Parental socialization refers to the process through which parents transmit values and beliefs to their children. During this process, children learn to understand the world and shape their social... Show moreParental socialization refers to the process through which parents transmit values and beliefs to their children. During this process, children learn to understand the world and shape their social functioning. The impact of parental socialization can vary across different cultures. My research focuses on family interactions within Chinese cultures, emphasizing the importance of cultural nuances when examining the role of parental behaviors in children's social development. The study utilized samples of Chinese children and their parents, employing various research methods, including observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The findings indicated that Chinese mothers' psychological control had a relatively minor negative effect on children's emotion regulation and social anxiety. Additionally, the research revealed racism and colorism among Chinese children, which were associated with mothers' color-evasive socialization behaviors. Chinese mothers did not avoid talking about racial appearance and cultural background, which contrasts with studies in White Western populations where most White mothers showed color evasion. Chinese mothers’ acknowledgement of shared culture predicted children’s positive attitudes towards their own racial ingroup with a darker skin tone. My research underscores the unique features of Chinese culture that play a pivotal role in shaping the nature and consequences of parental socialization on children's social functioning. It highlights that Western theories related to parenting and color-evasive socialization may need adaptation when applied to non-Western cultural contexts. Show less
About 1 in 650-1000 children are born with a 47,XXY, 47,XXX or 47,XYY chromosomal pattern (i.e, sex chromosome trisomies, SCT). The presence of SCT is associated with an increased risk for... Show moreAbout 1 in 650-1000 children are born with a 47,XXY, 47,XXX or 47,XYY chromosomal pattern (i.e, sex chromosome trisomies, SCT). The presence of SCT is associated with an increased risk for neurodevelopmental difficulties across the life-span. Studying neurodevelopment in early childhood in children with SCT could signal deviations in development that serve as risk markers to guide clinical care. This thesis explored the development of self-regulation (emotion, cognition, and behavior) in SCT children and population-based controls, aged 1 to 7 years, who participated in the TRIXY Early Childhood Study. Behavioral symptoms were assessed through structured behavioral observation and parental questionnaires. Neurocognition was measured using performance tests and psychophysiological measures of arousal. Outcomes showed behavioral symptoms of psychopathology and neurocognitive vulnerabilities, already from an early age. Difficulties in self-regulation tended to become more pronounced with increasing age and were rather robust; independent of karyotype, pre/postnatal diagnosis, or intelligence-levels. A developmental neurocognitive perspective is key in increasing our knowledge of gene-brain-behavior pathways in SCT as well as advancing clinical care (diagnostics and treatment). Self-regulation amongst other neurocognitive functions may serve as a valuable target for early, tailor-made interventions to minimize the risk for psychopathology later in life and improving quality of life. Show less
This thesis describes the impact of Sex Chromosome Trisomies (SCT; XXX, XXY, XYY) on early social cognition. Individuals with SCT have an increased vulnerability for developing challenges on the... Show moreThis thesis describes the impact of Sex Chromosome Trisomies (SCT; XXX, XXY, XYY) on early social cognition. Individuals with SCT have an increased vulnerability for developing challenges on the social domain, given the convergent impact of the X and Y chromosome on brain networks that underly social adaptive development. We found that already from a very early age on, SCT can be associated with increased risk for vulnerabilities in social interactions, and with increased levels of social impairments associated with ASD. These findings suggest that SCT impact the maturation of the social brain already from an early age, and stresses the importance of early routine monitoring and (preventive) support of early social development in young children with SCT. Show less
The societal toll and human misery associated with mental health disorders is well established. Nonetheless, only about one in five minors with mental health difficulties access adequate... Show moreThe societal toll and human misery associated with mental health disorders is well established. Nonetheless, only about one in five minors with mental health difficulties access adequate professional support. Care pathways and procedures have to facilitate timely recognition and adequate evaluation of patients’ needs to navigate those who can benefit towards ‘the right service in the right place, at the right time, and delivered by the right person’ - a meaningful Chinese proverb often used by authors from the field of healthcare. To reach this meaningful goal, professionals should be able to ‘look’ at a patient and ‘see’ patients’ needs. This by relying on their sufficient knowledge to recognize a probable mental health need, their skills and experience to enquire further, known methods to reliably assess strengths and weaknesses, and readily available resources to translate what they see into an adequate support or management plan. In this PhD thesis we present a series of studies aimed to fill gaps in empirical knowledge on this topic of recognition, assessment, and referral of youth with mental health problems at the interface of primary care and mental healthcare. The results of the studies could inform clinicians on the status quo considering recognition and referral of minors with mental health problems. Moreover, the findings could serve policy and curriculum makers, thereby improving effective practices in child and adolescent mental healthcare. Show less
