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PURPOSE: Limited longitudinal population-based research exists on the bidirectional association between loneliness and common mental disorders (CMDs). Using 3-year follow-up data, this study examined whether loneliness among adults increases the risk for onset and persistence of mild-moderate or severe CMD; and whether mild-moderate or severe CMD is a risk factor for onset and persistence of loneliness. METHODS: Data were used from the second ('baseline') and third (3-year follow-up) waves of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2, a prospective study of a representative cohort of adults aged 18-64 years. Twelve-month CMDs and their severity were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0, and current loneliness using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Multivariate analyses were controlled for several potential confounders. RESULTS: Loneliness predicted onset of severe CMD at follow-up in adults without CMDs at baseline, and increased risk for persistent severe CMD at follow-up in those with CMD at baseline. Conversely, severe CMD predicted onset of loneliness at follow-up in non-lonely adults at baseline, but was not associated with persistent loneliness at follow-up in lonely adults at baseline. Observed associations remained significant after controlling for perceived social support at baseline, except for the relationship between loneliness and persistent severe CMD. No longitudinal relationships were observed between loneliness and mild-moderate CMD. CONCLUSIONS: Attention should be paid to loneliness, both in adults with and without CMD. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the observed associations between loneliness and CMDs to develop successful interventions.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a strong predictor of incident (first-onset and recurrent) mental disorders in adulthood. However, less is known about underlying mechanisms and moderators of these associations. This study examines to what extent vulnerability characteristics (low social support, negative life events, parental psychopathology, neuroticism, history and comorbidity of mental and physical health) contribute to the impact of CM on adult psychopathology. Data from two general population cohorts - the first and second Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Studies - were combined into one dataset (N = 10,065). CM (emotional, psychological, physical or sexual abuse before the age of 16) and vulnerability characteristics were assessed with a structured face-to-face interview. First-onset and recurrent mental (mood, anxiety, substance use) disorders were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. CM doubled the risk of developing a first-onset or recurrent mental disorder at three-year follow-up (OR = 2.08). CM was not only directly connected to incident mental disorders, but also indirectly through vulnerability characteristics. Several vulnerabilities, in particular low social support, parental psychopathology, prior mental disorders and neuroticism, moderated the relationship between CM and adult mental disorders, indicating that these vulnerability factors had a greater effect on incident mental disorders among people with childhood abuse. As not all adults with a history of CM develop mental disorders, these mediating and moderating risk factors might help identify adults with a history of maltreatment who could benefit from preventive interventions.

Background Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among adolescents in Western countries. However, although treatment for depressive symptoms is available, many adolescents do not seek help when they need it. Important barriers to help-seeking among adolescents include low mental health literacy and high stigma. Therefore, we have developed a game-based school program, Moving Stories, which combines mental health literacy training for depression with contact with someone with lived experience both in the digital and nondigital world. Objective The aim of this study is to conduct a first test of the effectiveness of the newly developed game-based program, Moving Stories, using a cluster randomized controlled trial. Methods A total of 185 adolescents participated, divided over 10 classes from 4 schools. Half of the classes were randomly selected to follow the Moving Stories program, whereas the other half were in the control group, where no intervention was provided. The adolescents filled out digital questionnaires at 4 time points, with questions on mental health literacy, stigma, depressive symptoms, and the program itself (before the program, after the program, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up). Using R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing), we ran linear mixed-effects models for all continuous outcome variables and generalized linear mixed-effects models for all binary outcome variables. Results Compared with the control group, participants in the Moving Stories group improved after the program in personal stigma (b=−0.53, 95% CI −1.02 to −0.03; t179.16=−2.08; P=.04). Effects on personal stigma lasted over time (3-month follow-up: b=−0.57, 95% CI −1.11 to −0.03; t174.39=−2.07; P=.04). Most adolescents in the Moving Stories group participated in the introduction (97/99, 98%) and contact session (93/99, 94%), played the game for 4 or 5 days (83/99, 83%), and indicated that they would recommend the game to their peers (90/98, 92%). Conclusions The results of this study show the potential of Moving Stories as a stigma reduction program. With changes in the program to improve its effects on mental health literacy, Moving Stories could be implemented in schools to improve help-seeking in adolescents and reduce the negative consequences and burden of depressive symptoms. Trial Registration Dutch Trial Register NTR7033; https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR7033 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/11255

