Dynamic testing (DT) is a method of testing that includes the provision of a form of feedback and guidance to the testing procedure, and can be used to examine children’s potential for learning in...Show moreDynamic testing (DT) is a method of testing that includes the provision of a form of feedback and guidance to the testing procedure, and can be used to examine children’s potential for learning in various cognitive functions, including working memory (WM). Furthermore, intrinsic motivation (IM) seems to be related to enhanced WM performance and learning, especially in feedback-contexts. However, research on the effectiveness of DT of WM in this age group, as well as the influence of IM, is lacking. Therefore, the current thesis aimed to study the effectiveness of our DT of WM, as well as the influence of IM. The study had a pretest-training-posttest design with two groups. The experimental group received training, whereas control group did not. The sample included 100 typically developing primary school children between 8 and 9 years old (Mage = 8.46, SD = 0.50, 51% girls). Contrary to previous findings, our results showed a decrease from pretest to posttest in WM performance in the control group and a slight increase in performance in the experimental group. Moreover, the children’s IM did not significantly influence the WM improvements when tested dynamically. The findings suggest that the training element in our DT could have protected against the decrease in WM from pretest to posttest and that IM did not have a significant influence on these results. These findings contribute to the field of research by highlighting the importance of factors such as sustained attention and time-on-task effects in the prevention of this decline in WM performance during DT. Besides these factors, future research should look into the effects of age, cognitive load and engagement on the DT of WM and IM to gain a better understanding on how to improve its effectiveness, especially in 8- to 9-year-old children. Further exploration could aid educational professionals in implementing the dynamic approach and supporting children’s learning processes and cognitive development.Show less
Over the past forty years, there has been a significant increase in the number of referrals to gender identity clinics in the Netherlands. The children referred to these clinics experience distress...Show moreOver the past forty years, there has been a significant increase in the number of referrals to gender identity clinics in the Netherlands. The children referred to these clinics experience distress due to a discrepancy between their assigned gender at birth and their experienced gender. This study aims to gain insight into parents' attitudes and thoughts regarding gender-related topics and how they convey these gender-related messages to their children. The research question formulated for this study is: Is there a relationship between the attitudes parents convey regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of adolescents, and is this relationship influenced by the adolescents' self-confidence? To answer the research question, fathers, mothers, and their eldest child within Dutch families participated in the study (N = 100). The eldest children completed questionnaires to measure self-confidence and gender identity. Fathers and mothers completed a questionnaire to measure attitudes towards gender nonconforming. The results indicated that fathers scored higher on gender nonconforming statements than mothers, and there was a relationship between the attitudes conveyed by fathers regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of the eldest children. The study also found that the relationship between the attitudes conveyed by parents regarding gender nonconforming and the gender identity of the eldest children was not influenced by the self-confidence of the eldest children. Based on the results, it is important for parents, particularly fathers, to become aware of the gender-related messages they (consciously or unconsciously) transmit to their children. By supporting fathers in this aspect, mental health professionals can improve mental health outcomes within the entire family.Show less
Coffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by various physical and cognitive features, including developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. This research aims to...Show moreCoffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by various physical and cognitive features, including developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. This research aims to deepen our understanding of the behavioural phenotype of CSS by examining the adaptive functioning of children with this condition and exploring its potential link to parenting stress. Adaptive functioning refers to the ability to perform daily activities and meet personal and social needs in line with age and cultural expectations. This study aims to answer the following questions “To what extent does the adaptive functioning of children with Coffin-Siris Syndrome differ from their normative age peers?” and “To what extent does the adaptive functioning of children with Coffin-Siris Syndrome predict the parenting stress experienced by their parents?”. The sample included 26 children and those parents with an age between four and seventeen years old, including 12 boys and 14 girls. The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3) was used to evaluate adaptive functioning, while the Opvoedingsbelastingsvragenlijst (OBVL) assessed parenting stress. The results show that children with CSS exhibit below-average adaptive functioning in comparison to the normative levels of their same-age peers. Parenting stress is significantly elevated for both parents in comparison with parents of children from the general population. However, adaptive functioning of children with CSS does not predict parenting stress. These findings suggest that children with CSS need additional support with their daily activities and that factors other than adaptive functioning may contribute to the heightened stress levels experienced by their parents.Show less
