Katrijn Brenning - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Katrijn Brenning

Journal of Child and Family Studies, Jun 4, 2020

This study investigated whether mothers' own perceived parenting history (in their own family of ... more This study investigated whether mothers' own perceived parenting history (in their own family of origin) relates to mothers' self-reported use of psychological control during the toddler period and whether mothers' emotion regulation capacities play an important underlying role in this regard. A community sample of 150 primiparous mothers participated in a longitudinal study, including both a prenatal and postnatal assessment (2 years after birth). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that mothers' own retrospectively perceived history of psychologically controlling parenting prior to childbirth related to their psychologically controlling parenting behavior vis-à-vis their toddlers. Mothers' maladaptive emotional regulation, and dysregulation in particular, was found to play a mediating role in this association. The results highlight that mothers' perceived parenting history is an important prenatal predictor of mothers' own (self-reported) use of psychological control in the first years after childbirth, with maternal emotion regulation helping to account for this association. Keywords Parenting • Toddlerhood • Psychological control • Emotion regulation Highlights • Early developmental origins of psychological control are poorly understood.

Journal of Adolescence, Mar 21, 2018

The present longitudinal study tested for the role of perceived parental autonomy-support and lat... more The present longitudinal study tested for the role of perceived parental autonomy-support and late adolescents' self-worth in their intimacy development. A sample of 497 Belgian late adolescents (M age = 17.9, 43.5% girls) participated in this two-wave study. Results indicated that perceived autonomy-supportive parenting did not relate significantly to change in adolescents' experienced intimacy (in terms of closeness and mutuality), but was associated with a decrease in unmitigated agency (an excessive focus on the self) and unmitigated communion (an excessive focus on the other) across time. Adolescents' self-worth predicted an increase in experienced intimacy and a decrease in unmitigated agency and communion, and the initial level of experienced intimacy predicted an increase in self-worth. Finally, results suggested that adolescents' self-worth may mediate some of the longitudinal relations between perceived parental autonomy-support and adolescents' intimate functioning. No evidence was found for moderation by romantic involvement, gender or age.

Journal of Child and Family Studies, May 8, 2017

Theory and research suggest that adolescents differ in their appraisals and coping reactions in r... more Theory and research suggest that adolescents differ in their appraisals and coping reactions in response to parental regulation. Less is known, however, about factors that determine these differences in adolescents' responses. In this study, we examined whether adolescents' appraisals and coping reactions depend upon parents' situation-specific autonomy-supportive or controlling communication style (i.e., the situation) in interaction with adolescents' past experiences with general autonomy-supportive parenting (i.e., the parenting context). Whereas in Study 1 (N = 176) adolescents' perceived general autonomy-supportive parenting context was assessed at one point in time, in Study 2 (N = 126) it was assessed multiple times across a 6-year period, allowing for an estimation of trajectories of perceived autonomy-supportive parenting context. In each study, adolescents read a vignette-based scenario depicting a situation of maternal regulation (i.e., a request to study more), which was communicated in either an autonomy-supportive or a controlling way. Following this scenario, they reported upon their appraisals and their anticipated coping reactions. Results of each study indicated that both the autonomy-supportive (relative to the controlling) situation and the perceived autonomy-supportive parenting context generally related to more positive appraisals (i.e., more autonomy need satisfaction, less autonomy need frustration), as well as to more constructive coping responses (i.e., less oppositional defiance and submission, more negotiation and accommodation). In addition, situation × context interactions were found, whereby adolescents growing up in a more autonomysupportive context seemed to derive greater benefits from the exposure to an autonomy-supportive situation and reacted more constructively to a controlling situation.