Creating an optimal start during the first 1,000 days of children is an important focus for researchers and policy makers. Parents can positively influence child development through sensitive... Show moreCreating an optimal start during the first 1,000 days of children is an important focus for researchers and policy makers. Parents can positively influence child development through sensitive parenting, which is the ability to understand and promptly and adequately respond to a child’s signals. This thesis provides insight in the development of sensitive parenting from infancy to toddlerhood in primiparous mothers and fathers through longitudinal data from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States. The results demonstrate that fathers and mothers respond more sensitively to their baby in more ecologically valid contexts, i.e. during situations more representative of their daily reality, than in less ecologically valid contexts. Therefore, we recommend to take context into account when parenting skills are studied and evaluated. Next, we made a first step towards clarity on the way parents reflect on the parent-child relationship during the transition to parenthood and in relation to parental sensitivity. We found weak evidence for the theorized link between this reflection and parental sensitivity. Finally, we found that mothers and fathers are equally sensitive across the first two years, and sensitivity levels during this period increase in both parents, indicating that mothers and fathers actually do become better in sensitive parenting. Show less
Center-based child care settings are a common form of non-parental child care for many families worldwide. However, according to earlier studies, children can experience stress when they attend... Show moreCenter-based child care settings are a common form of non-parental child care for many families worldwide. However, according to earlier studies, children can experience stress when they attend child care. The aim of the current dissertation was to elucidate the correlates of physiological and behavioral stress (especially around transitions) for young children (aged 0 – 4 years, with a specific focus on infants) and their parents in the context of center-based child care, and to examine whether and how we can support families with the aim of reducing stress. We did this by conducting a meta-analysis, a large-scale correlational study, and a small-scale intervention study combining questionnaires, observations, and physiological measures. Results showed that a significant part of children and parents experienced stress during and beyond the transition to center-based child care, irrespective of the quality of child care, and that several child (age and number of hours at child care) and parental (sensitivity and separation anxiety) factors were correlated. We also identified some clues as to what type of support can be helpful to assist families within this context, with the ultimate goal of promoting well-being in both young children and their parents. Show less
Children with SCT have an increased vulnerability for adverse neurobehavioral outcomes and an increased risk for neurocognitive difficulties in the language and communication domain. This... Show moreChildren with SCT have an increased vulnerability for adverse neurobehavioral outcomes and an increased risk for neurocognitive difficulties in the language and communication domain. This vulnerability starts from a young age and may increase when children get older. Neurocognitive functions within the language and communication domain serve as early markers of at-risk pathways with unfavorable neurobehavioral outcomes. These findings come with important clinical implications for the SCT population andwill ideally fuel the implementation of early monitoring, and implementation and development of preventive support and intervention. Show less
Promoting healthy eating habits from infancy onwards is essential, in order to prevent children from developing unhealthy eating behavior and becoming overweight. Next to studying the role of the... Show morePromoting healthy eating habits from infancy onwards is essential, in order to prevent children from developing unhealthy eating behavior and becoming overweight. Next to studying the role of the type of food we should feed our children (What), more and more studies emphasize the importance of a positive and sensitive parent-child interaction during the meal (How). The aim of the present dissertation was to examine the relation between sensitive parental feeding behavior and health outcomes in infants and toddlers up to 24 months. Within the overarching Baby’s First Bites RCT study, 246 mother-infant pairs participated. Most important findings of the dissertation include that mothers showed less sensitive behavior during mealtimes with their toddler, than during a play session. Moreover, our video-feedback intervention VIPP-Feeding Infants was found to promote sensitive maternal feeding behavior, but only on short term. Non-results may be explained by our generally high-performing sample, as well as by the emerging picky eating phase that is likely to occur in many children during toddlerhood. Future studies should aim to test our intervention programs in families at risk, such as children with high levels of picky eating behavior or low levels of vegetable intake, or families in lower SEP neighborhoods. Show less
