Corinna Reichl

The Specific Role of Childhood Abuse, Parental Bonding, and Family Functioning in Female Adolescents With Borderline Personality Disorder

This study examined a broad variety of adverse childhood experiences in a consecutive sample of female adolescent inpatients with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 44) compared with a clinical control (CC; n = 47) group with mixed psychiatric diagnoses. BPD was diagnosed using a structured clinical interview; different dimensions of childhood adversity were assessed using the Childhood Experiences of Care and Abuse Questionnaire, the Parental Bonding Instrument, and the Family Assessment Device. A history of childhood adversity was significantly more common in patients with BPD than in the CC group. Using a multivariate model, sexual abuse (OR = 13.8), general family functioning (OR = 8.9), and low maternal care (OR = 7.6) were specific and independent predictors of adolescent BPD. The results increase our knowledge of the specific role of different dimensions of childhood adversity in adolescent BPD. They have important implications for prevention and early intervention as they highlight the need for specific strategies for involving the family.

Work–nonwork conflict and burnout: A meta-analysis

This study meta-analytically examines correlations between dimensions of work–nonwork conflict (work-to-nonwork and nonwork-to-work conflict) and burnout subscales (exhaustion, depersonalization/cynicism), with a special emphasis on the role of moderating variables. The meta-analysis is based on 220 coefficients from 91 samples with a total of 51,700 participants and employs a random-effects model. Primary studies relied on samples of working adults from different cultural backgrounds. Our results revealed that both directions of work–nonwork conflict were strongly related to emotional exhaustion as well as to cynicism (ρ between .34 and .61). The correlations were shown to be moderated differentially by gender, age, marital and parental status as well as by cultural background. Meta-analyses based on primary studies with multi-wave designs indicated that work interfering with nonwork and exhaustion have equal reciprocal effects when considering zero-order correlations. However, within meta-analytical structural equation modeling, cross-lagged relations between work-to-nonwork conflict and exhaustion across time did not improve the prediction of outcomes at Time 2 above the influence of stability coefficients.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, childhood adversity and adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury

BACKGROUND Whereas childhood adversity (CA) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been suggested to play a major role in the etiology of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), no study has thus far investigated both its associations and interactions with adolescent NSSI. METHOD We investigated CA (antipathy, neglect, physical, psychological, and sexual abuse) and indices of HPA axis activity (salivary and hair cortisol) in a clinical sample of 26 adolescents engaging in NSSI and 26 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). We used standardized interviews for the assessment of CA (CECA), NSSI (SITBI-G), and axis I diagnoses (MINI-KID). Salivary cortisol sampling was surveyed using a monitoring system and instructed via telephone calls. RESULTS Adolescents engaging in NSSI exhibited significantly higher cortisol awakening responses compared to HC. No differences were found with respect to the diurnal slope or hair cortisol. In the presence of CA, healthy adolescents showed flatted diurnal cortisol slopes while those engaging in NSSI exhibited significantly steeper ones. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that adolescents engaging in NSSI may exhibit a stronger cortisol awakening response, potentially in expectation of strain. However, elevated cortisol levels may not be maintained throughout the day, especially among adolescents with a history of CA.

Exploring ease in thinking aloud

Thinking aloud seems unnatural and difficult to most subjects. The present study explored the relation between Ease in Thinking Aloud, verbal fluency, Self-talk, and Big Five personality traits for a heterogeneous sample of 101 German-speaking adults (50 women and 51 men). Ease in Thinking Aloud positively correlated with scores on verbal fluency (r = .31) and Conscientiousness (r = 38). The discussion considers implications for further research on ease in thinking aloud.

Die Rolle des Genotyps bei der generationsübergreifenden Übertragung belastender Kindheitserlebnisse

The prevalence of childhood abuse and maltreatment is estimated to lie at about 15% in the overall German population. Previous research suggested that about one third of all individuals who had experienced childhood adversity subsequently maltreated their own children or responded insensitively to their childrens needs. Empirical studies imply that interindividual differences in the responsiveness to childhood adversity can partially be explained by gene-environment interactions. This article discusses the potential interplay of genes and environment in the context of transmitting maltreating behavior and (in)sensitive parenting against the background of current challenges in genetic research. Selected studies on gene × environment interactions are presented and relevant gene polymorphisms are identified. Overall, previous studies reported interactions between polymorphisms of the serotonergic, dopaminergic, oxytocin-related, and arginine vasopressin-related systems and childhood experiences of care and abuse in the prediction of social behaviors during mother-child interactions. The results indicate a differential susceptibility toward both negative and positive environments which is dependent on genetic characteristics. Future research should thus investigate the effects of childrens presumed risk gene variants toward negative as well as positive parenting. This could contribute to a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of abusive and beneficial parenting behavior and help to avoid false stigmatizations.