INTRODUCTION Neurocognitive impairment occurs in 43 − 70% of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), of which most often in processing speed and visual and verbal learning and memory. Cognition is...Show moreINTRODUCTION Neurocognitive impairment occurs in 43 − 70% of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), of which most often in processing speed and visual and verbal learning and memory. Cognition is shown to improve with exercise in healthy populations, but in pwMS the results are not conclusive due to contradictory evidence, especially in cross-sectional studies. The Shuttle Walk Test (SWT) was validated for pwMS recently, allowing for new insights into the relations between endurance and cognition in pwMS. AIM To investigate (1) the relations between the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Functions in Multiple Sclerosis test battery and the SWT, (2) whether there are cognitive differences between SWT abort reasons –reflecting cardiorespiratory and cardiovascular endurance–, and (3) if disability status has a mediating role between SWT abort reasons and walking endurance. METHODS 61 Dutch pwMS (40F) of working age (28 − 67) were measured for cognitive functioning and walking endurance closely spread over two visits. The Minimal Assessment for Cognitive Functioning in Multiple Sclerosis and the SWT (walking endurance) were used as measurements. Cognitive scores were converted to z-scores with normdata and averaged per cognitive test. SWT associations with cognition were analysed with Pearson r correlations, ANOVAs were performed to assess cognitive differences between SWT abort reasons, and a mediation analysis was used to evaluate the relation between SWT abort reasons and walking distance, controlling for disability status. RESULTS Results show a significant correlation (r = .279, p = .031) between the SWT and Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System – System Sorting Task. No cognitive differences were found between SWT abort reasons, and the group representing cardiorespiratory endurance was too small to be analysed. Disability status did not come out as a mediating factor. CONCLUSION Some pwMS in early stages of the disease with impaired walking endurance might also have decreased executive functioning. This result agrees with some experimental research, but not with similar cross-sectional studies. Research should focus on the cognition–walking endurance relation in more heterogeneous pwMS populations. Lastly, specific executive functions should be identified in its association to executive functioning.Show less
This study examined the improvement of early literacy skills of kindergarten students using the digital story time reading intervention e-Prent&ABC in school. The focus of this study was the...Show moreThis study examined the improvement of early literacy skills of kindergarten students using the digital story time reading intervention e-Prent&ABC in school. The focus of this study was the improvement of phonological awareness and vocabulary, specifically for kindergarten students with a low initial vocabulary. During the intervention, e-storybooks were read in a classroom setting whilst trying to improve the vocabulary and other aspects of early literacy, such as phonological awareness and print-referencing skills, of kindergarten students. This was done by combining different animations in the e-storybooks and teacher instruction. The results show that the kindergarten students all improved with regards to vocabulary and phonological awareness. The results however also show that children with a low initial vocabulary continued to score lower on vocabulary and phonological awareness than children with an average or high initial vocabulary. The children with an average or high initial vocabulary did not show a difference in development for vocabulary and phonological awareness. This study shows kindergarten teachers a new and different way of utilizing e-storybooks in the classroom while also working on the development of early literacy skills. e-Prent&ABC should be an addition to the already existing curriculum and should not replace it entirely, as it is shown in this study that this intervention solely does not bridge the gap in early literacy skills for kindergarten students.Show less
For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), social contact can be particularly challenging, which can impact their level of peer acceptance. This study aimed to explore the relationship...Show moreFor children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), social contact can be particularly challenging, which can impact their level of peer acceptance. This study aimed to explore the relationship between social contact and peer acceptance among children with ASD. We hypothesized that children with ASD had fewer contacts and were less accepted by peers than children without ASD. Furthermore, we hypothesized that increased social contact was associated with greater levels of peer acceptance for both children with and without ASD, but less strong for children with ASD in comparison to children without ASD. With a novel approach, this study documented the amount of social contact and the level of peer acceptance of 95 children in two special education schools in the Netherlands. The sample included 46 children with (Mage = 10.2, SD = 1.0) and 49 children without ASD (Mage = 11.3, SD=1.0), with an age range from 8 to 13 years, who were observed through proximity tags to measure social contact, and the LITOP questionnaire was utilized to assess