Adolescence is a peak age of onset for many psychiatric disorders and a period for development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Previous cross-sectional studies imply a relationship...Show moreAdolescence is a peak age of onset for many psychiatric disorders and a period for development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Previous cross-sectional studies imply a relationship between executive function and problem behaviour. However, to understand these relationships and how they develop, more evidence is required and prospective designs are essential. Current prospective study explored the relationships between age, sex, executive function and problem behaviour. In addition, it studied whether executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory and planning and organizing) predict problem behaviour. A community sample of 175 adolescents between 8-16 years old underwent an MRI scan three times, with a two-year interval. Problem behaviour was measured by the Dutch translated version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (Verhulst et al., 1996) and the executive functions were measured by the Dutch translated parent-report version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (Smidts & Huizinga, 2009). Pearson correlations, Analyses Of Variance (ANOVA), Independent-samples T-tests and Multiple Regression Analyses were performed. The analyses showed strong associations between cognitive flexibility and internalizing problem behaviour, and between inhibition and externalizing problem behaviour. In addition, when comparing sex difference, a significant difference was found between sex and internalizing problem behaviour, and between sex and planning and organizing. Other sex differences were not found. Results from this study suggest that there is an association between poorer executive function skills and the severity of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviour. Our findings also suggest a relationship between sex and internalizing problem behaviour, and between sex and planning and organizing. Effective interventions could be developed in the future to enhance executive functions and decrease the development of clinical problems.Show less
Distinctive motivational patterns in the face of failure, setbacks, and challenges at school differentiate students who believe their ability to be fixed and uncontrollable (entity beliefs) from...Show moreDistinctive motivational patterns in the face of failure, setbacks, and challenges at school differentiate students who believe their ability to be fixed and uncontrollable (entity beliefs) from students who believe their ability to be malleable and controllable (incremental beliefs). Through a cluster randomized controlled trial, a classroom-based intervention, aimed to improve incremental beliefs, was implemented in first-year classes of secondary education. Use of a mobile neurofeedback device was incorporated in the intervention to create for students an experience of controllability. Long-term impact of the intervention was evaluated through multilevel models with students at level 1 and classes at level 2. The intervention (n = 222) improved students’ academic achievement one year post-intervention, compared to an active control condition (n = 217). No long-lasting intervention effect on students’ experience of school-related stress was found. Further, socioeconomic status as a student characteristic did not appear to moderate intervention effectiveness for long-term outcomes.Show less
