Dutch Adolescents Research Articles

Developmental needs of adolescents in the online lifeworld in the context of youth work

The online lifeworld gives adolescents various opportunities to meet their developmental needs. Not all young people benefit from these opportunities. They encounter negative experiences, have difficulties fulfilling their needs and engage in risky and harmful behaviours in the online lifeworld. This poses challenges for Dutch youth work professionals, as little is known about the digital lives of Dutch adolescents and the challenges they encounter when meeting their developmental needs in the online lifeworld. In this qualitative study, a photovoice method was used to collect screenshots from adolescents (N = 175) concerning their experiences and needs in the online lifeworld. Six types of developmental needs in the online lifeworld were distinguished. The article concludes that understanding how adolescents use online affordances to fulfil their developmental needs is a starting point for all youth work professionals in providing adequate support to adolescents in the online lifeworld.

Evaluating Effect Moderators in Cognitive Versus Behavioral Based CBT-Modules and Sequences Towards Preventing Adolescent Depression

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study was to investigate age group, gender, and baseline depressive symptom severity as possible effect moderators in (1) cognitive versus behavioral based CBT-modules and (2) sequences of modules that started either with cognitive or behavioral modules in indicated depression prevention in adolescents. Method We conducted a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial under four parallel conditions. Each condition consisted of four CBT-modules of three sessions (cognitive restructuring, problem solving, behavioral activation, relaxation), but the sequencing of modules differed. The CBT-modules and sequences were clustered into more cognitive versus more behavioral based approaches. The sample involved 282 Dutch adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms (Mage = 13.8; 55.7% girls, 92.9% Dutch). Assessments were conducted at baseline, after three sessions, at post-intervention and 6-month follow-up with self-reported depressive symptoms as the primary outcome. Results We found no evidence for substantial moderation effects. Age group, gender, and depressive symptom severity level at baseline did not moderate the effects of cognitive versus behavioral modules after three sessions. No evidence was also found that these characteristics moderated the effectiveness of sequences of modules that started either with cognitive or behavioral modules at post-intervention and 6-month follow-up. Conclusion Cognitive and behavioral based modules and sequences in the prevention of depression in adolescents might apply to a relatively wide range of adolescents in terms of age group, gender, and severity levels of depressive symptoms. Abbreviation: CDI-2:F: Children’s Depression Inventory-2 Full-length version; CDI-2:S: Children’s Depression Inventory-2 Short version; STARr: Solve, Think, Act, Relax, and repeat

Clinical characteristics of adult and paediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: A real-life cross-sectional study from the Turkish National Database

Background and aimsFamilial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most common cause of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Türkiye is among the countries with the highest rate of ASCVD. However, no population-based study has been published so far on the prevalence of FH, demographic and clinical characteristics, burden of ASCVD, treatment compliance, and attainment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. MethodsWe performed a study using the Turkish Ministry of Health's national electronic health records involving 83,063,515 citizens as of December 2021 dating back 2016. Adults fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of definite or probable FH according to the Dutch Lipid Network Criteria (DLNC), and children and adolescents fulfilling the criteria of probable FH according to the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Consensus Panel report formed the study population (n = 157,790). The primary endpoint was the prevalence of FH. ResultsProbable or definite FH was detected in 0.63% (1 in 158) of the adults and 0.61% (1 in 164) of the total population. The proportion of adults with LDL-C levels >4.9 mmol/L (190 mg/dL) was 4.56% (1 in 22). The prevalence of FH among children and adolescents was 0.37% (1 in 270). Less than one-third of the children and adolescents, and two-thirds of young adults (aged 18–29) with FH were already diagnosed with dyslipidaemia. The proportion of adults and children and adolescents on lipid-lowering treatment (LLT) was 32.1% and 1.5%, respectively. The overall discontinuation rate of LLT was 65.8% among adults and 77.9% among children and adolescents. Almost no subjects on LLT were found to attain the target LDL-C levels. ConclusionsThis nationwide study showed a very high prevalence of FH in Türkiye. Patients with FH are diagnosed late and treated sub-optimally. Whether these findings may explain the high rates of premature ASCVD in Türkiye needs further investigation. These results denote the urgent need for country-wide initiatives for early diagnosis and effective management of FH patients.

