Verbal information transmission has been proposed as one of the most influential fear learning pathways in the acquisition of social fears among children. Empirical studies have demonstrated that...Show moreVerbal information transmission has been proposed as one of the most influential fear learning pathways in the acquisition of social fears among children. Empirical studies have demonstrated that the content of parental verbal information regarding social situations plays a crucial role in shaping children’s development of social fear. Specifically, verbal threat (versus safety) information by the parent regarding novel stimuli significantly influenced children’s reported fear of the social scenario. The current study aims to further investigate whether such verbal threat and safety messages affect children's reported fear in social situations. Additionally, the study explores the potential moderating influence of parental social anxiety on this relationship, as evidence suggests that socially anxious parents convey more negative information regarding novel stimuli, thereby amplifying children's fear beliefs. A total of 69 children (mean age = 11.92 years; 38 girls) received standardized threat and safety information regarding a stranger from their primary caregivers. Subsequently, children engaged in three social tasks with each stranger and reported their fear beliefs about the stranger at the end of the social tasks. Results indicate significantly higher fear beliefs among children who received threat information compared to safety information regarding the stranger. However, parental social anxiety did not moderate the effects of negative verbal information on children’s reported fear beliefs. These findings underscore the role of negative verbal information transmission in children's acquisition of social fears while highlighting the complexity of factors within social anxiety that could contribute to the intergenerational transmission of these fears.Show less
This study investigated whether the different conditions of the Eprent-ABC language intervention can be used to stimulate the development of deep vocabulary in preschoolers. In addition, it was...Show moreThis study investigated whether the different conditions of the Eprent-ABC language intervention can be used to stimulate the development of deep vocabulary in preschoolers. In addition, it was tested whether the conditions of the intervention had different effect on students with a strong or weakly developed working memory and which condition appeared to be the most effective for the latter group. The intervention offers the language domains semantics, print knowledge and phonology in different conditions in combination with living picture books, to promote early reading skills. The study had seven conditions in total, including a control condition and pretest. A total of 90 preschoolers from eight different groups participated in the study. Based on results, the condition with a focus on semantics seems to have a small positive effect on the development of deep vocabulary in preschoolers. The condition with a focus on print knowledge may also have a small positive effect on the development of deep vocabulary, however, this result is more debatable. The conditions of the intervention do not appear to have a different effect on participants with a strong or weakly developed working memory. The semantic condition is best suited for students with weak working memory.Show less
Mensen worden zich steeds bewuster van de potentie van ademhalingsoefeningen. Uit voorgaande onderzoeken blijken deze oefeningen zelfs de hartslagvariabiliteit te verhogen. Dit wijst op de...Show moreMensen worden zich steeds bewuster van de potentie van ademhalingsoefeningen. Uit voorgaande onderzoeken blijken deze oefeningen zelfs de hartslagvariabiliteit te verhogen. Dit wijst op de activatie van het parasympathische zenuwstelsel. Ademhalingsoefeningen blijken vooral effectief te zijn bij onder andere angststoornissen. Bij deze stoornissen ligt de hartslagvariabiliteit gemiddeld hoger dan in de gezonde populatie. Een groot deel van de mensen met een angststoornis zoekt geen hulp omdat ze een hoge mate van angst ervaren bij sociaal contact. Vooral jongeren blijken hier last van te hebben. Om toch deze groep te helpen, kunnen er behandelingstechnieken worden ingezet waarbij er geen sociaal contact nodig is. In deze studie is er onderzoek gedaan naar het effect van de ademhalingstechniek ‘slow breathing’ bij jongeren met sociale angst. Dit is onderzocht bij een subklinische populatie om te kijken of de ademhalingstechniek ook bij deze groep effectief is. De meeste onderzoeken zijn namelijk uitgevoerd bij de gezonde of klinische populatie. Om te kijken of de ademhalingsoefening effectief is, is tijdens een sociaal stressvolle taak de hartslagvariabiliteit gemeten. Uit de resultaten is gebleken dat slow breathing significant de hartslagvariabiliteit van de interventiegroep verlaagt. Ook is er een significant verschil gevonden in de hartslagvariabiliteit tussen de interventie- en controlegroep na het uitvoeren van de oefening. De ademhalingstechniek is dus effectief bij het op de korte termijn verlagen van de hartslagvariabiliteit bij jongeren met sociale angst. In vervolgonderzoek is het interessant om te kijken naar het langetermijn effect van de slow breathing oefening.Show less