Cortical thickness, resting state heart rate, and heart rate variability in female adolescents

Resting state heart rate variability (HRV) is a psychophysiological marker that has gained increasing research interest, in particular in developmental neuroscience. HRV has been shown to be associated with mental and physical health, beyond simple measures of heart rate (HR) and shows inter- and intraindividual variance across aging. Recently, three studies reported on a positive correlation between resting state HRV and cortical thickness in selected regions of interest (ROIs) in adult samples. Structural thickness, HRV, and HR change during the sensitive period of adolescence. Previously, no study has addressed the structural concomitants of resting HR and HRV in adolescents. Cortical thickness (3-T MRI), HR, and HRV were recorded in 20 healthy, female adolescents (mean age: 15.92 years; SD = 1.06; range: 14-17). In line with existing research in adults, cortical thickness in a number of ROIs was associated with resting state HRV but not HR. The comparison of regression analyses using the Bayes factor revealed evidence for a correlation between HRV and cortical thickness of the bilateral rostral anterior cingulate cortex. However, unlike in adults, greater cortical thickness was associated with reduced HRV in female adolescents. Analyses on HR showed no superior model fit. Results suggest that greater HRV might be beneficial for cortical development during adolescence (cortical thinning). On the other hand, cortical development might determine changes in autonomic nervous system function in adolescents. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings in larger samples including boys and to test these hypotheses in longitudinal designs.

Regional grey matter volume reduction in adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury

There is a high prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) amongst adolescents worldwide and therefore an urgency to investigate the underlying mechanisms that may facilitate such behaviours. This study aimed to investigate neurobiological alterations, specifically in regional brain volumes of the frontolimbic system, in adolescents engaging in NSSI in comparison to healthy controls. Regional grey matter volumes were compared between 29 adolescent female patients who presented with incidents of NSSI on ≥5 days within the last 12 months (DSM-5 criteria for NSSI) and 21 healthy age, gender and education matched controls who had never received any psychiatric diagnosis/treatment, or engaged in NSSI. Significant group effects in regional brain volumes were observed in insula, and a suggested change in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), while controlling for total segmented volume. Additionally, ACC volume showed a significant association with past suicide attempts, where estimated marginal means showed even smaller ACC volume in adolescents engaging in NSSI with a history of suicide attempt in comparison to those with no history of suicide attempt, including healthy controls. This study provides the first evidence of volumetric changes in adolescents engaging in NSSI and a potential neurobiological link between NSSI and suicide attempt.

SioS-L – Studie zu individuellen und organisationalen Einflüssen auf den Studienerfolg in der Lehrerbildung

Ziel des Forschungsprojekts SioS-L ist die Analyse von Kompetenzentwicklungsprozessen in der Lehrerbildung. Hierzu werden Personlichkeits-, Einstellungs- und Motivationsmerkmale der Studierenden sowie Merkmale der Ausbildung in Hinblick auf ihren Einfluss auf Studien- Ausbildungs- und Berufserfolg betrachtet. Zur empirischen Prufung wird ein langsschnittliches Kohortendesign verwendet, in dem die Studierenden uber einen Zeitraum von 6 Jahren von Beginn ihres Studiums uber die schulpraktische Ausbildungsphase bis in den fruhen Berufseinstieg begleitet werden. Der Beitrag stellt die Konzeption des Projekts vor dem Hintergrund des aktuellen Forschungsstands dar. Es werden ausgewahlte Ergebnisse aus der ersten Projektphase zum Zusammenhang individueller personenbezogener Merkmale und Kriterien des Studienerfolgs vorgestellt und hinsichtlich theoretischer und praktischer Implikationen diskutiert.

Transgenerational Experiences of Childhood Adversities in the Development of Adolescent Borderline Personality Disorder

Introduction Previous research revealed substantial relations between the experience of childhood adversities and the development of borderline personality disorders (BPD) in adulthood. However, research about antecedents of adolescent BPD is still in its beginnings. Moreover, there is an ongoing controversy regarding transgenerational effects of childhood adversities and potential mediators. Objectives We aim to investigate transgenerational effects of parental childhood experiences on the development of adolescent BPD within the next generation. Hereby, we are focusing on the investigation of differential effects of maternal and paternal experiences of childhood adversities on adolescent BPD and on underlying mechanisms. Methods We consecutively recruited 91 female inpatients ( M age = 15.6 years) from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg, as well as 87 mothers and 59 fathers. Childhood adversities were assessed for parents and adolescents with the German Childhood Experiences of Care and Abuse Questionnaire, adolescent BPD by means of structured clinical interviews (SKID II). Results Our results are in favor of a transgenerational effect of parental childhood adversities on the development of adolescent BPD. This effect turned out to be stronger for paternal than for maternal childhood adversities. Moreover, paternal childhood adversities revealed to be related to experiences of childhood adversities within the next generation. Conclusions Our results underline the importance of taking the family environment into consideration when developing prevention and treatment programs for adolescent BPD.