Stress and Health, Nov 5, 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic elicited a lot of concerns among citizens, thereby potentially compromising... more The COVID‐19 pandemic elicited a lot of concerns among citizens, thereby potentially compromising their well‐being. This study sought to examine the role of individuals' emotion regulation styles (i.e., emotional dysregulation, emotional suppression, and emotional integration) in handling these concerns and their experiences of well‐being (i.e., satisfaction with life and sleep quality) and ill‐being (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). The study had a unique 10‐wave longitudinal design (N = 986; M age = 41.28; 76% female) and was conducted during the outbreak of the pandemic in March–May 2020. Multilevel analyses showed, first, that weekly variation in COVID‐19 related concerns related negatively to weekly variation in well‐being and positively to weekly variation in ill‐being. Second, at the between‐person level, emotional dysregulation and suppression related positively to between‐person vulnerability in ill‐being and lower well‐being (across all waves). Third, between‐person differences in emotional dysregulation amplified the strength of the within‐person association between concerns and depressive complaints and lowered life satisfaction. Unexpectedly, integrative emotion regulation amplified the strength of the within‐person association between concerns and anxiety. The discussion focuses on the critical role of emotion regulation in handling the uncertainty elicited by the pandemic and provides directions for further research.

Motivation and Emotion, Sep 17, 2020

This study investigated the protective role of maternal adaptive emotion regulation in applying c... more This study investigated the protective role of maternal adaptive emotion regulation in applying controlling parenting practices while assisting their toddler in completing two different problem-solving tasks. More specifically, the role of maternal emotion regulation was examined relative to significant situational (i.e., task difficulty) and child-related (i.e., toddlers' temperamental negative affectivity) risk factors for controlling parenting. Results showed that (1) mothers' integrative emotion regulation was negatively related to observed maternal control across tasks, (2) mothers were more controlling during a difficult task compared to an easy task, and (3) toddlers' temperamental negative affectivity related positively to the use of observed maternal control, albeit only during a difficult task. These results highlight the relevance of maternal emotion regulation processes during parenting practices beyond contextual and temperamental correlates. Directions for future research and clinical implications are discussed.

Current Psychology, Mar 28, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a threat not only to individuals' physical health but also to th... more The COVID-19 pandemic represents a threat not only to individuals' physical health but also to their mental health. Self-Determination Theory assumes that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence promotes psychological well-being during destabilizing times. Yet, the pandemic seriously hampered individuals' opportunities to satisfy their needs. The current study provides a preliminary test of the effectiveness of a 7-session online program, LifeCraft, that promotes individuals' proactive attempts to uplift their need-based experiences (i.e., need crafting). Next to the effects on individuals' need crafting skills, we examined program-effects on adults' need-based experiences and mental health and we explored the role of participants' program engagement. An experimental study among 725 Belgian adults [M age = 51.67 (range = 26-85); 68.55% female] was conducted, with an experimental condition of 252 and a control condition of 473 participants. At the level of the entire sample, there was limited evidence for the effectiveness of the program. There were only small immediate program-effects on need crafting and well-being. After taking into account the role of program engagement, findings showed that the program was more beneficial for participants who actively participated, with these participants reporting immediate and stable increases in need crafting, need satisfaction and well-being and decreases in need frustration. Further, changes in need crafting fully mediated changes in need-based experiences and well-being. To conclude, the findings provide initial evidence for the effectiveness of LifeCraft during the COVID-19 pandemic, with active participation being a prerequisite for the program to be effective.

The Journal of Pain, Mar 1, 2019

To understand when and why the provision of help by a partner of an individual with chronic pain ... more To understand when and why the provision of help by a partner of an individual with chronic pain (ICP) yields benefits, according to Self-Determination Theory, it is critical to consider the extent to which partners' helping responses are supportive of the basic psychological needs of the ICP as well as the motives underlying these helping responses. The present study (N=141 couples), spanning three measurement moments over six months, investigated temporal associations between partners' helping motivation, ICPs' psychological needs, and ICPs' functioning across time (i.e., wellbeing, psychological distress, and disability). Results showed that partners' autonomous or volitional helping motivation (Time 1) predicted decreases in ICPs' need frustration (Time 2) and ICPs' need frustration (Time 2) predicted increases in ICPs' psychological distress (Time 3). Further, ICPs' need satisfaction (Time 2) predicted increases in wellbeing (Time 3) and decreases in psychological distress (Time 3). The link between need frustration and ICPs' wellbeing (Time 1-Time 2) was bidirectional, with both reciprocally relating to one another over time. Finally, associations between ICPs' disability and both partners' helping motivation and ICPs' need-based experiences were non-significant. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed in the discussion section. Perspective: Partners' helping motives and ICPs' psychological needs seem to be important to consider when investigating the role of spousal responses, as they could (indirectly) predict changes in wellbeing and psychological distress of individuals with chronic pain over time.