Early aggression in children is a risk factor for the development of mental health problems and poor school performance later in life. There are two types of aggression: reactive and proactive,...Show moreEarly aggression in children is a risk factor for the development of mental health problems and poor school performance later in life. There are two types of aggression: reactive and proactive, which both seem to have a relationship with empathy. Various of studies have found a relation between the affective type but not the cognitive type of empathy and aggression. The current study investigates the relationship between aggressive behavior and affective empathy, as well as the role of gender in relation to these two constructs and how affective empathy mediates the relationship between aggression and gender. The total sample of this study includes 242 children aged five to seventeen. To measure the aggressive behavior of the children both teachers and parents were asked to answer a questionnaire about behavior. Parents filled out the Child Behavior Checklist, while teachers completed the Teacher Report Form. For affective empathy, the heart rate of the children was measured as an indicator of the affective empathy. The findings showed that there was no significant relationship between affective empathy and aggressive behavior among the children, nor was there a difference in the level of affective empathy between boys and girls. However, depending on who completed the questionnaire, there was a difference in reported aggressive behavior between boys and girls, with teachers reporting a significant difference between the aggressive behavior of boys and girls. Affective empathy did not mediate the relationship between aggressive behavior and gender. The findings call for re-evaluation of traditional stereotypes and highlight the need for further research with more diverse samples. Contextual factors such as social influences, parenting or environment could play an important role in the development of aggression and affective empathy.Show less
The prevalence of overweight children in the Netherlands poses a threat to both mental and physical health. While genetic factors are important, the environment, particularly parental influence,...Show moreThe prevalence of overweight children in the Netherlands poses a threat to both mental and physical health. While genetic factors are important, the environment, particularly parental influence, also plays a significant role in the development of childhood overweight, as children of overweight parents are more often overweight. Parents pass on their genetic predispositions but also their learned eating behaviors to their children. This thesis explores how three different parental feeding styles moderate the intergenerational transmission of BMI between mothers and children: Restriction, Pressure to Eat, and Responsiveness to Child Fullness Cues. Participants were recruited through the Baby's First Bites project and were visited repeatedly at home. This study included 205 mother-child dyads, and children were assessed aged 36 months. Responsiveness to Child Fullness Cues and Pressure to Eat were assessed through observations, while Restriction was measured using the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire. Both mothers and children were weighed at home and their BMIs were calculated using their height and age. The moderation analysis revealed a significant relationship between maternal and child BMI. Pressure to Eat acted as a negative moderator, with high levels of Pressure to Eat weakening the BMI relation between mothers and children. When analyzing the effect of gender, the full model was not significant for boys. However, for girls, Pressure to Eat remained a significant negative moderator, with high levels of Pressure to Eat weakening the BMI relation between mothers and children . These findings suggest that maternal BMI is a significant predictor of BMI in 36-month-old girls but not in boys, and that maternal Pressure to Eat moderates this relation. Intervention programs should consider these gender differences. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of this study, causal relationships cannot be inferred.Show less
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health disorders among children and adolescents, significantly impacting various aspects of their lives. Preventative measures are crucial in...Show moreAnxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health disorders among children and adolescents, significantly impacting various aspects of their lives. Preventative measures are crucial in reducing these disorders' incidence and negative outcomes. However, preliminary research on the mechanisms behind anxiety prevention programs is limited. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate a program designed to prevent anxiety development by targeting parents of behaviorally inhibited children, as they are at risk for anxiety. The research question was: What is the moderating effect of the gender of the child and the age of the parent in the mediating relationship of parental anxiety on the effectiveness of the Cool Little Kids (CLK) intervention on child anxiety post-intervention, compared to pre-intervention? A total of 76 parents and their inhibited children aged three to six years were included in this study. The study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to assign them to either the CLK parenting training or a book with general parenting tips. Child anxiety was measured using a condensed version of the Diagnostic Infant and Preschool Assessment (DIPA) interview administered to the parent, and parental anxiety was assessed using the State-Trate Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. A moderated mediation analysis was conducted for separation anxiety, specific phobias, and social anxiety using the PROCESS plug-in for SPSS. The findings indicated that none of the moderated mediation models nor the individual pathways were significant. All hypotheses were rejected. No significant difference in child anxiety was found pre- to post-intervention in both the CLK intervention and active control condition, and parental anxiety does not mediate this relationship. Child gender and parental age did not significantly moderate the link between child and parental anxiety. Despite excelling in among others its preventive system-oriented approach and credibility, this study has several limitations that warrant further research to firmly conclude the role of parental anxiety in CLK’s effectiveness on child anxiety. Recommendations include employing a larger and more diverse sample and experimenting with different scoring methods for the DIPA interview.Show less