the level of peer acceptance. MANOVA was employed to investigate whether children with ASD had fewer contacts and were less accepted than their peers without ASD and the hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the potential relationship between social contact and peer acceptance and. Surprisingly, children with ASD engaged in contact with more partners and were more accepted than children without ASD, despite the expectedly shorter duration of contact. Moreover, no significant relation was found between social contact and peer acceptance, for the two groups alike. These findings indicate that peer acceptance may not solely depend on the quantity of contact, but rather on the quality and context. Consequently, it is advised that educators facilitate structured social activities to facilitate finding similar peers and shared interests. Further research is required to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the contact and its emotional aspects, with the aim of developing more effective strategies for enhancing peer acceptance among children with ASD. This could be achieved through a combination of quantitative measurements, such as proximity tags and qualitative measurement, including observationsShow less
Food waste is a global problem, which necessitates addressing. A pilot (N = 56) and main study (N = 124) used online survey research to explore the expected negative relationship between viewing a...Show moreFood waste is a global problem, which necessitates addressing. A pilot (N = 56) and main study (N = 124) used online survey research to explore the expected negative relationship between viewing a food waste reduction-poster and food waste intentions, the expected negative relationship between self-efficacy and food waste intentions and the expected moderating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between poster and food waste intentions. In the main study, participants were randomly allocated to a poster (N = 31) or control condition (N = 30) without a poster. Repeated measures ANOVA showed no differences between groups nor within participants when comparing food waste intentions between two measurement points. Regression analyses showed neither a main- nor a moderating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between seeing the poster and food waste intentions. Limitations, suggestions and implications were discussed and the importance of future research into this subject was highlighted.Show less
Objective Recent research has found conflicting interactions between health and different domains of physical activity (PA). Occupational physical activity (OPA) seems to negatively impact health,...Show moreObjective Recent research has found conflicting interactions between health and different domains of physical activity (PA). Occupational physical activity (OPA) seems to negatively impact health, whereas leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) positively impacts health, a phenomenon known as the physical activity paradox. What remains unclear is how these different domains of PA interact with each other and how their interaction influences health. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the main and interactive effects of OPA and LTPA on physical and mental health. A better understanding of these relations can contribute to more accurate PA advice, indirectly contributing to the closure of socioeconomic health inequalities. Based on previous studies, it was expected that higher OPA would relate to higher physical and mental health problems, while higher LTPA would relate to lower physical and mental health problems. Additionally, this study aimed to answer the research question whether LTPA functions as a buffer for the negative effects of high OPA on health or as an accelerator. Methods To investigate the hypotheses and research question, data from a longitudinal panel study were used. Two data measurement points were used with a one-year time lag. The sample was heterogeneous and consisted of Dutch employees working ≥ 24-hours a week (N = 1578). Results It was found that OPA and LTPA independently did not affect physical or mental health outcomes differently. Additionally, different combinations of OPA and LTPA did not lead to an increase or decrease in both physical mobility or mental health problems one year later. However, the results did show that individuals who had high levels of both OPA and LTPA had the highest chance on developing physical health problems one year later (b = 0.393, p = <0.001). Conclusion This study shows that OPA and LTPA may have different effects on the development of physical health problems, like headache and sleeping problems. The findings suggest that the health benefits of LTPA are affected by the extent of OPA and that a combination of both high OPA and LTPA is the most unfavourable combination. This combination is associated with an increase in physical health problems. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Show less
Museums serve several different functions within society, from education to entertainment. For all objectives however, it remains important to provide the visitor with a good visiting experience....Show moreMuseums serve several different functions within society, from education to entertainment. For all objectives however, it remains important to provide the visitor with a good visiting experience. The current study investigates the presence and effectiveness of two possible influences on visitor’s experience. The first investigated topic regards the effects of museum labels on visitors’ emotional experience, and the second topic explores the impact of visitors’ characteristics on their viewing behaviour. Data was collected at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam over a span of three weeks, using three specifically selected paintings. Eye tracking glasses and questionnaires were used to gather data from 69 participants. The study found that the addition of a museum label helped with making the provided information for artworks clearer, which was especially relevant for paintings with a more subtle message. Secondly, visitors experienced more negative emotions viewing a slavery-related painting when it was accompanied by a descriptive label, implying its aid in connecting visual information to (historical) context. No effects were found for visitors’ characteristics on viewing behaviour, emphasizing the influence of individual characteristics over group characteristics. These findings provide further insight into how visitors observe art in museums, and how to optimize this experience.Show less
