Hans Koot | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (original) (raw)

Hans Koot

Currently, I am a professor of developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology and visiting fellow at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I am highly interested in the etiology, diagnostics and intervention of emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. My interests focus on determining the development of emotion understanding and emotion regulation and social cognitions and interactions and their relation with self-regulation and psychopathology. In addressing the development of self-regulation and psychopathology, neuropsychological, cognitive, and social interactive processes are taken into account. In my studies, findings with concern to normal development are contrasted with those of a variety of high-risk and clinical groups using cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs. In addition, to address developmental mechanisms interventions and experiments are performed in the context of longitudinal cohort studies while accounting simultaneously for personal and environmental influences.

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Papers by Hans Koot

Journal of Family Psychology, 2007

Developmental Review, 2008

Twin-singleton differences in problem behavioure in 2-3-year-olds were studied. Maternal ratings ... more Twin-singleton differences in problem behavioure in 2-3-year-olds were studied. Maternal ratings <»f children's problem beha\-i(>urs were obtained with the CBCI./2-3. The twin sample con.sisled of lati:^ twin pairs (4')f> M/., 907 D/), the sample of singletons consisted of 420 c hildren from the general populalion. Results indicated that the general level of problem behaviotns iti twins wa.s broadly comparable lo that in singletons. Four of the seven syndromes showed lower seores for twins. These dilTerences. however, were small and mainly caused by lower scores for W. twins in totiipaHson to MZ twins and singlelons. Part of the difference could be attribtited to the higher maternal age in the twin groups. Higher means for boys were found for the total problem score, and tbe ,'\ggressive and Overaciive syndromes.

This four-year longitudinal study attempted to test person-environment interaction theory and bio... more This four-year longitudinal study attempted to test person-environment interaction theory and biological sensitivity theory by assessing whether individuals’ biological stress activity CARAUCg (Cortisol Awakening Response Area Under the Curve with respect to ground) moderates the effects of neighbourhood density on the development of adolescent externalizing problem behaviours. Participants were 358 Dutch adolescents with a mean age of 15 years at the first measurement. Our analyses showed that CARAUCg moderated the effects of neighbourhood density on the level of parent-reported delinquency and aggression and adolescent self-reported delinquency. More specifically, for adolescents with high CARAUCg, higher neighbourhood density significantly predicted higher levels of parent-reported and adolescent self-reported delinquency and aggression, whereas the association was reversed or non-significant for adolescents with low CARAUCg. Our findings suggest that adolescents with different levels of CARAUCg respond differentially to the density of the neighbourhood they live in, supporting for person-environment interaction perspectives and biological sensitivity theory.

This study explored the development of mood variability in 474 Dutch adolescents (56.8% male, 90.... more This study explored the development of mood variability in 474 Dutch adolescents (56.8% male, 90.1% medium to high socioeconomic status) from a community sample, followed from ages 13 to 18 years. Three times per year, adolescents reported on daily happiness, anger, sadness, and anxiety for 5 days using Internet diaries (15 assessment weeks; from 2006 to 2010). Mood variability scores were calculated as means of absolute differences between consecutive days. Results showed that happiness, anger, and sadness variability continuously declined across adolescence, while anxiety variability increased initially, then decreased, and then increased toward late adolescence. Despite females experiencing higher happiness and sadness variability, the rate of change across adolescence was similar for both sexes. Implications for normative emotional development and future studies are discussed.