AIM: This study aimed to enhance knowledge on which aspects of the family context are most relevant in identifying at-risk/problematic social media users among adolescents. Therefore, we examined the relative contribution to adolescents' at-risk/problematic social media use (SMU) of general and Internet-specific family factors related to three different family (sub)systems: parent-child (Internet-specific rule-setting, reactive restrictions towards Internet use, co-use, adolescents' involvement in rule-setting and positive parenting), parent (parental screen time, phubbing, stress, anxiety and depression) and family (family functioning, family intactness and SES) (sub)system. METHODS: Questionnaire data came from 403 adolescents (M = 13.51, SD = 2.15) and 396 parents (M = 46.59, SD = 5.29) who participated in wave 1 of the Dutch 'Digital Family project'. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses showed that only factors related to the parent-child subsystem remained significant in predicting being an at-risk/problematic social media user when examining predictors related to the parent-child, parent and family (sub)system simultaneously. Specifically, general and Internet-specific parenting practices contributed to the prediction above and beyond each other. Positive parenting and Internet-specific rule-setting seem protective, while parental reactive restrictions towards Internet use could be a risk factor. Positive parenting showed the largest effect size. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that parental behaviors directed towards the child should be a focus of attention in prevention of adolescents' problematic SMU. In addition, our findings highlight the importance of untangling restrictive mediation (impulsive, in the moment, attempts to limit SMU versus communicating clear rules in advance) when examining its effects.

Post-traumatic growth is a compelling idea, yet extant research has often employed retrospective reports of change, rather than examining change over time. Research on samples of people that are traditionally seen as hard-to-reach are rare within personality psychology. In Karakter, we assessed a sample of Syrian origin young adults who recently resettled in the Netherlands (initial N = 168) four times over a 13-month period to examine experiences of adversity, emotions, and positive personality change. Here, we provide a detailed narrative of the research process, beginning with a description of how we incorporated open science practices in Karakter. We then turn to a discussion of the changes, challenges, and opportunities we encountered in the research. In doing so, we discuss conceptual and methodological considerations when examining personality change. We close with suggestions for researchers who are interested in conducting similar studies with populations that are underrecruited in the future.

The personality trait sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is an established risk factor for the development of internalizing problems. Highly sensitive adolescents react stronger to environmental cues including parenting environment and stressful life events. The aim of the current study was to examine if the perceived impact of COVID-19, mediates the link between SPS and internalizing problems. In addition, it was tested if parenting style moderates the mediating effect of perceived COVID-19 impact between SPS and internalizing problems among adolescents. The study had a cross- sectional design and data were collected between April-July 2020 during the first lockdown in the Netherlands. Participants were 404 adolescents aged 9–18 years (Mage = 13.49). Questionnaires were administered online to assess SPS (Highly Sensitive Child Scale), parenting style (Parenting Style Inventory-II), internalizing problems (Patient Health Questionnaire-4) and COVID-19 pandemic impact (COVID-19 impact scale). The SPSS macro PROCESS was used to test the mediation model of perceived COVID-19 impact and the moderated mediation model with parenting style as a moderator. A relationship was found between SPS and internalizing problems which is partly mediated by the COVID-19 impact. The moderating effect of parenting style was not found. These findings provide insight into the effect the pandemic has had on highly sensitive adolescents. Further research is needed to develop and test interventions to support sensitive youth and thus possibly prevent the development of internalizing problems.

Objectives Increases in electronic media communication (EMC) and decreases in face-to-face peer contact in the evening (FTF) have been thought to explain the recent decline in adolescent substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis). This study addresses this hypothesis, by examining associations between (time trends in) EMC, FTF, and substance use in more than 25 mainly European countries. Methods Using 2002–2014 data from the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, we ran multilevel logistic regression analyses to investigate the above associations. Results National declines in substance use were associated with declines in FTF, but not with increases in EMC. At the individual level, both EMC and FTF related positively to substance use. For alcohol and cannabis use, the positive association with EMC was stronger in more recent years. Associations between EMC and substance use varied across countries, but this variation could not be explained by the proportion of young people using EMC within countries. Conclusions Our research suggests that the decrease in FTF, but not the increase in EMC, plays a role in the recent decrease in adolescent substance use. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00038-018-1182-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This preregistered meta–analysis ( k = 113, total n = 93 668) addressed how the Big Five dimensions of personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) are related to loneliness. Robust variance estimation accounting for the dependency of effect sizes was used to compute meta–analytic bivariate correlations between loneliness and personality. Extraversion ( r = −.370), agreeableness ( r = −.243), conscientiousness ( r = −.202), and openness ( r = −.107) were negatively related to loneliness. Neuroticism ( r = .358) was positively related to loneliness. These associations differed meaningfully in strength depending on how loneliness was assessed. Additionally, meta–analytic structural equation modelling was used to investigate the unique association between each personality trait and loneliness while controlling for the other four personality traits. All personality traits except openness remained statistically significantly associated with loneliness when controlling for the other personality traits. Our results show the importance of stable personality factors in explaining individual differences in loneliness. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

Bij gelegenheid van haar emeritaat, reflecteert de auteur op ontwikkelingen met betrekking tot het seksueel welzijn van jongeren. Geopend wordt met een korte beschouwing van de stand van zaken op dat vlak in Nederland en van een paar relevante aspecten van de tegenwoordige maatschappelijke context. Vervolgens wordt dieper ingegaan op enkele centrale thema’s op het snijvlak van gender en seksualiteit, op de rol van hedendaagse technologisering en sociale media, en op (valkuilen in de) seksuele vorming. In het slotwoord wordt onder andere gepleit voor de nood- zakelijke verruiming van de academische aandacht voor het thema.

