Background We sought to assess diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning, living in residential facilities or receiving day care. Methods We... Show moreBackground We sought to assess diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning, living in residential facilities or receiving day care. Methods We measured diet quality using the Dutch Healthy Diet Food Frequency Questionnaire (DHD) and compared this between participants with (n = 151) and controls without intellectual disabilities (n = 169). Potential correlates of diet quality were explored. Results We found lower mean diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities (M = 80.9) compared to controls (M = 111.2; mean adjusted difference -28.4; 95% CI [-32.3, -24.5]; p < .001). Participants with borderline intellectual functioning and mild intellectual disabilities had lower diet quality and higher body mass index than individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. Being female was a predictor of better diet quality. Conclusions Overall, we found that diet quality was low in the sample of people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning. Show less
Koenders, M.; Mesbah, R.; Spijker, A.; Boere, E.; Leeuw, M. de; Hemert, B. van; Giltay, E. 2021
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic interfered in the daily lives of people and is assumed to adversely affect mental health. However, the effects on mood (in)stability of... Show moreBackground The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic interfered in the daily lives of people and is assumed to adversely affect mental health. However, the effects on mood (in)stability of bipolar disorder (BD) patients and the comparison to pre-COVID-19 symptom severity levels are unknown. Method Between April and September, 2020, symptoms and well-being were assessed in the Bipolar Netherlands Cohort (BINCO) study of recently diagnosed patients with BD I and II. The questionnaire contained questions regarding manic and depressive symptoms (YMRS and ASRM, QIDS), worry (PSWQ), stress (PSS), loneliness, sleep, fear for COVID-19, positive coping, and substance use. As manic, depressive and stress symptoms levels were assessed pre-COVID-19, their trajectories during the lockdown restrictions were estimated using mixed models. Results Of the 70 invited BD patients, 36 (51%) responded at least once (mean age of 36.7 years, 54% female, and 31% BD type 1) to the COVID-19 assessments. There was a significant increase (X-2 = 17.06; p = .004) in (hypo)manic symptoms from baseline during the first COVID-19 wave, with a decrease thereafter. Fear of COVID-19 (X-2 = 18.01; p = .003) and positive coping (X-2 = 12.44; p = .03) were the highest at the start of the pandemic and decreased thereafter. Other scales including depression and stress symptoms did not vary significantly over time. Conclusion We found a meaningful increase in manic symptomatology from pre-COVID-19 into the initial phases of the pandemic in BD patients. These symptoms decreased along with fear of COVID-19 and positive coping during the following months when lockdown measures were eased. Show less
Kullberg, M.L.; Schie, C. van; Sprang, E. van; Maciejewski, D.; Hartman, C.A.; Hemert, B. van; ... ; Elzinga, B.M. 2021
Background Childhood abuse and neglect often occurs within families and can have a large influence on mental well-being across the lifespan. However, the sibling concordance of emotional abuse and... Show moreBackground Childhood abuse and neglect often occurs within families and can have a large influence on mental well-being across the lifespan. However, the sibling concordance of emotional abuse and neglect (i.e. together referred to as emotional maltreatment; EM), physical abuse (PA) and sexual abuse (SA) and the long-term impact on the context of siblings' maltreatment experiences are unclear. To examine the influence of EM, PA and SA on adult depressive symptoms within the family framework we differentiate between (a) the family-wide (mean level of all siblings) effects and (b) the individual deviation from the mean family level of maltreatment. Methods The sample (N = 636) consists of 256 families, including at least one lifetime depressed or anxious individual and their siblings. Multilevel modeling was used to examine the family-wide and relative individual effects of childhood maltreatment (CM). Results (a) Siblings showed most similarity in their reports of EM followed by PA. SA was mostly reported by one person within a family. In line with these observations, the mean family levels of EM and PA, but not SA, were associated with more depressive symptoms. In addition, (b) depression levels were more elevated in individuals reporting more EM than the family mean. Conclusions Particularly in the case of more visible forms of CM, siblings' experiences of EM and PA are associated with the elevated levels of adult depressive symptoms. Findings implicate that in addition to individual maltreatment experiences, the context of siblings' experiences is another crucial risk factor for an individuals' adult depressive symptomatology. Show less
Kullberg, M.L.J.; Schie, C.C. van; Sprang, E. van; Maciejewski, D.; Hartman, C.A.; Hemert, B. van; ... ; Elzinga, B.M. 2021
Background: Childhood abuse and neglect often occurs within families and can have a large influence on mental well-being across the lifespan. However, the sibling concordance of emotional abuse and... Show moreBackground: Childhood abuse and neglect often occurs within families and can have a large influence on mental well-being across the lifespan. However, the sibling concordance of emotional abuse and neglect (i.e. together referred to as emotional maltreatment; EM), physical abuse (PA) and sexual abuse (SA) and the long-term impact on the context of siblings' maltreatment experiences are unclear. To examine the influence of EM, PA and SA on adult depressive symptoms within the family framework we differentiate between (a) the family-wide (mean level of all siblings) effects and (b) the individual deviation from the mean family level of maltreatment. Methods: The sample (N = 636) consists of 256 families, including at least one lifetime depressed or anxious individual and their siblings. Multilevel modeling was used to examine the family-wide and relative individual effects of childhood maltreatment (CM). Results: (a) Siblings showed most similarity in their reports of EM followed by PA. SA was mostly reported by one person within a family. In line with these observations, the mean family levels of EM and PA, but not SA, were associated with more depressive symptoms. In addition, (b) depression levels were more elevated in individuals reporting more EM than the family mean. Conclusions: Particularly in the case of more visible forms of CM, siblings' experiences of EM and PA are associated with the elevated levels of adult depressive symptoms. Findings implicate that in addition to individual maltreatment experiences, the context of siblings' experiences is another crucial risk factor for an individuals' adult depressive symptomatology. Show less
Spinhoven, P.; Drost, J.; Hemert, B. van; Penninx, B.W. 2015
