Research master thesis | Political Science and Public Administration (research) (MSc)
open access
This study investigates the relationship between actorness and effectiveness and questions the direct influence of coherent behavior united positions of EU member states on the degree of activeness...Show moreThis study investigates the relationship between actorness and effectiveness and questions the direct influence of coherent behavior united positions of EU member states on the degree of activeness the EU exerts during an international crisis. It looks at the interplay between actorness, the institutional setup of the EU and the role it took up during different crises. In addition to that, it questions the direct relation between a high degree of actorness translating into more influence on the international stage. It does so by answering the question if a more coherent foreign policy – as it is generally argued – would better enable the EU to exploit its capability as an international actor in global affairs. Two cases were studied to find answers on these questions: the Mali and the Syrian crises. In fact, the Mali crisis was characterized by a high degree of cohesive behavior, whereas in the Syrian crisis frictions were predominant even though a comprehensive sanctions regime could be installed. Institutional aspects, namely the changes with regards to EU foreign policy introduced by the Lisbon Treaty as well as characteristics of the member states, including size and length of membership, were vital as well. Further, the activeness of the EU in both crisis was different in the way that the EU took up a more active and decisive role in the Mali crisis as compared to Syria. Therefore, the expected effect could be found in both cases.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
closed access
Theory of Mind (ToM) is a central topic in psychology and neuroscience. Nevertheless, debates persist regarding the validity and reliability of ToM measurement. Recent documentation of numerous...Show moreTheory of Mind (ToM) is a central topic in psychology and neuroscience. Nevertheless, debates persist regarding the validity and reliability of ToM measurement. Recent documentation of numerous failed replications in ToM research, involving both children and adults, highlights the need for establishing effective methods for measuring ToM across the lifespan. In response to this challenge, an international multi-lab collaboration named Many Babies 2 (MB2) has been launched, with Leiden University Babylab participating in this project. This thesis discusses preliminary findings related to the 16 adults tested at our lab. Following the MB2 protocol, an eye-tracker attached to a screen recorded participants’ looking behavior (first look [FL] and differential looking scores [DLS]) in an anticipatory looking task. We had two main goals. First, we aimed to find evidence of an automatic and implicit form of ToM in adults, by investigating whether participants’ looking behavior varied depending on a character’s mental state (i.e. whether the character was knowledgeable (condition 1) or ignorant (condition 2) about a specific situation). Contrary to our expectations, neither FL nor DLS differed between the experimental conditions. Second, we examined whether participants’ looking behavior was affected by (a) the selection of the anticipatory period, and (b) participants’ simultaneous activation of a conscious and explicit form of ToM, which had been measured with a debriefing questionnaire. We concluded that none of these factors significantly impacted participants’ looking behavior at a group level. However, FL and DLS of individual participants randomly varied when processed with different anticipatory periods; therefore, further research is needed to determine which anticipatory period minimizes the presence of noise in the data. While recognizing the preliminary nature of our findings, our insights contribute to the ongoing efforts to refine ToM assessment methods, underscoring the importance of addressing challenges in measuring this fundamental aspect of human cognition.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
under embargo until 2024-08-01
2024-08-01T00:00:00Z
Causal beliefs about depression can shape patient behavior and treatment adherence and in the case of adolescent depression, causal beliefs of both depressed adolescents and their parents seem to...Show moreCausal beliefs about depression can shape patient behavior and treatment adherence and in the case of adolescent depression, causal beliefs of both depressed adolescents and their parents seem to be of equal importance. In this mixed-method study, we aimed to 1) qualitatively identify the causal beliefs of depression reported by clinically referred adolescents and their parents, and examine the discrepancies between mother-child and father-child pairs and to 2) quantitatively assess the relationship between these discrepancies and adolescent depression severity, and investigate whether this relationship was moderated by the adolescent’s attachment security with their parents. As part of the RE-PAIR project, a total of 34 adolescents, 34 mothers, and 26 fathers participated in interviews and completed questionnaires. The interview data was analyzed using thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti, and hierarchical regression analysis in SPSS was conducted to test the moderation hypothesis. The results revealed a total of 12 distinct causal beliefs, centered around relational issues, stressful family context, and inherent characteristics of the adolescent. We found high discrepancy levels (i.e. low agreement: 0-54%) between the reports of adolescents and their parents regarding these beliefs. However, these high discrepancies did not significantly relate to the severity of adolescent depression. While this study was the first to examine both adolescent and parental causal beliefs in a discrepancy-depression framework, further research is needed to understand the impact of discrepant perspectives on treatment outcomes and to explore the level of parental insight and understanding (e.g. good communication/ attachment security) for their adolescents’ perspective, despite differing views.Show less