Een positieve benadering van seksualiteit, waarin niet alleen aandacht is voor de risico’s van seks, maar juist ook voor thema’s als seksueel plezier en consent, is essentieel voor een gezonde ontwikkeling van seksualiteit bij jongeren. Het draagt bij aan plezierige seksuele ervaringen, aan de algemene gezondheid van jongeren, aan veilige seks, gendergelijkheid en preventie van seksueel geweld. Hoewel steeds meer scholen een positieve benadering van seksualiteit nastreven in hun seksuele vormingsonderwijs, voelen docenten seksuele vorming zich vaak niet voldoende voorbereid om deze lessen te geven. In dit artikel betogen wij dat er meer onderzoek moet komen naar de manier waarop positieve seksuele vorming het best geïmplementeerd kan worden op middelbare scholen. In 2012 was Ine Vanwesenbeeck toen net aangesteld als bijzonder hoogleraar Seksuele Ontwikkeling, Diversiteit en Gezondheid, één van de grondleggers van het vak Jongeren en Seksualiteit - later Youth and Sexuality - aan de Universiteit Utrecht. Een vak waarin de seksualiteit van jongeren vanuit biopsychosociaal perspectief wordt belicht en waarin Ine een prominente plaats bleef houden vanwege haar expertise op het brede veld van gender en seksualiteit. De afgelopen tien jaar hebben wij dit mooie vak, wat tot één van de populairste keuzevakken is verworden van de bacheloropleiding Interdisciplinaire Sociale Wetenschap, mogen verzorgen. Met het verstrijken van de jaren viel ons echter iets op: het was stuitend hoe weinig studenten wisten over bepaalde onderwerpen, en ook hoe verontwaardigd zij hier zelf over waren. Jaar in, jaar uit keken verbaasde gezichten ons aan vanuit de collegezaal, wanneer we thema’s zoals vrouwelijke seksualiteit, consent en seksueel plezier bespraken. Boos of verdrietig hoorden wij studenten verzuchten: “Waarom wist ik dit niet?”

Background Cue exposure for extinguishing conditioned urges to smoking cues has been promising in the laboratory, but difficult to implement in natural environments. The recent availability of augmented reality (AR) via smartphone provides an opportunity to overcome this limitation. Testing the ability of AR to elicit cue-provoked urges to smoke (ie, cue reactivity [CR]) is the first step to systemically testing the efficacy of AR for cue exposure therapy. Objectives To test CR to smoking-related AR cues compared to neutral AR cues, and compared to in vivo cues. Methods A 2 × 2 within-subject design comparing cue content (smoking vs. neutral) and presentation modality (AR vs. in vivo) on urge response. Seventeen smokers viewed six smoking-related and six neutral cues via AR smartphone app and also six smoking and six neutral in vivo cues. Participants rated their urge to smoke and reality/co-existence of the cue. Results Average urge to smoke was higher following smoking-related AR images (Median = 7.50) than neutral images (Median = 3.33) (Z = −3.44; p = .001; d = 1.37). Similarly, average urge ratings for in vivo smoking-related cues (Median = 8.12) were higher than for neutral cues (Median = 2.12) (Z = −3.44; p = .001; d = 1.64). Also, greater CR was observed for in vivo cues than for AR cues (Z = −2.67, p = .008; d = .36). AR cues were generally perceived as being realistic and well-integrated. Conclusions CR was demonstrated with very large effect sizes in response to AR smoking cues, although slightly smaller than with in vivo smoking cues. This satisfies the first criterion for the potential use of AR for exposure therapy. Implications This study introduces AR as a novel modality for presenting smoking-related stimuli to provoke cue reactivity, and ultimately to conduct extinction-based therapy. AR cues presented via a smartphone have the advantage over other modes of cue presentation (pictures, virtual reality, in vivo, etc.) of being easily transportable, affordable, and realistic, and they can be inserted in a smokers’ natural environment rather than being limited to laboratory and clinic settings. These AR features may overcome the generalizability barriers of other methods, thus increasing clinical utility for cue exposure therapies.