Background. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high in patients with depression or anxiety, which might explain the higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in this population. Symptoms of...Show moreBackground. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high in patients with depression or anxiety, which might explain the higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in this population. Symptoms of affective disorders can lead to changes in eating behaviors. However, poor diet quality seems implicated in underlying pathology of behavioral health disorders and could be a risk factor for developing depression and anxiety disorders. Objective. We aim to investigate the association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome in participants with and without anxiety and depressive disorders. Psychotropic medication, symptom severity, and lifestyle factors (i.e. physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use) are investigated as potential moderators. Methods. In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), the Mediterranean diet, the metabolic syndrome, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, severity of symptoms, and medication were assessed among participants with depressive (n = 110), anxiety (n = 149), remitted disorders (n = 761), comorbid disorders (n = 110), and healthy controls (n = 295), in a cross-sectional design. Follow-up data from NESDA wave six is used, nine years after baseline measurement. Results. Participants (n = 1425) were on average 52.4 years old (SD = 13.13) of which 65.2% female. The association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome was the strongest for individuals with current depression (β = -.23 (CI: -.42 ; -.08); t = -2.87; p = .005), comorbid disorders (β = -.20 (CI: -.36 ; -.02); t = -2.22; p = .029), and remitted disorders (β = -.12 (CI: -.19 ; -.06); t = -3.85; p < .001). The association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome was not moderated by medication, symptom severity and lifestyle factors. Limitations. Results cannot be generalized to other cultures and the use of self-report scales could lead to a misclassification bias. Due to the cross-sectional design, it is impossible to provide evidence for temporal or causal relations. Conclusion. Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a high score on metabolic syndrome for patients experiencing depression, comorbid depression and anxiety or remitted depression or anxiety. This association is not moderated by medication, symptom severity and lifestyle factors.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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Background: Children with social anxiety disorder are known to interpret ambiguous situations negatively. However, are children with social anxiety disorder, for example, able to consider positive...Show moreBackground: Children with social anxiety disorder are known to interpret ambiguous situations negatively. However, are children with social anxiety disorder, for example, able to consider positive and neutral interpretations, or do they only consider the negative interpretations (nuanced flexibility)? And do these children interpret all situations negatively, or are their interpretations dependent on the situation (situational flexibility)? Considering that inflexibility may hinder treatment outcomes, this study examines interpretation flexibility in children with social anxiety disorder. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 132 children aged 7-12. Children with social anxiety disorder (n = 42) were compared to children with other anxiety disorders (n = 40) and children without anxiety disorders (n = 50). Children read ten ambiguous stories about social and separation situations. Following each story, they rated the likelihood of each given positive, neutral, and negative interpretation. Results: All children rated positive interpretations as more likely than negative interpretations. As expected, children without an anxiety disorder showed a significantly stronger preference for positive interpretations than children with an anxiety disorder. Nuanced flexibility was similar for the three groups: all children showed equal openness to alternative interpretations. However, there were differences between the groups in situational flexibility: children with an anxiety disorder demonstrated greater situational flexibility when rating negative interpretations (than children without anxiety disorders), thus adjusting their interpretation based on the context of the situation. Children without an anxiety disorder, on the other hand, provided constantly low ratings for negative interpretations. These differences were only observed for negative interpretations, not for positive or neutral ones. Additionally, no content-specificity was found; flexibility did not differ between social and separation situations. There were also no differences between the two anxiety groups. Conclusion: These findings replicate earlier findings showing that children with an anxiety disorder show a lower preference for positive interpretations than children without an anxiety disorder. In addition, our results suggest that children with an anxiety disorder were open to alternative interpretations and did not consistently interpret situations negatively. Future research is needed to examine whether pre-treatment flexibility can predict treatment outcome, to entail whether it is effective to train flexibility.Show less