Because aggressive behavior during early childhood has been related to negative developmental outcomes, a further understanding of the underlying mechanisms of aggression during the first years of... Show moreBecause aggressive behavior during early childhood has been related to negative developmental outcomes, a further understanding of the underlying mechanisms of aggression during the first years of life is essential. Although the factors prenatal risk, parenting behavior, temperament and cognitive functions have consistently been related to externalizing behavior during preschool and school age, research focusing on their interplay in relation to aggressive behavior earlier in life is scarce. The aim of the current dissertation was to gain more insight into these associations during infancy and toddlerhood. Our studies indicated that impairments in children’s early cognitive regulation abilities play a role in the development of aggressive behavior. It can also be concluded that both adverse pre- and postnatal environmental influences have an impact on child aggression: higher prenatal risk and adverse parenting behavior were directly or indirectly (via poor cognitive functioning) related to higher levels of aggression. In addition, it was found that poor cognitive skills increased the risk of aggression in case of high prenatal risk or a highly reactive temperament during early development. These results suggest that early intervention programs to prevent aggression should focus on prenatal risk, parenting behavior and cognitive development during the first years of life. Show less
This dissertation aimed to shed light on the study of attachment theory in areas other than western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD; Henrich et al., 2010) societies that... Show moreThis dissertation aimed to shed light on the study of attachment theory in areas other than western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD; Henrich et al., 2010) societies that dominate the literature. We aimed to describe the extent to which the attachment theory core hypotheses are supported by research in Latin America and specifically in a rural Peruvian Andean area. Show less
To comprehend texts readers build mental representations. To establish coherence and protect these representations against inaccuracies readers routinely monitor and validate textual information... Show moreTo comprehend texts readers build mental representations. To establish coherence and protect these representations against inaccuracies readers routinely monitor and validate textual information against two main informational sources –what they just read (the text itself) and what they know (their background knowledge). This dissertation focuses on validation processes in the context of reading comprehension. Texts today vary in accuracy and trustworthiness. To better understand how readers validate (written) materials against various sources of information, the experimental studies in this dissertation employed different research methods to examine the (neuro)cognitive architecture of the processes involved in validating against prior text (i.e., text-based validation) and validating against background knowledge (i.e., knowledge-based validation) and how these processes affect readers;’ memory for text information.Results illustrate that readers validate incoming information against these two sources in dissociable, (partially) interactive, text-based and knowledge-based validation processes. Moreover, these processes seem to protect readers’ memory against inaccuracies or incongruencies. These observations deepen our understanding of validation processes, provide starting points for investigations of people’s susceptibility to false information and how inaccurate knowledge can be revised and provide insight into the complex interplay between recently acquired knowledge from the text itself and background knowledge in constructing meaning from language. Show less
The aim of this dissertation was to explore the biological correlates of child maltreatment in a family context. We used an extended family design to investigate intergenerational transmission of... Show moreThe aim of this dissertation was to explore the biological correlates of child maltreatment in a family context. We used an extended family design to investigate intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment, the role of heritability in child maltreatment, and the association of child maltreatment with parent-childresting state connectome similarity (RScs), hair glucocorticoids, and BMI. In sum, these studies show that child maltreatment (in particular abuse) runs in families– partly because of genetic factors, partly because of environmental factors – is associated with less dyadic RScs, and higher long-term hair cortisone levels andweight. Thus, four biological systems – genetic, neural activation, endocrine, metabolic – are implicated in child maltreatment at a family level. Show less
The first aim of this dissertation was to examine predictors of (change in) couple satisfaction during the transition to parenthood. We found that couple satisfaction on average decreased from... Show moreThe first aim of this dissertation was to examine predictors of (change in) couple satisfaction during the transition to parenthood. We found that couple satisfaction on average decreased from pregnancy until 4 months postpartum. The decrease in couple satisfaction in first time parents was found in both mothers and fathers and in multiple countries, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States (Chapter 2), and also in China from 4 until 14 months postpartum (Chapter 4). The decrease was stronger for parents who had more postpartum mental health problems (Chapter 2). In Chapter 3 we examined the association between couple satisfaction, mental health problems, and parental sensitivity from pregnancy until 24 months postpartum. We found additional evidence for the interrelatedness of couple satisfaction and mental health problems. Specifically, couple satisfaction predicted later mental health problems for both mothers and fathers. We found no associations between mental health problems and parental sensitivity, and little evidence for the association between couple satisfaction and parental sensitivity (the latter only for mothers).The second aim was to examine attitudes about child maltreatment across caregivers and countries. We found that on average Chinese and Dutch mothers, fathers, and teachers did not differ in their ideas about the rank order of harmfulness of behaviors commonly labeled as child maltreatment. In addition, for both countries and for the three groups we found higher thresholds for labeling the behaviors as maltreatment and the perceived need for intervention by a professional than for the need for intervention by a non-professional. In both countries and across the three groups physical abuse was labeled as the most harmful form of child maltreatment and emotional neglect as the least harmful form. However, Chinese participants had higher thresholds than Dutch participants with regard to the need for interventionand labeling the behaviors as maltreatment. Show less
