Family Transmission of Executive Functions: Mix of Traditional and Citizen Science Research Approach

The aim of this study was to examine the family transmission of executive functions deficits (working memory and inhibitory control) from parents to children, using a combination of traditional and citizen science research approaches. The final sample consisted of 110 families with two children (440 participants; 110 pairs of children, 110 fathers and 110 mothers). Children were preadolescent (6 to 10 years old; 24 pairs) or adolescent (11 to 15 years old; 86 pairs) siblings. The research results indicated that the inhibitory control of the mother is related to the inhibitory control of the younger child, and that the inhibitory control of the father is related to the inhibitory control of the older child in the family, regardless of developmental period. In the father-child relationship, it was revealed that there is a strong connection between parental and child working memory. On the other hand, there are significant interaction of mothers' working memory and age of children in the second-born child. Potential mechanisms of transmission were discussed, bearing in mind the specifics of mother's and father's involvement in raising children, as well as the potential direction of this research question towards the sphere of behavioral genetics and parenting styles

Differences in MB-COMT DNA methylation in monozygotic twins on phenotypic indicators of impulsivity

Epigenetic modifications of the membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (MB-COMT) gene may affect the enzymatic degradation of dopamine, and consequently, human behavior. This study investigated the association between membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in 92 monozygotic (MZ) twins with phenotypic manifestations of cognitive, behavioral, and personality indicators associated with reward-related behaviors and lack of control. We used pyrosequencing to determine DNAm of the regulatory region of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase in saliva DNA. Results of intrapair differences in the percentage of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm at each of five CpG sites show that there are associations between phenotypic indicators of lack of control and membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm differences on CpG1, CpG2 and CpG4, suggesting the common epigenetic patterns for personality traits, cognitive functions, and risk behaviors

Differences in MB-COMT DNA methylation in monozygotic twins on phenotypic indicators of impulsivity

Epigenetic modifications of the membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (MB-COMT) gene may affect the enzymatic degradation of dopamine, and consequently, human behavior. This study investigated the association between membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in 92 monozygotic (MZ) twins with phenotypic manifestations of cognitive, behavioral, and personality indicators associated with reward-related behaviors and lack of control. We used pyrosequencing to determine DNAm of the regulatory region of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase in saliva DNA. Results of intrapair differences in the percentage of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm at each of five CpG sites show that there are associations between phenotypic indicators of lack of control and membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm differences on CpG1, CpG2 and CpG4, suggesting the common epigenetic patterns for personality traits, cognitive functions, and risk behaviors

Factor mixture analysis of the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad: Could sadism make a difference?

Dinić, B. M., Sadiković, S., & Wertag, A. (2020). Factor mixture analysis of the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad. Could sadism make a difference? Journal of Individual Differences, 42(2), 74–83. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a00033

Dark Tetrad and psychological distress among male violent offenders and male community adults

Oljača, M., Sadiković, S., Dinić, B. M., & Baić, V. (2021). Dark Tetrad and psychological distress among male violent offenders and male community adults. Primenjena Psihologija, 14(4), 509–537. https://doi.org/10.19090/pp.2021.4.509-53

Violent behavior among middle school children: The role of gender and personality traits

This paper examines the role of personality traits and gender in violent interaction among middle school children (11-15 age range). The aim of the research presented here was to determine the contribution of personality traits and gender to various aspects of violent interaction, i.e. predisposition towards and exposure to peer violence. The sample consisted of 344 students from 5th to 8th grade, the majority of whom were girls (60.8%). The instruments used in the research were a questionnaire designed to assess violent behavior in primary school children (PRONA) and the Big Five Plus Two inventory (the BF + 2 for children), designed to assess seven basic personality traits in primary school children. The results of a multivariate analysis of covariance suggest that boys tend to perpetrate and be exposed to violent behaviour more than girls, and also that certain personality traits contribute to the manifestation of these constructs. Exposure to violence is determined by low Extraversion, as well as higher levels of Neuroticism and Negative Valence. The traits that contribute most significantly to the tendency towards abusive behaviour are high levels of Aggression and Negative Valence as well as lower levels of Positive Valence. The most effective means of abuse prevention among middle school children is the setting up of prevention programs along with the detection of specific vulnerable groups of students, and the adjustment of these programs to students' personological traits

Emotional and Behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia

Sadiković, S., Branovački, B. Oljača, M. Mitrović, D., Pajić, D., and Smederevac, S. (2020). Daily monitoring of emotional responses to the coronavirus pandemic in Serbia: A Citizen Science approach. Frontiers in Psychology, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.0213