Disruptive behaviour in childhood, such as externalizing behavioural problems, has been linked to later antisocial and criminal behaviour. Impairments in social cognition are hypothesized to...Show moreDisruptive behaviour in childhood, such as externalizing behavioural problems, has been linked to later antisocial and criminal behaviour. Impairments in social cognition are hypothesized to contribute to antisocial and criminal behaviour. This study examines a specific element of social cognition impairment: empathy. We hypothesized that children with disruptive behaviour would exhibit impairments in affective empathy rather than impairment of cognitive empathy. We expected that the two different types of empathy would be associated with different levels of severities and types of aggression: proactive and reactive aggression. Eighty-six children (mean age 10.14 years) with disruptive behaviour took part. They participated in a police crime prevention program. The comparison group consists of forty-one typically developing children (mean age 10.15 years). The children with disruptive behaviour showed significant impairments in both cognitive and affective empathy compared to the comparison group. Empathy only predicted externalizing behaviour, proactive and reactive aggression when we considered the interaction effect of cognitive and affective empathy. When interacting with children exhibiting behavioral problems, it is crucial to recognize that they have a deficiency in a key component that influences the regulation of their brain functions. Further research is needed to identify additional factors that may also contribute to the manifestation of behavioral issues.Show less
This bachelor's thesis delves into how the European Union (EU) navigates its energy security objectives alongside sustainability goals in multilateral negotiations with African countries, regarding...Show moreThis bachelor's thesis delves into how the European Union (EU) navigates its energy security objectives alongside sustainability goals in multilateral negotiations with African countries, regarding renewable resources. It scrutinizes whether the EU's pursuit of renewable energy projects in Africa primarily serves its own energy security needs, potentially overshadowing Africa's development, and sustainable development goals. Furthermore, the study underscores the symbiotic relationship between the EU's energy security concerns and Africa's renewable energy potential, while considering the implications of neocolonialist dynamics in EU-Africa energy relations. Hence, the thesis aims to answer the research question of how the EU's negotiations with African countries contribute to enhancing its energy security through diversification and access to renewable resources.Show less
Background. Research shows mixed results regarding executive functioning (EF) deficiencies in adolescent Anorexia Nervosa (AN), contrasting with established EF impairments in adult AN patients....Show moreBackground. Research shows mixed results regarding executive functioning (EF) deficiencies in adolescent Anorexia Nervosa (AN), contrasting with established EF impairments in adult AN patients. This study aimed to assess EF and its association with Body Mass Index (BMI) in adolescent girls with first-onset AN. Method. 79 AN patients were compared to 75 matched healthy controls (HC), all females aged 12-22. EF was assessed using the Central Coherence Index (CCI) of the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF). Standardized BMI scores (BMI-SDS) were used to determine the influence of BMI on EF. Measurements were taken at baseline (T1) and one-year follow-up (T2). Results. Total EF scores showed no differences between AN and HC at baseline or follow-up. Compared to HC, AN patients had significantly worse scores on the BRIEF subscales Flexibility (p < .001; p < .001), Emotion Regulation (p < .001; p = .006), and Initiative (p < .001; p = .006), and significantly better scores on Orderliness and Neatness (p = .002; p < .001). P-values represent T1 and T2 respectively. At baseline, AN patients scored significantly higher on the RCFT CCI (p = .009). There was no significant relation between BMI-SDS and EF. Conclusions. Compared to HC, AN patients had normal EF scores with mild weaknesses in set- shifting, emotion regulation, and initiating skills, and strengths in orderliness and neatness. Changes in EF were unaffected by BMI-SDS. This study enhances understanding of EF in adolescent AN patients, which can aid the development of treatment programs.Show less