Journal of Clinical Psychology, Jan 23, 2019

Objectives: This study examined associations between maternal psychologically controlling parenti... more Objectives: This study examined associations between maternal psychologically controlling parenting and adolescents' responses to rule-setting, as well as the link between both study variables and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Method: Both clinical and non-clinical adolescents reported upon maternal psychological control, responses to rule-setting (i.e., oppositional defiance, submissive compliance, negotiation, accommodation), and both adolescents and mothers reported upon adolescents' problems. Results: Perceived psychological control related positively to adolescents' oppositional defiance and submissive compliance and negatively to negotiation and accommodation. Further, an integrated path model indicated that psychological control related to externalizing problems via oppositional defiance and to internalizing problems via submissive compliance. Conclusions: Psychological control relates to different types of problem behaviors via diverse responses to maternal rule-setting. The discussion emphasizes the importance for future prevention and intervention programs to focus on both parenting and on adolescents' active contribution to their socialization process.

Journal of Happiness Studies, Dec 5, 2017

The present study aims to investigate several relevant psychological factors, including both moth... more The present study aims to investigate several relevant psychological factors, including both mother characteristics (i.e., basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, depressogenic personality) and child characteristics (i.e., infant temperament) in relation to daily variation in maternal well-being. Mothers (N = 126) participated in a fiveday diary study shortly after childbirth , when the child went to day-care for the first time. The latter specific episode was chosen as this period is potentially stressful (due to parentchild separation and challenges in work-family life balance) and within-person variation is expected to be high in such episodes. At the within-person level, day-today variation in psychological need satisfaction and frustration related to day-today variability in maternal well-being. At the between-person level, maternal self-criticism related negatively to wellbeing, while perceived infant temperament yielded few direct associations. Instead, the child's temperament played a moderating role in the association between basic psychological needs and maternal well-being. The findings of this study underscore the importance of a dynamic view on maternal well-being, with basic psychological needs, maternal personality and infant temperament contributing to well-being in a complex fashion. Keywords Diary study Á Maternal well-being Á Basic psychological needs Á Depressogenic personality Á Infant temperament Although parenting is for many parents one of the most rewarding experiences in life (Berntsen et al. 2011), research findings on the association between parenthood and wellbeing are contradictory. Whereas some studies show that parenthood is associated with

Social Development, Jan 15, 2015

This study investigated longitudinal associations between perceived maternal autonomy-supportive ... more This study investigated longitudinal associations between perceived maternal autonomy-supportive parenting and early adolescents' use of three emotion regulation (ER) styles: emotional integration, suppressive regulation, and dysregulation. We tested whether perceived maternal autonomy support predicted changes in ER and whether these ER styles, in turn, related to changes in adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-esteem). Participants (N = 311, mean age at Time 1 = 12.04) reported on perceived maternal autonomy support, their ER styles, and adjustment at two moments in time, spanning a one-year interval. Cross-lagged analyses showed that perceived maternal autonomy support predicted increases in emotional integration and decreases in suppressive regulation. By contrast, emotional dysregulation predicted decreases in perceived autonomy-supportive parenting. Further, increases in emotional integration were predictive of increases in self-esteem, and decreases in suppressive regulation were predictive of decreases in depressive symptoms. Together, the results show that early adolescents' perception of their mothers as autonomysupportive is associated with increases in adaptive ER strategies and subsequent adjustment.

