Based on the theoretical framework of belonging regulation and the absence of knowledge on gene processes related to mechanisms that could enhance social inclusion in adolescence, the aim of the present study is to examine interindividual…
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Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
- Age related factors
Synonym
Health condition
niet op aandoening, maar op sociaal emotionele uitkomsten (geen stoornissen)
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The main study parameter of the computer task on micro-expression is emotion
recognition (the amount of correctly identified emotions within each emotion;
anger, fear, sadness and happiness). This will be a proportion measure (i.e.,
the amount of correctly identified emotions divided by the total amount of that
specific emotion).
The main study parameters of the eye tracking experiment are total gazing times
and gazing time per event to different areas of interest (AOI). A gaze fixation
will be defined as gazing at a specific region for 100 ms or longer. More
specific, total gazing time (total fixation duration) is the total time a
participant gazes at a specific AOI stimulus in ms. Gazing time per event (mean
fixation duration) is the average duration of each fixation within a specific
AOI of a single stimulus.
Other endpoints are loneliness, depression, social anxiety, and satisfaction
with relationships (based on questionnaire data).
Secondary outcome
Genetic Material. To assess the role of variation in the OXTR gene, saliva
samples will be collected by means of saliva containers following standardized
procedures (Oragene, DNA Genotek Inc). Several polymorphisms (a.o. rs53576,
rs2254298, rs237885) within the OXTR gene will be genotyped at the reserachlab.
These will be dummy-coded into 1 (carrier of one or two minor alleles) and 2
(homozygote for the major allele).
Background summary
Close friendships and romantic relationships are primarily established in
adolescence. A sense of social inclusion is essential for this. According to
the model of belonging regulation, people need a minimum of social
relationships to feel socially included. Therefore, regulatory processes such
as the processing of social cues and the ability to use them to display
convenient social behaviours are needed. Deficits in these processes could lead
to social exclusion. We hypothesize that genetic variation within the OXTR gene
could lead to individual differences in various social behaviours, ultimately
explaining interindividual differences in social belongingness levels. If
belonginess levels are not met, individuals may experience an unmet need to
belong. An unmet need to belong has been associated with higher loneliness and
may as well be associated with other social emotional adjustment problems. It
is hypothesized that the higher the unmet need to belong, the higher the social
emotional problems.
Study objective
Based on the theoretical framework of belonging regulation and the absence of
knowledge on gene processes related to mechanisms that could enhance social
inclusion in adolescence, the aim of the present study is to examine
interindividual differences in social (micro)behaviours of adolescents. More
specifically, the aim is to test oxytocin receptor gene variants (OXTR) in
processes related to the belonging regulation model, such as emotion
recognition. Another objective is to study differences between adolescents with
an unmet need to belong and adolescents that are satisfied with their
belongingness levels on several measures, such as loneliness, depression,
social anxiety, satisfaction with relationships and the capability of emotion
recognition. A further objective is to examine how adolescents attend to social
information from their environment. With an eye-tracking experiment, it will be
investigated how the OXTR markers and an unmet need to belong influence time
gazed at emotional faces. In sum, the overall aim is studying the OXTR gene in
relation to adolescents* sensitivity to emotional information underlying social
inclusion and to gain more insight in the model of belonging regulation in
adolescents.
It is hypothesized that OXTR genetic variants are associated with:
• The ability to recognise very shortly presented emotions on a computer screen
• The gaze duration to different social cues (longer gazing times) to enhance
their belongingness level
• A higher unmet need to belong
Further, it is hypothesized that adolescents with a strong unmet need to belong:
• Perform better on a micro expression emotion recognition task
• Show longer gaze duration to different social cues in order to enhance their
belongingness level
• Have higher loneliness, depression and social anxiety measures.
Following this, it is hypothesized that the interaction term between an unmet
need to belong and the specific genetic variants will strengthen the
associations described above.
Study design
Adolescents will be recruited through high schools (N~1,400). They will fill in
questionnaires, conduct an emotion micro expression task on the computer and
DNA will be collected to genotype multiple OXTR genetic markers. Based on the
OXTR markers, a subsample (N~100) will be invited to participate in an
eye-tracking experiment with several emotional face paradigms.
Study burden and risks
Participants are only asked to fill out questionnaires, to conduct a computer
task (showing micro-expressions of emotions) and to provide a saliva sample
once. This might be considered as no risk and a very limited burden. The manner
in which DNA will be collected is non-invasive. Moreover, we have used this
non-invasive method successfully in adolescent school samples before, with
approval of the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO).
For the subsample (n=100) that will participate in the eyetracking study, there
also is a very limited burden (one school hour). Eyetracking studies do not
yield any risk.
Montessorilaan 3
Nijmegen 6525 HR
NL
Montessorilaan 3
Nijmegen 6525 HR
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
In order to be eligible to participate in this study, a subject must meet the following criteria:
- Being in 2nd grade of high school,
- Being of white European descent (subjects of other ethnic origins are able to participate, but do not have to provide saliva for DNA analyses).
Exclusion criteria
There are no exclusion criteria other than having impaired vision or blindness. In this case, adolescents cannot conduct the (micro-expression) computer task.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL47719.072.14 |