A blind spot in recognizing common mental health problems

Mental health problems are difficult to signal. Fortunately our awareness about many mental health problems has increased somewhat in recent years. But are we sensitive to anxiety disorders, the most common mental health disorder over the lifespan?

Semiha Aydin • May 11, 2020

Coping with negative emotions requires more than positive rephrasing

Describing a situation that elicits negative emotions in more positive terms may provide a new perspective and thus attenuate the negative feelings. However, it is not necessarily the feelings that change with positive rephrasing.

Esther van den Bos • May 09, 2020

Keeping social distance obliges others to be prosocial too

Social distancing is a good example of prosocial behaviour that gives other people a choice. It also strengthens autonomy and self-determination.

Niels van Doesum • April 22, 2020

Government, media and citizens: Watch out for the Nocebo Corona Effect

We are confronted on a daily basis with news about the Corona virus and its consequences. We read alarming headlines like 'Dutch becoming increasingly anxious about Corona virus' or 'Huge fears and stress about Corona crisis'.

Andrea Evers • April 20, 2020

Videoblog: The social brain in middle childhood

As humans it is of key importance to form positive social relationships with the people around us. But what role does our brain play in social relationships, and how can genetic and environmental influences explain this?

Mara van der Meulen • April 15, 2020

When the mind’s eye is blind: why do some people lack mental imagery?

While most of us can experience mental imagery, some people cannot vividly imagine pictures in their mind - and they function just fine. This raises the question: what do we even need mental imagery for? And how problematic is a lack of mental imagery?

Ilse van de Groep • April 14, 2020

When is it too much?

Within the blink of an eye, the world around us has changed, in ways we could not have imagined. The world, which we (especially the people living in relatively stable and wealthy parts of the globe) often interpret as makeshift, seems uncertain and unpredictable at best, simply terrifying at worst.

Liesbeth van Vliet • April 09, 2020

Safety in times of corona

We human beings excel at worrying. We have a well-honed ability to think all about the distant future, and to anticipate all the happy and not-so-happy events that await us. When we are faced with problems we cannot solve, these problems continue to float around in our memories.

Bart Verkuil • April 02, 2020

Is school a place where autism meets equal opportunity?

How are schools doing, when it comes to welcoming children with autism into mainstream education? How successful is the 2014 Dutch Appropriate Education Act for pupils with autism? An estimated 16,000 school-age children do not attend school, with about 5,000 suspected of having autism.

Carolien Rieffe, Sarah Giest and Pim Deul • March 23, 2020