Journal of Personality, Jun 25, 2020

Journal of Happiness Studies, Jan 23, 2019

A central tenet of Self-Determination Theory is that the basic psychological needs for autonomy, ... more A central tenet of Self-Determination Theory is that the basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence represent universal psychological nutriments for adolescents' functioning. This study contributed to the investigation of this universality claim by examining whether the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs would relate, respectively, to adolescents' wellbeing and psychological maladjustment across gender, age, and socioeconomic status (SES). Having gathered data in a large sample of Spanish adolescents (N = 1047; M = 14.68, SD = 1.53), through a series of confirmatory factor analyses we began by providing validity evidence for the Spanish child-adapted version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS;

Motivation and Emotion, Dec 2, 2021

Based on self-determination theory, this diary study examined associations between adolescents' d... more Based on self-determination theory, this diary study examined associations between adolescents' daily need crafting and daily fluctuations in their need-based and affective experiences. We also examined the role of daily perceived autonomysupportive parenting in adolescents' daily need-crafting. Adolescents (N = 159; M age = 15.56; 62% female) filled out a diary for seven consecutive days. Multilevel path analyses indicated that need crafting varied on a day-today basis, with daily need crafting relating positively to daily positive affect and negatively to negative affect. The benefits of daily need crafting were accounted for by higher daily need satisfaction and lower need frustration. Further, on days adolescents perceived more parental autonomy support, they reported more need satisfaction and less need frustration, an effect that was partially due to higher need crafting that day. Overall, the results suggest that need crafting represents a critical pro-active skill, with resulting benefits for adolescents' daily need-based experiences and well-being.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jul 2, 2018

Research increasingly demonstrates that associations between autonomy-relevant parenting and adol... more Research increasingly demonstrates that associations between autonomy-relevant parenting and adolescent adjustment generalize across cultures. Yet, there is still an ongoing debate about the role of culture in these effects of autonomy-relevant parenting. The current study aimed to contribute to a more nuanced perspective on this debate by addressing cultural variability in micro-processes involved in autonomyrelevant parenting and, more specifically, in adolescents' appraisals of and responses to parental behavior. In this vignette-based experimental study, involving 137 South-Korean adolescents (54% female, mean age = 16 years), we examined whether individual differences in vertical collectivism affect the association between descriptions of potentially autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting practices and (a) appraisals of these practices (in terms of perceived autonomy support and control and experiences of autonomy need satisfaction and frustration), and (b) anticipated responses to these practices (i.e., negotiation, submissive compliance, and oppositional defiance). Participants in the autonomy-supportive condition reported more perceived autonomy support and autonomy satisfaction and lower perceived control and autonomy need frustration than participants in the controlling condition. Collectivism moderated between-vignette effects on perceived control and autonomy need frustration such that the differences between the autonomy-supportive and controlling vignettes were less pronounced (yet still significant) among adolescents scoring higher on collectivism. Collectivism did not moderate effects of the vignettes on the responses to parenting, but yielded a main effect, with collectivism relating to more submissive compliance and less oppositional defiance. Overall, the results suggest that both universal and culture-specific processes are involved in autonomy-relevant socialization.

Journal of Family Psychology, Oct 1, 2015

Prenatal psychological adjustment is a critical predictor of postnatal maternal adjustment, which... more Prenatal psychological adjustment is a critical predictor of postnatal maternal adjustment, which, in turn, relates to a child's psychological development. As such, it is important to examine possible correlates of women's psychological functioning during pregnancy. Grounded in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), the present research investigated the link between women's motives for having a child and prenatal maternal psychological adjustment. Specifically, in a sample of 208 pregnant women, we examined the relation between women's intensity (i.e., quantity) and quality of motivation for having a child and both women's social adjustment (i.e., relationship satisfaction) and personal well-being (i.e., vitality and depressive symptoms). Further, we examined psychological need satisfaction as an explanatory mechanism underlying these associations. Results showed that both intensity and quality of motivation related, either directly or indirectly via psychological need satisfaction, to women's personal well-being and relationship satisfaction during pregnancy.

