Annemiek Karreman

Parenting, Coparenting, and Effortful Control in Preschoolers

This study investigated the relations among parenting, coparenting, and effortful control in preschoolers. The sample included 89 families with 2 parents and their firstborn 36-month-old children. Information was obtained by means of observation and parent-report questionnaires. In general, maternal parenting, paternal parenting, and coparenting were related to effortful control. Effortful control was more strongly predicted from parenting and coparenting when the same measurement method (observation or parent reports) was used. For both observation and parent reports, coparenting contributed to effortful control over and above maternal and paternal parenting. The results indicate the importance of adding indicators of triadic family processes to the study of parenting and young childrens effortful control.

Schema therapy for borderline personality disorder: A comprehensive review of its empirical foundations, effectiveness and implementation possibilities

Borderline personality disorder is a serious psychiatric disorder for which the effectiveness of the current pharmacotherapeutical and psychotherapeutic approaches has shown to be limited. In the last decades, schema therapy has increased in popularity as a treatment of borderline personality disorder; however, systematic evaluation of both effectiveness and empirical evidence for the theoretical background of the therapy is limited. This literature review comprehensively evaluates the current empirical status of schema therapy for borderline personality disorder. We first described the theoretical framework and reviewed its empirical foundations. Next, we examined the evidence regarding effectiveness and implementability. We found evidence for a considerable number of elements of Youngs schema model; however, the strength of the results varies and there are also mixed results and some empirical blanks in the theory. The number of studies on effectiveness is small, but reviewed findings suggest that schema therapy is a promising treatment. In Western-European societies, the therapy could be readily implemented as a cost-effective strategy with positive economic consequences.

Relations among temperament, parenting and problem behavior in young children

The first objective of this study was to investigate which aspects of temperament are related to externalizing problem behavior and which aspects are related to internalizing problem behavior. The second objective was to investigate how parenting influences the link between temperament and problem behavior. The sample included 89 two-parent families and their firstborn 36-month-old children, and 81 day care and preschool playgroup teachers. Mothers, fathers and teachers filled in questionnaires and home observations took place. The results showed that different temperament characteristics predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Further, the results indicate that parenting moderates the relation between temperament and problem behavior. More specifically, positive control of the father buffered the relation between impulsivity and externalizing problems, whereas negative control of the mother and father strengthened the relation between fear and internalizing problems.

Predicting Young Children's Externalizing Problems: Interactions among Effortful Control, Parenting, and Child Gender

This study investigated interactions between observed temperamental effortful control and observed parenting in the prediction of externalizing problems. Child gender effects on these relations were examined. The relations were examined concurrently when the child was 3 years old and longitudinally at 4.5 years. The sample included 89 two-parent families and their firstborn children. Children with a low level of effortful control were most at risk of displaying externalizing problems. However, more parental positive control seemed to buffer this risk. Boys were at risk of displaying externalizing problems, but again this was buffered by parental positive control. Effortful control was more strongly related to concurrent externalizing problems in boys than in girls, but girls’ effortful control had a greater long-term effect on externalizing problems.

Stressful events and temperament change during early and middle adolescence : The TRAILS study

This project investigates how stressful events are related to deviations from normative temperament development during adolescence. Temperament traits were assessed at ages 11 and 16 years. Life–event data was captured using an interview (total n = 1197). Normative changes were found in all traits. A linear trend was found between the experience of stressful events and temperament development. Adolescents exposed to stressful events showed smaller decreases in fear and shyness, stronger decreases in effortful control and affiliation and smaller increases in high intensity pleasure. Exposure to stressful events was related to increases in frustration instead of decreases. Our results show that whereas normative development is mostly in the direction of maturation, adolescents who experienced stressful events showed less maturation of their temperament. Copyright

Attachment and autonomy problems in adults with ADHD.

Objective: Attachment security and autonomy were examined in adults with ADHD. Insecure attachment and autonomy problems were expected to be negatively associated with general psychological functioning. Method: Questionnaires were administered (Relationship Questionnaire, Autonomy-Connectedness Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory) in 84 late-diagnosed adults with ADHD. Results: Only 18% of participants were securely attached, as opposed to 59% in the normal population. Concerning autonomy, participants scored below average on self-awareness, above average on sensitivity to others, and average on capacity to manage new situations compared with the normal population. The preoccupiedly attached group reported more problems in psychological functioning than the secure and dismissive group. Sensitivity to others and capacity to manage new situations were associated with psychological functioning; self-awareness was not. Attachment security and autonomy contributed to general psychological functioning. Conclusion: Attachment and autonomy problems do exist in adults with ADHD and contribute negatively to their psychological functioning.