Depression Socialization in Early Adolescent Friendships: The Role of Baseline Depressive Symptoms and Autonomous Functioning

There is mixed evidence for depression socialization, a process by which friends affect each other’s level of depressive symptoms. The current study examined whether adolescents’ baseline depressive symptoms and three dimensions of autonomous functioning (autonomy, peer resistance, and friend adaptation) make adolescents more or less sensitive to depression socialization, and how these dimensions of autonomous functioning were connected. In this preregistered, two-wave longitudinal study, participants completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, autonomy, and peer resistance and participated in a task to assess friend adaptation. Participants were 416 Dutch adolescents (Mage = 11.60, 52.8% girls) across 230 close friend dyads. In contrast to expectations, results showed no significant depression socialization nor significant moderation. Furthermore, autonomy and peer resistance were related but distinct constructs, and not related to friend adaptation. These findings suggest that there is no depression socialization in early adolescence, regardless of level of autonomous functioning.

Adolescents' friendship quality and over-time development of well-being: The explanatory role of self-esteem.

The mechanism underlying the positive longitudinal link between adolescents' friendship quality and their well-being is unclear. The present study was performed to investigate whether this longitudinal association between friendship quality and well-being was established via adolescents' global self-esteem, and to examine gender differences in these associations. Online questionnaire data were collected in two waves (in Spring 2018 and Spring 2019) from 1298 Dutch adolescents aged 11-17 years (mean age 13.7 ± 1.1 years, 53.2% girls). Multigroup path analyses revealed a significant indirect effect between friendship quality and well-being over time via global self-esteem for girls. For boys, significant direct effects of friendship quality on global self-esteem and well-being were found, but no significant indirect effect. The findings indicate that higher-quality friendships improve boys' global self-esteem and well-being directly, and that they affect girls' well-being indirectly and positively, by improving their global self-esteem. These results suggest that preventive and intervention-based strategies for the promotion of well-being during the developmental stage of adolescence should incorporate focus on friendships, global self-esteem, and gender specificities.

Validity and reliability of the short Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI-5) in Dutch adolescents

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the short Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI-5) in a Dutch adolescent sample. The sample consisted of 2063 secondary school students (mean age 13.6 years, 48% girls) who filled out a battery of screening questionnaires for a routine health check. We investigated structural validity with a confirmatory factor analysis, scale reliability with internal consistency coefficients, and construct validity with hypotheses testing and convergent validity. The proposed one-factor structure fitted well in the present sample. However, there was an indication of measurement variance for gender. Scale reliability was high (ω = 0.88), and sufficient positive correlations were found between TAI-5 scores and anxiety, depression, worry, executive functioning, and sleep problems (r ranging from 0.36 to 0.56). Girls had significantly higher test anxiety scores than boys (d = 0.47). The present study provided evidence for the validity and reliability of TAI-5 scores in a general population of Dutch adolescents.

Can I @handle it? The effects of sponsorship disclosure in TikTok influencer marketing videos with different product integration levels on adolescents’ persuasion knowledge and brand outcomes

TikTok influencer videos are becoming increasingly popular for promotional purposes and are appealing to adolescents. Yet, the products' level of integration into the storyline of such videos influences their recognizability as advertisements, which is concerning as they expose adolescents to unhealthy social media food marketing, leading to unhealthy consumption. This study investigated whether a sponsorship disclosure in a TikTok influencer video with different levels of product-plot integration increases adolescents' persuasion knowledge and impacts their brand outcomes. This between-subjects 2 × 2 experiment included 245 Dutch adolescents with a mean age of 13.6 (SD = 1.42). Participants watched a TikTok video in which the brand Doritos was shown passively or integrated into the storyline, with or without a disclosure. The sponsorship disclosure significantly increased recognition of advertising (F(241) = 4.48, p = .035) and understanding of persuasive intent (F(241) = 13.28, p = <.001), regardless of product-plot integration level. Yet, brand attitude and product choice were not affected significantly by the disclosure. Overall, sponsorship disclosure in TikTok influencer videos helps create transparency and increase adolescents’ recognition and understanding of commercial and persuasive intent. This study is the first to investigate disclosures in the context of popular short-format social media videos.

Exposure to neighborhood violence and child-parent conflict among a longitudinal sample of Dutch adolescents

An extensive body of research has documented the deleterious effects of community violence on adolescent development and behavior. Much of this research focuses on how exposure to violence structures social interaction, and, ultimately, how it motivates youth to engage in troublesome behavior. This study builds upon this body of research to demonstrate how exposure to community violence strains relationships between adolescents and their caregivers, resulting in higher levels of interpersonal conflict. Drawing on five waves of longitudinal panel data (n = 778; observations = 3458; 55 % female), combined with police records of violent crime in Utrecht, the Netherlands, a hybrid tobit regression documents how exposure to local and nearby violence affects child-parent conflict. The results indicate that youth who experience high levels of neighborhood violence report higher levels of conflict with parents than youth with low exposure to neighborhood violence. These results are consistent across different levels of neighborhood aggregation.