This dissertation focuses on the overall study, as well as the nuances, of bullying behaviours among school-going youth in India. A systematic review of past literature from India is presented by... Show moreThis dissertation focuses on the overall study, as well as the nuances, of bullying behaviours among school-going youth in India. A systematic review of past literature from India is presented by synthesizing 37 empirical studies examining psychometric properties of the instruments adopted, methodological characteristics, sample size and procedures, and characteristics of bullying behaviour. Results show that bullying is widely spread, and certain factors, like caste and religion, and their association with bullying behaviours are typical to the Indian culture. This dissertation also examines if dimensions of psychopathy, namely callous-unemotional traits, narcissism, and impulsivity, can differentiate between, bullies, victims, and bully-victims in a longitudinal capacity. Using a multi-informant approach and multinomial logistic regression analyses, it was found that psychopathy dimensions taken together provide a better fit in predicting bullying than the independent psychopathic subscales. The dissertation further investigates the structure and context of the relationship between victimization and Body Mass Index through a transactional model. Key results of structural equation modeling analyses yielded mainly concurrent relations between BMI and victimization, emphasizing that results from western countries may not generalize to India. Finally, bullying behaviours among youth as a function of their socio-economic status (SES) in classroom and self-perceptions of minority status are examined using a moderated-mediation growth model. Results show classroom level SES plays a significant role in predicting victimization cross-sectionally, and is mediated through perceptions of self. However, in the long run, being part of a minority, and perceiving self as such, leads to decreased victimization among youth in India. Show less
The research in this dissertation represents a multifaceted approach to understanding reading comprehension processes, and employs diverse methodologies to examine both internal and external... Show moreThe research in this dissertation represents a multifaceted approach to understanding reading comprehension processes, and employs diverse methodologies to examine both internal and external factors related to reading comprehension. More specifically, the research addresses attentional control processes during reading, the influence of dopamine on both attentional control and reading comprehension (i.e., internal factors; Chapter 2 and 3), and the effects of feedback on both reading comprehension and on cognitive and affective processes related to reading comprehension (i.e., external factors; Chapter 4 and 5). Show less
Self-regulation refers to the ability to deliberately control one’s affect and behavior to meet certain standards such as customs, norms and social expectations, and to pursue long-term goals (Kopp... Show moreSelf-regulation refers to the ability to deliberately control one’s affect and behavior to meet certain standards such as customs, norms and social expectations, and to pursue long-term goals (Kopp, 1982). Problems with self-regulation can result in significant personal as well as social problems such as substance addiction (e.g., drugs, alcohol and cigarettes), health problems (e.g., obesity and eating disorders), violence and crime (e.g., Baumeister et al., 2015; Hirschi, 2004; Johnson et al., 2012). Self-regulation emerges in early infancy and increases dramatically in later infancy and toddlerhood. This process has been described as the development from external regulation depending on caregivers to independent self-regulation (Calkins, 2002). During this transition, both infant factors (e.g., infant attention) and social factors (e.g., parental behaviors) contribute to the development of self-regulation (e.g., Bernier et al., 2010; Miyake et al., 2000). As mother-infant and father-infant relationships provide different experiences for infants, the parental impact on self-regulation may also differ between mothers and fathers (e.g., Braungart‐Rieker et al., 1998; Feldman et al., 2003). Yet, most parenting and infant research has focused on mothers, whereas fathers – and other family members with a caregiving role – are rarely investigated. Moreover, empirical studies of parenting and infant development have largely been restricted to North America and Western Europe (e.g., Bornstein, 2015; Tomlinson et al., 2014). As some evidence shows that the association between parental behaviors and the process of infant development is dependent on country and the associated cultural context (e.g., Deater- Deckard et al., 2011; Landford et al., 2016), it is also important to carry out research in non-Western countries to understand the generalizability of theories built in Western contexts and primarily rooted in Western tradition to non-Western populations. China—a non-Western country—has the world’s largest population, with traditions of multigenerational co-residence (including grandparents). However, few empirical studies have focused on grandparenting, parenting and child development. The current dissertation longitudinally investigated the parental role in infant self-regulation during the first two years of life in the Netherlands and China, and also specifically focused on the role of grandparents in China. Show less