Research master thesis | Political Science and Public Administration (research) (MSc)
open access
Since the end of the 1990s, the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been increasingly divided over the organization’s longcherished code of conduct (known as...Show moreSince the end of the 1990s, the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been increasingly divided over the organization’s longcherished code of conduct (known as the ASEAN-Way). For thirty years, a strict policy of respect for each other’s sovereignty, non-interference in domestic affairs of other member states and decision making by consensus characterized the organization. As of late however, a number of member states have been challenging and defying these rules, which are widely perceived to be of primary importance for the organization’s functioning. This thesis argues that a key determinant in explaining the changing ASEAN policies of a number of member states is alteration in, and a strong discrepancy between, the stability of the various ruling regimes of the ASEAN member states. These alterations in regime stability are strongly related to changes in the political legitimacy of a regime. This theory is tested by first examining developments in the regime stability of four ASEAN member states: Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Subsequently the policies of these states towards ASEAN’s pariah member Myanmar are analyzed – functioning as a proxy for state behavior with regard to the larger ASEAN-Way issue – in order to assess whether expected behavior on the basis of a state’s regime stability aligns with member state attempts to alter ASEAN’s status quo.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
closed access
Purpose. The current study aimed to research the relation between teleworking and distress levels, depressive symptoms, workload, work functioning and need for recovery. Age and gender were further...Show morePurpose. The current study aimed to research the relation between teleworking and distress levels, depressive symptoms, workload, work functioning and need for recovery. Age and gender were further tested as moderators on these relations, and workload was tested as a mediator between telework and distress level, depressive symptoms, work functioning and need for recovery. Methods. A sample of 87 employees working at a Dutch telecom organization were included. The group of employees who exclusively worked at the office (teleworkers; N = 37) was compared to the group of employees who worked remotely some of their time (teleworkers; N = 50) on all outcomes using independent t-tests. The indicators were measured cross-sectionally. Results. There was no significant difference between teleworkers and nonteleworkers in distress level (p = .161, d = 0.33), depressive symptoms (p = .575, d = 0.12), workload (p = .886, d = 0.01), work functioning (p = .266, d = 0.24) and need for recovery (p = .964, d = 0.01). Moreover, age and gender did not have a moderating effect on any of these relations. Results showed lastly that workload was not a significant mediator between telework and all four outcomes. Conclusion. The current study suggests that there is no difference between teleworkers in distress levels, depressive symptoms, workload, work functioning and need for recovery. Also, characteristics of the employees such as gender and age do not seem to relate to relations of telework with these outcomes. Results furthermore suggest that workload does not explain the effects of telework on the included outcomes.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
closed access
Background: The abrupt spread of Covid-19 all over the world created a global crisis and resulted in a pandemic which led to various adverse mental health outcomes. Concordantly, studies reported...Show moreBackground: The abrupt spread of Covid-19 all over the world created a global crisis and resulted in a pandemic which led to various adverse mental health outcomes. Concordantly, studies reported an increasing trend in the prevalence and severity of binge eating and emotional eating symptoms. Aims: To estimate the prevalence and severity rates of binge eating and emotional eating symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic through systematic review with meta-analysis. Methods: Pre-registered systematic review with meta-analysis (Prospero ID: CRD42022316105). Results: Systematic searches in PubMed and Web of Science (final search date 19th of March, 2022) yielded 27 eligible studies on changes in binge eating and emotional eating prevalence and severity rates during the Covid-19 outbreak (total N = 22.029). An overall increase in the elicited and exacerbated binge eating and emotional eating symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic was observed (number of studies (k) = 14, r = 0.27, 95% CIs = 0.059 to 0.478). Furthermore, overall 7% of participants reported increases in pooled binge eating and emotional eating behaviours. Conclusions: Our data show a significant increase in the prevalence and severity rates of binge eating and emotional eating during the Covid-19 outbreak. This increase may be expected due to raised emotions of stress, loss of control, fear, ineffectiveness, and boredom during the pandemic. Public health policies and intervention programs for preventing and treating binge eating and emotional eating symptoms should be considered during confinement or related circumstances.Show less
