In recent years, care for people with severe mental illnesses (SMI) has shifted from institutional to recovery-based treatment in which informal caregivers often have an important role. However, their increased involvement has elevated issues such as role strain or burden of care, which indicates that …

Academisch Proefschrift, ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. dr. J.J.G. Geurts, volgens besluit van de decaan van de Faculteit der Bètawetenschappen in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 19 februari 2026 om 11.45 uur in …

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling mental health disorder affecting psychosocial functioning and quality of life. This systematic review is the first to summarize existing global literature on the relationship between PTSD and specific domains of cognitive function in the general population …

Children with intellectual disabilities experience unique developmental, social, and environmental challenges that intersect with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs), shaping their psychosocial outcomes. While prior research has mainly examined single adversities …

Abstract Introduction: The construct of epistemic trust (ET) has gained wide acceptance and support in the field, although there is little empirical evidence to substantiate the theo retical assumed model. Studies of the assessment of ET were conducted in community samples only and the mediating role …

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease primarily affecting older adults, mainly impacting the hip and knee joints. The increasing prevalence of OA contributes to rising healthcare demands and costs. Current OA treatment guidelines emphasize the importance of self-management education and …

Background:   Intellectual disability (ID) is a developmental disorder that causes considerably below-average intellectual performance and adaptive behaviour. In the context of the present study, families raising a child with ID are reported to experience multiple challenges that appear not to be well …

It is by no means uncommon that academic scholars, journalists and even poets use the epi-thet ‘age of’ to signal how a certain feature is particularly characteristic of the times in which we live. In this chapter, we argue that it makes sense to address our current epoch as an ‘age of emotions’. Broadly …

People with personality disorders (PDs) are often difficult to reach emotionally in therapy. As music therapy (MT) provides an entry point to emotions and facilitates contact and communication, it is regularly used with this target group. This study presents a case study of a 40-year-old woman diagnosed …

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the health and well-being of all health care professionals. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses reported prevalence rates of 13.5%- 44.7% for depression, 12.3%-41.2% for anxiety, 5.2%-56.5% for acute stress reaction, 7.4%- 37.4% for post-traumatic stress …