Journal of Adolescence, Mar 1, 2021

INTRODUCTION Satisfaction of adolescents' basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence,... more INTRODUCTION Satisfaction of adolescents' basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness contributes to their well-being. Socialization figures (e.g., parents) can assist adolescents in getting these needs met. In addition, adolescents can engage in need crafting, thereby proactively managing their behavior towards improved need satisfaction. This research aimed to develop a need crafting measure and to examine the role of need crafting in adolescents' need-based experiences and mental health. METHOD A cross-sectional study in 233 Flemish students (Study 1; Mage = 16.6, 58.4% female) addressed the psychometric properties of a need crafting measure and its associations with relevant constructs. Using a three-wave longitudinal study in 436 Flemish students (Study 2; Mage = 16.33, 66,0% female), we investigated the role of need crafting in adolescents' mental health and the intervening role of need-based experiences. RESULTS In Study 1, a CFA yielded evidence for the psychometric quality of the need crafting measure. Need crafting was related in meaningful ways with different validation constructs and with adolescents' need-based experiences. Study 2 showed that need crafting was related to adolescents' mental health, both at the level of inter-individual differences and at the level of intra-individual change. Need-based experiences accounted partly for the mental health benefits associated with need crafting, with the effects remaining significant after controlling for perceived maternal need-support. CONCLUSION The findings provide initial evidence for the importance of adolescents' need crafting in mental health. Future research needs to further examine factors that determine adolescents' ability to manage their own psychological needs.

Current Psychology, Aug 17, 2022

In this article, the author name Nele Laporte was incorrectly written as "Nele Laporte". Thus, th... more In this article, the author name Nele Laporte was incorrectly written as "Nele Laporte". Thus, this erratum is presented to fix this error. The original article has been corrected. Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Dec 9, 2021

Although the COVID-19 crisis is a worldwide threat to individuals' physical health and psychologi... more Although the COVID-19 crisis is a worldwide threat to individuals' physical health and psychological well-being, not all people are equally susceptible to increased ill-being. One potentially important factor in individuals' vulnerability (versus resilience) to ill-being in the face of stress is emotion regulation. On the basis of Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the role of three emotion regulation styles in individuals' mental health during the COVID-19 crisis, that is, integration, suppression, and dysregulation. Participants were 6584 adults (77 % female, Mage = 45.16 years) who filled out well-validated measures of emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and sleep quality. To examine naturally occurring combinations of emotion regulation strategies, hierarchical k-means clustering was performed, yielding 3 profiles: (a) low scores on all strategies (indicating rather low overall levels of worry; 27%), (b) high scores on integration only (41%), and (c) high scores on suppression and dysregulation (33%). Participants in the profiles scoring high on suppression and dysregulation displayed a less favorable pattern of outcomes (high ill-being, low life satisfaction, and poorer sleep quality) compared to the other two groups. Between-cluster differences remained significant even when taking into account the corona-related worries experienced by people. Overall, the findings underscore the important role of emotion regulation in individuals' mental health during mentally challenging periods such as the COVID-19 crisis. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Dec 18, 2012

Depressogenic personality and attachment are two major factors related to the development of adol... more Depressogenic personality and attachment are two major factors related to the development of adolescents' depressive symptoms. However, no previous longitudinal studies have examined simultaneously both vulnerability factors in relationship to depressive symptoms. The present study examined associations between intra-individual change in adolescents' depressogenic personality orientations (i.e., sociotropy and autonomy), dimensions of mother-adolescent attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidance), and depressive symptoms. The sample of the present research consisted of 289 high school students (mean age = 12.51 years at Time 1, 66 % female) participating in a 3-wave cohort-sequential design. Latent growth curve modeling revealed no significant intra-individual change in depressogenic personality orientations but significant changes in dimensions of attachment and symptoms of depression. Initial levels of sociotropy were not related significantly to changes in attachment dimensions and depressive symptoms. High initial levels of autonomy were associated with increases in attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and depressive symptoms. In addition, results suggested that the association between initial levels of autonomy and increases in depressive symptoms was mediated by increases in attachment anxiety and avoidance. The discussion focuses on the status of depressogenic personality and attachment as risk factors for depression.

Motivation and Emotion, Feb 3, 2022