Een setback is een tijdelijke terugval bij het streven naar een gedragsdoel. Onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat mensen regelmatig niet optimaal reageren op een terugval. Ondanks veel studies naar self...Show moreEen setback is een tijdelijke terugval bij het streven naar een gedragsdoel. Onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat mensen regelmatig niet optimaal reageren op een terugval. Ondanks veel studies naar self-efficacy en doeloriëntaties bij setbacks, ontbreekt het begrip van hoe deze factoren elkaar beïnvloeden in het specifieke geval van de drie deelconstructen van self-efficacy: taak self-efficacy, onderhoud self-efficacy en herstel self-efficacy. Dit onderzoek onderzocht de invloed van approach- en avoidance-doelen op deze deelconstructen bij mensen die een setback hebben ervaren. Met behulp van een online vragenlijst over gedragsdoelen op het gebied van voeding, alcohol, nicotine, fysieke activiteit, schermtijd, gelduitgave en tijd voor hobby’s of ontspanning, zijn de participanten gevraagd naar hun gedragsdoelen en de setbacks die zij hebben ervaren. De respondenten (N=152) waren tussen de 17-30 jaar en streefden minstens een van deze gedragsdoelen na. Drie afzonderlijke t-testen vergeleken de deelconstructen van self-efficacy tussen approach- en avoidance-doelen. Resultaten toonden aan dat deelnemers met een approach-doel een hogere taak en onderhoud self-efficacy hadden na een setback dan degenen met een avoidance-doel. Herstel self-efficacy werd niet beïnvloed door doeloriëntatie en had een lagere correlatie met taak en onderhoud self-efficacy. De relatie tussen doeloriëntatie en de deelconstructen van self-efficacy bleek daarmee niet eenduidig. Mogelijke verklaringen voor deze bevindingen kunnen liggen bij individuele verschillen en andere psychologische mechanismen die niet zijn onderzocht in deze studie. Deze bevindingen kunnen worden gebruikt voor het ontwikkelen van effectievere interventies. Daarnaast benadrukken deze bevindingen het belang van verder onderzoek naar de afzonderlijke deelconstructen van self-efficacy en hun relatie bij setbacks.Show less
This study examines the association between child maltreatment and violent delinquent behavior in adolescents, with a focus on the role of hostile attributions as a mediating factor. The research...Show moreThis study examines the association between child maltreatment and violent delinquent behavior in adolescents, with a focus on the role of hostile attributions as a mediating factor. The research firstly aims to explore whether different types of child maltreatment – physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect – are linked to violent delinquency and secondly aims to explore the relationship between the level of exposure to child maltreatment and violent delinquency, and if hostile attributions (partly) explain this relationship. The study is conducted within a juvenile detention center and involves 46 male adolescents aged 16 to 24. Using self-report measures and official records, data were collected on participants’ experiences of child maltreatment, their involvement in violent offenses, and their tendency to exhibit hostile attributions. The results showed that only emotional abuse was significantly associated with higher levels of violent delinquency, while other forms of child maltreatment (physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect) did not show a direct association with violent delinquency. Additionally, adolescents exposed to higher levels of child maltreatment were more likely to exhibit hostile attributions. However, no significant association between the level of exposure to child maltreatment and violent delinquency was found, and therefore no mediating effect of hostile attributions. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions focusing on emotional trauma and cognitive processing, particularly hostile attributions, to reduce violent delinquency in adolescents with a history of maltreatment. It’s important that future research investigates whether these results can be replicated in a more diverse sample including non-abused youth and with a more differentiated manner of measuring violent delinquency.Show less
During the decision-making process within child welfare and child protection at the Jeugdbeschermingstafel, professionals play a crucial role in the future of young people and their families. Each...Show moreDuring the decision-making process within child welfare and child protection at the Jeugdbeschermingstafel, professionals play a crucial role in the future of young people and their families. Each professional brings personal characteristics that influence the choices they make for a young person. It is essential that each decision is made as neutrally as possible to ensure the right to an equal decision making process for each youth and their family. This study examines the influence of professional characteristics on the request for a council investigation at the Jeugdbeschermingstafel. The focus of this study is on the relationship between the number of years of work experience, level of education, perceived peer support, age and gender of the professional and the request for a council investigation. Three hypotheses are tested: (1) professionals who experience less peer support are more likely to request a council enquiry, (2) professionals with higher education (HBO, WO master's degree or higher) are more likely to request a council enquiry than professionals with an HBO or WO bachelor's degree, and (3) professionals with less work experience are more likely to request a council enquiry than those with more work experience. Data from 89 (N= 89) youth care workers or family guardians aged between 22 and 64 years working in the Netherlands were analysed using a logistic regression analysis with a moderation effect. The results show that the number of years of work experience affects the decision to request a council investigation. Contrary to expectations, it appears that professionals with more work experience are more likely to request a council investigation. These findings offer professionals insight into the influence of their personal characteristics on decision-making and make recommendations for future research.Show less
