Reliability and validity of the Roberts UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS-8) with Dutch-speaking adolescents in Belgium

The internal consistency and construct validity of the RULS-8, a brief measure of loneliness for use with adolescents, was examined in three samples of Dutch-speaking adolescents in Belgium (for a total of 'N' = 6,236). The measure showed high levels of internal consistency (ranging between .80 and .82), strong convergence with the original 20-item instrument ('r' = .92; Sample 1; 'N' = 282), excellent fit with its hypothesized factor structure through confirmatory factor analysis (Sample 2; 'N' = 1,144), measurement invariance across gender, and significant correlations in the expected direction with a set of indicators of psychological adaptation and maladaptation (Sample 3; 'N' = 4,810). Based on these results, the 8-item short form is recommended for use with Dutch-speaking adolescents when administration of the full form seems less advisable due to time constraints. Suggestions for potential use of the short form and for future research on its reliability and validity are outlined

Loneliness and depressive symptoms: The mediating and moderating role of uncontrollable ruminative thoughts

Although feelings of loneliness often are accompanied by depressive symptoms, little is known about underlying mechanisms in this association. The present study sampled 370 college freshmen and investigated whether rumination (and its components of Uncontrollability, Causal Analysis, and Understanding) functioned as a mediator or moderator in the relationship between 2 types of loneliness (as experienced in the relationship with parents and with peers, respectively) and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that rumination partially mediated the relationship between peer-related loneliness and depressive symptoms and moderated the relationship between parent-related loneliness and depressive symptoms. In addition, the uncontrollable nature, rather than the content, of these ruminative thoughts about parent- and peer-related loneliness was particularly harmful in the development of depressive symptoms. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.status: publishe

The human and murine protocadherin-beta one-exon gene families show high evolutionary conservation, despite the difference in gene number.

AbstractExtensive cDNA analysis demonstrated that all human and mouse protocadherin-β genes are one-exon genes. The protein sequences of these genes are highly conserved, especially the three most membrane-proximal extracellular domains. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that this unique gene family evolved by duplication of one single protocadherin-β gene to 15 copies. The final difference in the number of protocadherin-β genes in man (#19) and mouse (#22) is probably caused by duplications later in evolution. The complex relationship between human and mouse genes and the lack of pseudogenes in the mouse protocadherin-β gene cluster suggest a species-specific evolutionary pressure for maintenance of numerous protocadherin-β genes

Adolescents' and mothers' conflict management constellations: Links with individual and relational functioning

In the present multi-informant study, we examined dyadic combinations of adolescent and maternal conflict management styles through stepwise latent class analysis. We investigated how these dyadic conflict classes related to adolescents' and mothers' perceptions of individual and relational functioning (depressive symptoms, self-esteem, conflict frequency, relationship satisfaction, parenting), both concurrently and over time. Four conflict styles were investigated: positive problem solving, withdrawal, conflict engagement, and compliance. Questionnaires were completed by 526 adolescents and mothers. Findings pointed to four meaningful conflict management constellations: Dyadic Positive Management, Unbalanced Management, Adolescent Negative Management and Dyadic Negative Management. These constellations were differentially related to individual and relational factors. This study emphasized the importance of a typological dyadic approach in examining conflict management

Reliability and validity of the Roberts UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS-8) with Dutch-speaking adolescents in Belgium

The internal consistency and construct validity of the RULS-8, a brief measure of loneliness for use with adolescents, was examined in three sam ples of Dutch-speaking adolescents in Belgium (for a total of N = 6,236). The measure showed high levels of internal consistency (ranging between.80 and.82), strong convergence with the original 20-item instrument (r =.92; Sample 1; N = 282), excellent fit with its hypothesized factor structure through confirmatory factor analysis (Sample 2; N = 1,144), measurement invariance across gender, and significant correlations in the expected direction with a set of indicators of psychological adaptation and maladaptation (Sample 3; N = 4,810). Based on these results, the 8-item short form is recommended for use with Dutch-speaking adolescents when administration of the full form seems less advisable due to time constraints. Suggestions for potential use of the short form and for future research on its reliability and validity are outlined. Copyright: © 2014 The Author(s).status: publishe

δ-Protocadherins: a gene family expressed differentially in the mouse brain

Phylogenetic analysis of protocadherin genes identified a new gene subfamily, the delta-protocadherins, containing several conserved motifs in their cytoplasmic domains. This subfamily can be further subdivided into two subgroups, named delta 1-protocadherins (comprising protocadherin-1, -7, -9, and -11 or X/Y) and delta 2-protocadherins (comprising protocadherin-8, -10, -17, -18, and -19). The members of the delta 1-protocadherin subgroup were analyzed in greater detail here. They share a similar gene structure that results in the expression of multiple alternative transcripts. All members of this subgroup have at least one transcript that contains a binding site for protein phosphatase-1 alpha. Like most classic cadherins, each of three delta 1-protocadherins analyzed in this study by in situ hybridization showed a unique expression pattern that differed from the patterns of the other delta 1-protocadherins. Together, these results suggest that the members of the M-protocadherin subgroup exercise tightly regulated functions in the development, regionalization, and functional differentiation of the mouse brain

The human cadherin-10 gene: complete coding sequence, predominant expression in the brain, and mapping on chromosome 5p13-14.

AbstractIn a quest for novel cadherin gene family members in the human dbEST database, an interesting EST clone was identified and chosen for subsequent analysis. Using the technique of 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends, we isolated the complete coding sequence and a large part of the UTRs of a novel gene. The sequence appeared to correspond to the human cadherin-10 gene, whose sequence was only partially known before. The expression pattern of this cadherin was found to be largely brain-specific, with additional expression in both adult and fetal kidney, and with minor expression in prostate and fetal lung. By FISH analysis the genomic location was determined at human chromosome 5p13–14, which is nearby the reported positions of the human cadherin-6, -12, and cadherin-14 (CDH18) genes. Cadherin-10 shows high relationship to the human cadherin-6 gene