Are there negative cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity? Testing ri-CLPMs in two longitudinal samples of young adolescents.

This study's aim was to examine whether there are negative increasing cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity over time. Drawing from Social Information Processing Theory, we hypothesized that victimization leads to higher levels of rejection sensitivity, which would put adolescents at risk for higher future victimization. Data were collected in a four-wave study with 233 Dutch adolescents starting secondary education (Mage = 12.7 years), and a three-wave study with 711 Australian adolescents in the last years of primary school (Mage = 10.8 years). Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to disentangle between-person from within-person effects. In each sample, a significant between-person association was found: adolescents with higher levels of victimization as compared to their peers also reported higher levels of rejection sensitivity. At the within-person level, all concurrent associations between individual fluctuations of victimization and rejection sensitivity were significant, but there were no significant cross-lagged effects (except in some sensitivity analyses). These findings demonstrate that victimization and rejection sensitivity are interrelated, but there may not be negative victimization-rejection sensitivity cycles during the early-middle adolescent years. Possibly, cycles establish earlier in life or results are due to shared underlying factors. Further research is needed examining different time lags between assessments, age groups, and contexts.

Body Image in Adolescents with Gender Incongruence and Its Association with Psychological Functioning.

During adolescence, many individuals with gender incongruence (GI) experience distress related to body dissatisfaction. This study aims to describe the body (dis)satisfaction of Dutch adolescents referred for GI and to describe the influence of body image on their psychological functioning. Self-report measures on body satisfaction (Body Image Scale) and psychological functioning (Youth Self-Report) were obtained from 787 adolescents (aged 10-18) who were referred to the Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria at the Amsterdam University Medical Centers between 1996 and 2016. First, a general description of body satisfaction in adolescents with GI was developed. Secondly, multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the association between body image and psychological functioning, both for total problems and for internalizing and externalizing problems separately. Third, regression analyses are repeated for body area subscales. Adolescents with GI report the greatest dissatisfaction with the genital area, regardless of birth-assigned sex. For all other body areas, there were birth-assigned sex differences in satisfaction. The analyses showed that body satisfaction was significantly related to total psychological problems and both internalizing and externalizing problems. Greater body dissatisfaction is significantly associated with worse psychological functioning in adolescents with GI. Clinicians should monitor the body image of adolescents with GI over time, especially during puberty and medical interventions.

Better, for worse, or both? Testing environmental sensitivity models with parenting at the level of individual families.

According to environmental sensitivity models, children vary in responsivity to parenting. However, different models propose different patterns, with responsivity to primarily: (1) adverse parenting (adverse sensitive); or (2) supportive parenting (vantage sensitive); or (3) to both (differentially susceptible). This preregistered study tested whether these three responsivity patterns coexist. We used intensive longitudinal data of Dutch adolescents (N = 256, Mage = 14.8, 72% female) who bi-weekly reported on adverse and supportive parenting and their psychological functioning (tmean = 17.7, tmax = 26). Dynamic Structural Equation Models (DSEM) indeed revealed differential parenting effects. As hypothesized, we found that all three responsivity patterns coexisted in our sample: 5% were adverse sensitive, 3% vantage sensitive, and 26% differentially susceptible. No adolescent appeared unsusceptible, however. Instead, we labeled 28% as unperceptive, because they did not perceive any changes in parenting and scored lower on trait environmental sensitivity than others. Furthermore, unexpected patterns emerged, with 37% responding contrary to parenting theories (e.g., decreased psychological functioning after more parental support). Sensitivity analyses with concurrent effects and parent-reported parenting were performed. Overall, findings indicate that theorized responsivity-to-parenting patterns might coexist in the population, and that there are other, previously undetected patterns that go beyond environmental sensitivity models.

Mindset and perceived parental support of autonomy safeguard adolescents’ autonomous motivation during COVID-19 home-based learning

During school closures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, less support from peers and teachers may have required more autonomous motivation from adolescents. Little is known about factors that could shield against these negative effects. Driven by two influential motivational theories, we examined how mindset, feelings of school burnout and the three basic psychological needs of the self-determination theory, could predict changes in autonomous motivation when controlling for pre-pandemic levels of motivation. The results from a sample of Dutch adolescents (Mage = 14.63 years) and their parents (Mage = 48.65 years) showed that endorsing a growth mindset was positively associated with autonomous motivation during the school closures, while feelings of school burnout were negatively associated with autonomous motivation. Additionally, perceived parental autonomy support (i.e. a measure of the basic psychological need of autonomy) related to more autonomous motivation during home-based learning. Our findings highlight the personal and family factors that influence how adolescents respond to home-based learning and suggest ways to keep adolescents motivated and diminish possible negative consequences during future home-based learning situations.