Functional status in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms : Coping styles and their relationship with depression and anxiety

This study examined how coping styles are related to functional status in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms and to what extent depression and anxiety account for this relationship. In 90 Dutch adult patients presenting medically unexplained physical symptoms, coping styles, health-related functional status, anxiety, and depression were measured. Multiple regression analyses and mediation analysis showed that coping styles were directly and indirectly related to functional status. In this relationship, depression and anxiety played an important role. The findings highlight the relevance of addressing coping styles, depression, and anxiety when targeting the functional status of patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms in clinical practice.

Understanding human biparental care: does partner presence matter?

Most research on parenting has focused on dyadic parent–child interactions to the neglect of triadic interactions between mother, father and child. Drawing from an evolutionary perspective, the present study examined how parental warmth and investment change as a function of the other parent’s presence. Our sample consisted of 87 two‐parent Dutch families raising firstborn preschoolers (44 boys, 43 girls; 36 months old). Parental warmth and investment were measured based on video recordings of structured and unstructured dyadic (mother–child, father–child) and triadic (father–mother–child) play sessions conducted in the families’ homes. Results indicated that while mothers’ warmth and investment did not change as a function of fathers’ presence, fathers withdrew care in the presence of mothers. However, when mothers were away, fathers raised their level of care to that of mothers thus compensating for maternal absence.

The pregnancy obsession-compulsion-personality disorder symptom checklist

Background: Up until now, very little research has been undertaken on the possible role of personality traits, such as perfectionism and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), on pregnancy distress. This is possibly due to the fact that no appropriate instruments are available for use during pregnancy. The current study was undertaken to develop self-rating instruments for assessing symptoms of OCPD (including perfectionism) during gestation, and to evaluate the relationship between high scores on these scales and (recurrent) depression. Method: In a large unselected sample of 1095 pregnant women, the Clinical Perfectionism Scale was adapted and modified to fit into a 15-item perfectionism scale. At the same time, ten questions taken from the SCID OCPD structural interview were modified to fit into a separate self-rating scale. The sample was randomly split into two equal sub-samples: Group I was used for reliability and Explorative Factor Analysis (EFA), and Group II for Confirmative Factor Analysis (CFA). The Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS), completed at 12, 22 and 32 weeks’ gestation was used to assess concurrent and discriminant validity. Results: A seven-item perfectionism (Eigenvalue: 3.6, 52% explained variance) and seven-item OCPD (Eigenvalue: 3, 40% explained variance) symptom check list retained good psychometric properties: Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85 and 0.78, respectively, and good CFA model fit: a CFI of 0.96, NFI of 0.95, TLI of 0.97, and RMSEA of 0.05, with a lower limit of 0.04; and CFI of 0.97, NFI of 0.97, TLI of 0.98, and RMSEA of 0.05 with a lower limit of 0.03, respectively. Both scales correlated significantly with EDS scores at different trimesters (r: 0.32-0.43). Significantly more often, women with high scores on these scales (defined as a score of >1 SD>mean) reported single and recurrent episodes of depression during gestation and a previous history of depression earlier in life. Conclusion: Self-rating scales that assess OCPD trait symptoms are able to detect women at risk for (recurrent) depression during pregnancy.

Attachment styles and secure base priming in relation to emotional reactivity after frustration induction

ABSTRACT In two experimental studies, we explored the role of attachment in predicting emotional reactivity after frustration induction. In the first study, using a cognitive frustration task, we examined in a college sample (N = 134) how attachment styles related to the experience and expression of emotions after frustration induction. In the second study, we investigated in college students (N = 198) the effect of conscious priming of the secure base schema on mood disturbance after the performance of a cognitive frustration task. Results showed that individuals experienced and expressed emotions after frustration induction independent of their attachment styles. Conscious priming of the secure base script attenuated self-reported emotional reactivity after frustration induction independent of individuals’ attachment styles. These findings suggest that the mechanism of attachment-related emotional reactivity might not pertain to frustration during an unsolvable cognitive task, but that the activation of the sense of having a secure base is useful in reducing mood disturbance in the context of a frustrating performance task.