of novelty-induced memory in older adults.Show less
This study focuses on the quality of sibling relationships, measured in warmth and conflict, and its association with internalizing- and externalizing-behavior problems in adolescence. For the...Show moreThis study focuses on the quality of sibling relationships, measured in warmth and conflict, and its association with internalizing- and externalizing-behavior problems in adolescence. For the study, 26 sibling pairs aged 8-15 years were included. These were only biological siblings and all lived in or near Leiden. The sibling pairs came to Leiden University to individually complete a VR task and a computer task and to fill out a questionnaire (SRQ-S). The parent also completed a questionnaire (CBCL 6-18 years) during the study. For this study, the CBCL and the SRQ-S were used. For this specific study, the younger sibling was examined because the older sibling influences the younger sibling more than the younger sibling influences the older sibling. The study found that conflict in a sibling relationship was positively related to internalizing behavior problems in the younger sibling. This can be explained by the cognitive model of depression: conflict causes stress and this stress relates to negative distortions of reality. These negative distorions of reality can form negative cognitive schema’s which relate to internalizing problems. There were no associations between warmth and internalizing problems and between warmth, conflict and externalizing problems. These conclusions must take into account that a general population sample was used: there were no high or low rates of warmth, conflict, internalizing and externalizing problems; they were avarage.Show less
This thesis aims to address the increasing necessity for employers to provide policies to support their employees’ parenthood. How successfully parents’ cope with the competing demands of being a...Show moreThis thesis aims to address the increasing necessity for employers to provide policies to support their employees’ parenthood. How successfully parents’ cope with the competing demands of being a working parent can have an influence on their well-being. It was proposed that a relationship between the policies parents use, and their general well-being would be also influenced by several factors, such as the age of the child, the gender of the parent, and the characteristics of the child. 137 working parents accessed an online survey through social media where they would report on demographics and the policies they have used and their level of satisfaction. Additionally, they completed the GHQ-12 for general well-being and Mary Rothbart’s temperament questionnaires, IBQ, ECBQ or CBQ, depending on their youngest’ child age. Linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the potential relationship between policies and well-being, as well as a hierarchical multiple regression analyses for moderation effects. Lastly, results did not support the hypotheses; however, a relationship between policies and general well-being was concluded. Against the initial hypothesis, it was found that parents that make use of a lot of policies are predicted to report lower general well-being levels, presenting a quality-quantity dilemma. This is explained through the parents’ subjective experience of policies. Companies are urged to provide adjusted support to their working parents while taking their opinion and individual circumstances into consideration.Show less
Individuals diagnosed with a personality disorder (PD) are often confronted with a low quality of life (QoL) and high health costs, both important outcome variables among cost-effectiveness studies...Show moreIndividuals diagnosed with a personality disorder (PD) are often confronted with a low quality of life (QoL) and high health costs, both important outcome variables among cost-effectiveness studies. Several factors have been identified that are associated with a low QoL and high health costs in individuals diagnosed with a PD. The influence of trauma is unknown. It has been found that PDs are associated with both past trauma experiences and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their daily life. While several studies suggested that individuals with a Borderline PD (BPD) and comorbid PTSD suffer from a more impaired QoL compared to individuals with a single disorder, less is known about the effect of PTSD on PDs other than BPD and the relation between trauma severity and health costs. The current study investigates the effect of both childhood trauma and current PTSD symptoms on QoL and health costs in individuals diagnosed with a PD and the possible mediating role of QoL on the relationship between trauma and health costs. The sample consisted of 65 individuals, with a mean age of 38 (SD = 12.3), diagnosed with one or more PDs. Data was collected with several questionnaires (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, Treatment Inventory of Costs in Patients with psychiatric disorders, and the Mental Health Quality of Life questionnaire). The results show that severity of current PTSD symptoms (t(58) = -4.19, p < .001) but not childhood trauma was related to a decreased QoL in individuals diagnosed with a PD. Both current PTSD symptoms and childhood trauma were not significantly related to health costs. QoL did not perform a mediating role on the relationship between trauma and health costs. To conclude, severe PTSD symptoms represent an additional deprivation for QoL among personality-disordered individuals in this sample. This conclusion is based on a relatively small sample, thus should be further investigated with a larger sample.Show less
Research on suicidal ideation indicates the significant role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and early parental attachment but fails to investigate risk potential in student populations....Show moreResearch on suicidal ideation indicates the significant role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and early parental attachment but fails to investigate risk potential in student populations. This study aimed to research how adverse childhood experiences in a population of university students who report mood and stress problems are related to suicidal ideation and whether the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and suicidal ideation is moderated by attachment style. To target students at risk for suicidal ideation, purposive sampling was employed. An independent samples t-test with consecutive multiple regression (n= 234) showed that adverse childhood experiences, measured with the ACE questionnaire, predicted the presence and severity of suicidal ideation, measured by the BSSI. Consecutive ANCOVA showed that disorganized attachment to the mother and father, measured with the PBI, were found to predict suicidal ideation. Secure attachment was negatively associated with suicidal ideation, whereas for avoidant and anxious attachment there was no association found. A logistic regression analysis showed no moderation effect of insecure attachment styles in the relation between adverse childhood experiences and suicidal ideation. Gender, academic pressure, and nationality were controlled. Findings may be limited due to methodological and performance flaws. The results highlight the importance of early identification of adverse childhood experiences and disorganized attachment for intervention and prevention of later suicidal ideation amongst students.Show less