Elevated creatinine kinase levels amongst Dutch adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication

This study aims to explore the prevalence of creatinine kinase elevation amongst a sample of Dutch adolescents admitted for acute alcohol intoxication. The data on all admitted adolescents < 18 years old with acute alcohol intoxication between 2008 and 2021 were collected from a Dutch major district general hospital, Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, in Delft. Overall, 495 adolescents who were treated for symptoms of acute alcohol intoxication during this period were included in the study. When evaluating the blood samples of the included patients, elevated creatinine kinase levels were found in 60% of the cases, with a mean of 254 U/I (normal value ≤ 145 U/I). A confirmed diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis (increase in CK > fivefold the upper limit of normal) was present in 4.4% of cases. Moreover, using a linear regression this study found that a higher blood alcohol concentration was associated with higher creatinine kinase levels, when adjusted for positive drug screenings amongst the adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication (p = 0.027; β = 66.88; 95% CI 7.68 − 126.08). Conclusions: This is the first study focusing on how acute alcohol intoxication affects adolescents’ muscle tissue. The results could potentially help to prevent alcohol use within the sports world. It could also aid understanding of how acute alcohol intoxication influences the breakdown of adolescents’ muscle tissue.What is Known:• Alcohol, alongside pharmaceutical agents and illicit drugs, is a significant cause of rhabdomyolysis (increase in creatinine kinase > fivefold the upper limit of normal).• Creatinine kinase elevation in alcohol intoxicated patients may be as a result of direct “muscular” toxicity” (myotoxicity) or from prolonged immobilization and ischemic compression induced by coma.What is New:• Our retrospective cohort study is a pioneer in addressing the effect of acute alcohol intoxication amongst adolescents (< 18 years) upon muscle tissue (creatinine kinase level) within a large population. When evaluating the blood samples of the included population, elevated creatinine kinase levels were found in 60% of the cases, with a mean of 254 U/I (normal value ≤ 145 U/I).• There is an association between alcohol intoxication and elevated creatinine kinase levels amongst adolescents. Future research is needed to further understand the pathophysiology and causality of this interaction.

Urinary concentrations of bisphenols and parabens and their association with attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity at adolescence

BackgroundNeurobehavioural disorder diagnoses have been increasing over the last decades, leading to heightened interest in the aetiological factors involved. Endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as parabens and bisphenols, have been suggested as one of those factors. It is unknown whether exposure during adolescence may affect neurobehavioural development. ObjectiveTo determine whether urinary concentrations of parabens and bisphenols are associated with attention and concentration in adolescents, in general and sex-specific. MethodsWe invited 188 adolescents (13–15 years old) for the follow-up birth cohort-study. Concentrations of five parabens and three bisphenols (BPA; BPF; BPS) were measured in morning urine after overnight fasting, using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Attention and concentration were assessed at the clinic with subtests of the Test of Everyday Attention in Children and the Dutch Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder questionnaire (AVL), the latter being filled in by parents. Linear regression analyses were performed, adjusting for urine creatinine concentrations and potential confounding factors. Results101 (54%) adolescents participated (46 girls; 55 boys). Urinary paraben concentrations were higher in girls than in boys. Methylparaben was positively associated with attention in girls (p ≤ .05; B= −2.836; 95%CI= −5.175;−.497), ethylparaben negatively with hyperactivity (p ≤ .05; B= −1.864; 95%CI= −3.587;−.141). Butylparaben was associated with more optimal scores on parent reported attention. Propylparaben was negatively associated with scores on sustained auditory attention in girls (p ≤ .10; B=.444; 95%CI= −.009;.896). Bisphenol concentrations were not associated with scores on attention and concentration after adjusting for confounders. ConclusionIn 13–15-year-old Dutch adolescents, urinary concentrations of methylparaben and ethylparaben were associated with better attention and less hyperactivity, whereas a trend toward significance was found between higher urinary propylparaben concentrations and poorer attention. Bisphenol concentrations were not associated with attention and concentration after adjusting for confounders.

Factors Related to Adolescents’ Participation in Organized Sports

Participation in organized sports has important health benefits in adolescence, yet participation rates are concerning. A better understanding of factors influencing adolescents' participation in organized sports offers opportunities to improve participation rates. The aim of this study was to examine to what extent motives, perceived competence, encouragement and motor skills were associated with participation in organized sports in a sample of first-year secondary school students. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 386 Dutch adolescents (11-14 years) in October and November 2020. A series of multilevel logistic regression models estimated the likelihood of adolescents' participating in organized sports. First, we examined whether motives, perceived competence, encouragement and motor skills were independently associated with the likelihood of participation. Second, we examined whether these factors were concurrently associated with the likelihood of participation. When considered individually, motives, perceived competence, encouragement and motor skills were significantly associated with participation. When considered together, only motives were significantly associated with participation and the associations of all other factors with sport disappeared. These findings show the importance of motivation for participation in sports over other factors. These findings inform the development of interventions aimed at improving adolescents' participation rates.

