Tetzlaff, Melina (2022) Electrophysiological Measures and Callous-Unemotional Traits as Predictors of Cognitive Impairments. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Fear recognition and working memory (WM) may be impaired in children and adolescents with callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Moreover, a mediating role in this cognitive impairment may be suggested for baseline automatic nervous system (ANS) measures, such as heart rate (HR) and skin conductance response (SCR). The present thesis examined fear recognition and WM performance in relation to CU traits and investigated a possible mediating involvement of ANS measures in this relationship. By utilizing a pooled sample cases (oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder) and controls aged eight to 17 years (n = 49), the predicting relationship of CU trait level on WM and fear recognition was examined. Furthermore, the mediating influence of HR, SCR and heart rate variability (HRV) on the relationship between CU traits and WM as well as fear recognition was investigated. Outcomes supported the hypothesis that higher CU traits were significantly related to lower WM functioning. Also, a preliminary significant effect was found for the predicting role of higher CU traits on poorer fear recognition. The assumption of a mediating link of ANS measures on the relationship between CU traits and WM as well as fear recognition function, however, could not be demonstrated. The findings challenge the idea of a mediating involvement of ANS measures in the relationship between CU traits and impairments in WM and fear recognition.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Koerts, J. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Clinical Neuropsychology (CN) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Feb 2022 08:48 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Feb 2022 15:10 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/109 |
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