Background. Psychosocial consequences of psoriasis have been studied extensively. Feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are common consequences for patients with...Show moreBackground. Psychosocial consequences of psoriasis have been studied extensively. Feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are common consequences for patients with psoriasis. However, research on the prospective influence of psychosocial factors on psoriasis symptom severity is scarce. Thus, in this study, it is researched if feelings of stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress are related to the exacerbation of psoriasis symptoms six and twelve months later. Method. This prospective study examined through four multiple regression analyses if the predictors stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress influenced clinician-assessed and self-administered psoriasis severity after six and twelve months. The type of dermatological treatment and baseline disease severity were included as control variables. Data was collected among 49 psoriasis outpatients using an extensive questionnaire containing multiple self-report questionnaires and through clinician-assessed psoriasis severity. This was conducted at three time points: baseline, at six months, and twelve months. Results. Solely for one predictor a significant effect was found, indicating that higher feelings of stigmatization during baseline measurement predicted lower self-administered psoriasis severity after 6 months (ß = -.38, t = -2.25, p = .03) No other significant effects were found for any predictor, regardless of the clinician-assessed or self-administered severity or the time point (all p ≥ .06). There were predominantly no to small effect sizes found (-.36 ≤ r ≤ .30). Conclusion and discussion. The results of this study cannot substantiate the effect of perceived stigmatization, worrying, and psychological distress on psoriasis severity later. However, a lack of power, the extended interval between measurements, and low mean baseline scores can partly explain the lack of results. Future research should enhance their research design by considering more control variables such as treatment adherence, alcohol consumption, visibility of the lesions, and coping strategies. Besides, a broader range of disease severity should be included. As psoriasis has a serious psychological impact, it is worthwhile to continue the research on the effect of psychosocial factors on psoriasis severity. Previous research suggests the existence of an effect, and establishing this could enhance and increase the use of tailored psychological interventions in the treatment of patients diagnosed with psoriasis. This subsequently can contribute to alleviating their disease burden.Show less
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy....Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy. This study also examined whether visual working memory plays a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. For this study participated 85 children between the ages 50-75 months (M = 63.08, SD = 6.07) old. The sample consisted of 44 girls and 41 boys. During four different conditions a kindergarten teacher read to the class four times a week based on a protocol and using the SMART board. The first week (condition A) the teacher did non-interactive reading. The other weeks of the study teachers used the ePrent&ABC program with every week another consolidation form for learning target words (condition B: semantics, condition C: PK and condition D: phonological awareness), except condition C, which was two weeks. Pretests and posttests were administered on target words, PK, and phonological awareness. Tests were also administered for general vocabulary and executive functions. This study focused in particular on the consolidation form of PK. During this consolidation form, teachers used non-verbal and verbal cues to draw the children’s attention to the text of the book. This study shows that children acquire more vocabulary and PK during ePrent&ABC than during non-interactive reading. In addition, a large effect (r = .67) was found of the growth in PK during the consolidation form PK. The consolidation form PK has a positive effect on multiple domains of the early literacy. This study shows also that visual working memory does not play a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. EPrent&ABC offers teachers the opportunity to stimulate early literacy in preschoolers based on an evidence-based foundation with an interactive classroom method that considers both technical developments and the interests of preschoolers.Show less
This project employs reinforcement learning techniques to explore novel decoding strategies for quantum error correction, particularly focusing on the toric code, to address the challenge of...Show moreThis project employs reinforcement learning techniques to explore novel decoding strategies for quantum error correction, particularly focusing on the toric code, to address the challenge of maintaining stable quantum states for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Two game frameworks are established, including a novel dynamic game framework applicable to the training and measuring of RL agents and potential application in multiagent scenarios. The RL agents use Stable Baselines 3’s Proximal Policy Optimization and show to achieve Minimum Weight Perfect Matching performance on 3 × 3 toric code lattices in both the static and dynamic game frameworks.Show less
Financial stress among young adults is a growing problem that could significantly affect their well-being. This study examines the help-seeking behaviors of young adults under financial stress,...Show moreFinancial stress among young adults is a growing problem that could significantly affect their well-being. This study examines the help-seeking behaviors of young adults under financial stress, focusing on the preference of source and type of help. Here, a distinction was made between professional help and help from the social network and between financial advice and emotional support. Four flyers were developed, each representing one type of help, to encourage young adults to seek help. An experimental design with 197 participants from the United Kingdom was used to test their willingness to seek help. Contrary to expectations, the results showed no significant preference for a specific source or type of help and no strong correlation was found between self-efficacy and willingness to seek help. These findings suggest that young adults may not have a specific preference when seeking help for financial stress and that self-efficacy does not play a determining role, highlighting the need for further studies on the various factors influencing and stimulating help-seeking behavior.Show less
This study investigated the effects on the victim of bystander non-intervention in the workplace. We performed a vignette study, with three different scenarios: active bystanders, passive...Show moreThis study investigated the effects on the victim of bystander non-intervention in the workplace. We performed a vignette study, with three different scenarios: active bystanders, passive bystanders, and no bystanders. We hypothesised that in the passive bystander condition the four psychological fundamental needs (belonging, meaningful existence, control, and self-esteem) would go down, sexual harassment myth acceptance would be higher, self-blame and bystander blame would be higher and blame towards the perpetrator and society would be lower. The data from the 159 participants showed that the fundamental needs of belonging and meaningful existence decreased, and that bystander blame was higher in the passive bystander condition, compared to the active bystander condition. The fundamental needs of control and self-esteem, sexual harassment myth acceptance, self-blame, perpetrator blame and society blame were not affected. Possible explanations for the results are provided, as well as the limitations of the study and recommendations for further research.Show less