The Role of Education in Native Dutch Adolescents’ Muslim Population Size Perceptions

This study investigates competing explanations for the effect of education on native adolescents’ Muslim population size perceptions. Drawing on theories about heuristic reasoning, we analyze to what extent the effect of education on size perceptions may be explained by differences in contact with and prejudice towards Muslims. The hypotheses are tested using longitudinal data on adolescents in the Netherlands (N = 1218). Overall, there is a tendency to overestimate the size of the national Muslim population. Furthermore, we find that higher educated adolescents tend to provide lower estimates of the Muslim population size. This relationship is partially mediated by earlier differences in school composition, as Muslims are concentrated to a greater extent in lower education. The relation between education and size perceptions cannot be attributed to differences in prejudice. Hence, we conclude that the effect of education on size perceptions is likely due to greater numeracy rather than negative evaluations of the outgroup.

Examining Secondary School Choice Processes as a Predictor of Adjustment After the School Transition.

The secondary school transition is an important moment in adolescents' lives. Taking a prospective approach, the present study examined whether educational identity regarding a secondary school choice and own and parental expectations during the last year of primary school predicted post-transition school and psychological adjustment in Dutch adolescents (N = 314, Mage = 11.58). Additionally, the study qualitatively examined the reasons adolescents gave for their school choice, and linked these reasons to exploration behavior and post-transition adjustment. Identity processes and expectations predicted adjustment. Adolescents mostly reported multiple reasons for their school choice, with educational, practical, and social aspects of secondary schools appearing most important. The number of reasons mentioned was associated with pre-transition exploration behavior.

3.78 Mental Health Problems During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Dutch Children and Adolescents With and Without Pre-existing Mental Health Problems

Research has shown that mental health problems in children and adolescents have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to investigate changes in mental health throughout the pandemic and whether changes in children with pre-existing mental health problems differ from those in children from the general population.

The Intergenerational Transmission of Party Preferences in Multiparty Contexts: Examining Parental Socialization Processes in the Netherlands

Research shows that parents have a strong influence on the party preferences of their children. Yet little is known about how such preferences are transmitted in multiparty systems with weak party identification and high electoral volatility. We propose a model of intergenerational transmission that includes both direct effects of parents' party preferences on those of their children, as well as indirect effects through left–right and issue positions. We test this model with original survey data of Dutch adolescents (14–20 years old) and their parents (N = 751 adolescent‐parent pairs). We find two paths through which parents exert influence on the party preferences of their adolescent children. On the first path, parental party preferences function as a direct predictor of adolescent party preferences. On the second path, adolescent left–right and issue positions function as a mediator between parental left–right and issue positions and adolescent party preferences, with the effect of left–right positions being stronger than that of issue positions. The frequency with which adolescents discuss political topics with their parents moderates these effects.

Drip Too Hard? Commercial Rap Music and Perceived Masculinity Ideals and Actual Self-Evaluations among Black U.S. and Dutch Adolescent Men

Popular American commercial rap is believed to (re)produce cultural narratives of masculinity. Yet, there is no knowledge about the relationship between consumption of idealized masculinity in rap and young (Black) men’s senses of masculine selves. This study aims to explore how sixteen American and Dutch Black adolescent men perceive ideals of masculine behavior, physical appearance, and mate desirability in commercial rap. Grounded in social comparison theory, it furthermore aims to understand whether these young men compare themselves to these ideals, and if so, how this informs their self-evaluations. A (hybrid) comparative thematic analysis of interviews with eight U.S. and eight Dutch adolescents revealed three masculinity ideals to be present in rap and congruent with the majority of the respondents’ own ideals. First, it is appropriate for young men to be ‘playas’ and view (young) women as either (sexually) freaky girls or wifey material. Second, attractive men look wealthy, and, third, desirable men financially provide for their partners. The participants who endorsed these ideals and, subsequently, compared themselves to them, reported positive self-evaluations and emotions, which were believed to translate into their own behavior, appearance, and desirability. Interestingly, although the participants came from different cultural contexts, systematic differences in perception, attitude, social comparison and self-evaluation were not found. Suggestions for future research are provided and implications for intervention programs are discussed.