The DuLIP-Extended is the extension of the Dutch Linguistic Intraoperative Protocol (De Witte et al., 2015) which aims to test language function on the linguistic levels of phonology, semantics,...Show moreThe DuLIP-Extended is the extension of the Dutch Linguistic Intraoperative Protocol (De Witte et al., 2015) which aims to test language function on the linguistic levels of phonology, semantics, and syntax in cases of awake brain surgery on glioma patients with no or mild aphasia. The extension aims to make awake surgery feasible for glioma patients who have severe preoperative aphasia, by the addition of less complex tasks on all linguistic levels. This study aims to provide insight into how a healthy Flemish and Dutch sample perform on the DuLIP-Extended. Insight was gained by investigating which items should be removed depending on low accuracy rate in a healthy Dutch and a healthy Flemish sample, what the accuracy rates of the performances were on subtask level, whether the performances of the Dutch and Flemish samples significantly differed from each other, and whether the factors of sex, age, and education level affected task performances. The Dutch sample contained 71 participants and the Flemish contained 80 participants. Across the samples the age range was 18 years of age to 83 years of age. Accuracy rate was below 80% for only a few items (k = 6 in the Dutch sample, k = 3 in the Flemish sample) and these items were marked for removal in future versions of the DuLIP-Extended. Overall performances of both samples were high in accuracy (all subtask medians were above 80%). Mann-Whitney U tests revealed differences in performances on four subtasks of the DuLIP-Extended between the Flemish and Dutch sample. Lastly, sex, age, and education level had no effect on the performances of the Dutch sample.Show less
Recent years have seen a decline in the life satisfaction of Dutch girls (Rombouts et al., 2023). High stress levels and emotional problems are significant risk factors (Kleinjan et al., 2018) for...Show moreRecent years have seen a decline in the life satisfaction of Dutch girls (Rombouts et al., 2023). High stress levels and emotional problems are significant risk factors (Kleinjan et al., 2018) for a low life satisfaction score. To prevent this trend from continuing, more information is needed about the stress levels of primary school students. This study aims to fill the gaps in the literature regarding the existing (social) stress among primary school students. The main research question is: "Is there a difference in (social) stress levels between students with different demographic variables (gender, grade levels, and with or without siblings) in grades 7 and 8 of primary school?". To answer this question, multiple questionnaires were administered to 89 participants (39 boys, 49 girls, and 1 other) from three grade 7 classes and three grade 8 classes. The data were analysed using various t-tests and a repeated measures ANOVA. The statistical tests revealed that girls have higher overall stress levels than boys. The social stress levels did not differ significantly between the grade levels. However, a high effect size (d = 1.03) was observed in the social stress levels of children without siblings compared to children with siblings. The sample size of children without siblings may have been too small to provide reliable results, but it presents an important avenue for future research. On the other hand, no differences were found between the different social stress factors. Additionally, no effect was found from gender and grade levels on the social stress level. Future research could focus on explaining the difference in overall stress levels between boys and girls. This research contributes to a better understanding of stress factors among primary school students and provides insights for interventions to improve their well-being.Show less
Bevordering van tijd en energie in hechtingsrelaties tussen ouder en kind, wordt gezien als een belangrijk element in de vroege ontwikkelingsperspectieven van het kind (Korteweg & Spiering,...Show moreBevordering van tijd en energie in hechtingsrelaties tussen ouder en kind, wordt gezien als een belangrijk element in de vroege ontwikkelingsperspectieven van het kind (Korteweg & Spiering, 2022). Duhn (2010) stelt dat fysieke aanraking bijdraagt aan bescherming en steun, waarin onderzoek van Hermans (2022) veronderstelt dat aanraking tijdens een dansles zorgt voor een positieve connectie. Binnen dit adviesrapport wordt door middel van literatuuronderzoek en empirisch onderzoek onderzocht of samen dansen bijdraagt aan een positieve gehechtheid tussen ouder en kind. De hoofdvraag luidde: Wat is de relatie tussen ouder-kind dansbeweging en hun gehechtheid en welke adviezen voor de danstoolkit in ontwikkeling vloeien hieruit voort? Deze vraag is opgedeeld in twee deelvragen: (1) Wat is in de literatuur bekend over relaties van ouder-kind dans/bewegingen op de gehechtheid tussen ouder en kind? En (2) In hoeverre is er een relatie tussen veilige gehechtheid tussen ouder en kind en de movement interaction quality?Show less
