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Capturing social interaction in adolescence. From social alterations to social impairments

Boek - Dissertatie

Prevalent psychological disorders in adolescence almost always have a strong social component. However, social dynamics and experience are challenging to capture and, therefore, difficult to relate to psychopathology at an early stage. To contribute to early detection and prevention of prevalent psychological symptoms in adolescence, the aim of this PhD is to study (the development of) social skills and associated social behaviour in relation to psychopathology. The doctoral thesis resulting from this PhD includes a book chapter and six empirical studies that are conducted with a focus on social dynamics, both in relation to the other and in relation to the environment. In the book chapter, it is argued that a focus on social interaction and social dynamics instead of social cognition improves research on social functioning (in psychosis). Virtual Reality (VR) and the Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) are discussed as alternative methods to address this idea. The first series of three empirical studies in a general population of adolescents describe the use of the minimalistic virtual experiment - the Perceptual Crossing Experiment (PCE) - to capture a basic capacity for dynamic, real-time social interaction. The second series of three empirical studies describe the use of the Experience Sampling Methodology in order to compare groups at different stages of psychosis with regard to their experience of symptoms and their social behaviour in daily life. This doctoral project paves the way for novel directions in research into social interaction with an emphasis on social interaction's dynamic and experiential nature. Future testing of the research questions and hypotheses identified by this doctoral project may advance the early detection and prevention of social impairments in adolescence. Early prevention and intervention programs for mental health problems in adolescents are encouraged to invest in actual social interaction, which has become even more important during the COVID-19 crisis.
Jaar van publicatie:2021
Toegankelijkheid:Open