Reading comprehension is a multifaceted skillset important to acquire in order to participate in modern society; to learn at school, for work related communication, for social digitized... Show moreReading comprehension is a multifaceted skillset important to acquire in order to participate in modern society; to learn at school, for work related communication, for social digitized interactions, and to keep up to date with news. Important developmental change in this skillset occurs between the ages of 9 and 12, when elementary school children go from learning to read to reading to learn. In this phase educators start expecting the children to use their reading comprehension skillset to gather knowledge about many different topics. This knowledge helps children in understanding their current surroundings as well as prepares them for future possibilities of employment. However, children are of course not alone on their journey to become proficient readers. A great deal of research and educational resources are mobilized to help them on their way. With this doctoral dissertation I aim to enlarge the scientific knowledge of reading comprehension and aid educational practitioners who ground their pedagogical work in scientific literature. This gathering of four empirical papers presents research from a cognitive scientific perspective on three elements that are important to understand reading comprehension in children: the reader, the text, and the task. Show less
Ample research has shown that more household chaos is related to lower parenting quality, but it is yet unknown whether this is a causal relation. This dissertation focuses on two research... Show moreAmple research has shown that more household chaos is related to lower parenting quality, but it is yet unknown whether this is a causal relation. This dissertation focuses on two research questions. The first is whether household chaos has a causal effect on parenting. The second is whether the effect of household chaos on parenting is stronger for parents with certain characteristics, such as high sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), low self-regulation, and more impulsivity. Two experimental studies were conducted in which household chaos was manipulated. The results show that household chaos affects both positive and negative parenting, but only in demanding parenting situations. Moderation by impulsivity was not found and moderation by SPS and by self-regulation was inconsistent. Regarding SPS, this may exacerbate the effect of household chaos on parenting in case of extreme differences between or high levels of household chaos. Regarding self-regulation, parents with low self-regulation may not have enough self-regulation capacities to simultaneously lower their levels of household chaos and refrain from harsh discipline. These results form a promising vantagepoint for further research, which could eventually lead to prevention and intervention programs to improve parenting by reducing household chaos. Show less
Research on precursors of empathy, and on the association between empathy and aggression in early childhood is scarce and contradictory. It is likely that these contradictory results can be... Show moreResearch on precursors of empathy, and on the association between empathy and aggression in early childhood is scarce and contradictory. It is likely that these contradictory results can be explained by taking into account other factors that are related to empathy and aggression. Therefore, our main aim was to study early manifestations of empathy as a predictor of aggression during the first years of life, while taking into account the role of precursors of empathy and possible moderators of the association between empathy and aggression. Early manifestations of empathy could be predicted from emotional responses in infancy, as infants who were more emotionally reactive themselves were also more sensitive to emotions of others during toddlerhood. In addition, impaired empathy already was a risk factor of aggression from the age of 20 months. High levels of aggression were associated with low levels of affective empathy, but not cognitive empathy. The negative association between empathy and aggression was stronger for girls, children with high levels of inhibition, and children with low levels of social attention. It is important to take these factors into account in further research and intervention programs that target empathy and its association with aggression in early childhood. Show less
This dissertation aimed to contribute to the quality of foster care addressing three main objectives: The first objective was to investigate if existing parenting interventions are effective in... Show moreThis dissertation aimed to contribute to the quality of foster care addressing three main objectives: The first objective was to investigate if existing parenting interventions are effective in supporting/improving parenting and child outcomes in foster care using a meta-analytic approach. The second objective was to study the effectiveness of an adapted version of Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) for foster care, i.e., VIPP-FC. The implementation of VIPP-SD in different types of families and in childcare settings was first reviewed, with special attention to VIPP-FC. Subsequently, the study protocol of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of VIPP-FC was described. In addition, the results of this RCT regarding the effectiveness of VIPP-FC on parenting behavior and attitudes were presented. The third objective was to examine correlates of indiscriminate friendliness (IF) displayed by foster children. To answer this question, the relations of attachment security, parental sensitivity, and child inhibitory control with IF were examined using data collected during the pretest of the VIPP-FC RCT. Results are described and discussed in different chapters, and implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research are additionally provided. Show less
