In some Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom and the United States, there is evidence of a dramatic decline in adolescent emotional wellbeing, particularly among girls. It is not clear to what extent this decline can be generalised to other high-income countries. This study examines trends over time (2005-2009-2013-2017) in adolescent wellbeing in the Netherlands, a country where young people have consistently reported one of the highest levels of wellbeing across Europe. It also assesses parallel changes over time in perceived schoolwork pressure, parent-adolescent communication, and bullying victimization. Data were derived from four waves of the nationally representative, cross-sectional Dutch Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (N = 21,901; 49% girls; M_age = 13.78, SD = 1.25). Trends in emotional wellbeing (i.e., emotional symptoms, psychosomatic complaints, life satisfaction) were assessed by means of multiple regression analyses with survey year as a predictor, controlling for background variables. Emotional wellbeing slightly declined among adolescent boys and girls between 2009 and 2013. A substantial increase in perceived schoolwork pressure was associated with this decline in emotional wellbeing. Improved parent-adolescent communication and a decline in bullying victimization may explain why emotional wellbeing remained stable between 2013 and 2017, in spite of a further increase in schoolwork pressure. Associations between emotional wellbeing on the one hand and perceived schoolwork pressure, parent-adolescent communication, and bullying victimization on the other were stronger for girls than for boys. Overall, although increasing schoolwork pressure may be one of the drivers of declining emotional wellbeing in adolescents, in the Netherlands this negative trend was buffered by increasing support by parents and peers. Cross-national research into this topic is warranted to examine the extent to which these findings can be generalised to other high-income countries.

Young carers are children and adolescents who provide care to other family members or friends, taking over responsibilities that are usually associated with adulthood. There is emerging but still scarce knowledge worldwide about the phenomenon of young carers and the impact of a caring role on their health, social and personal development spheres. This paper provides an overview of the main results from the ME-WE project, which is the first European research and innovation project dedicated to adolescent young carers (AYCs) (15–17 years). The project methods relied on three main activities: (1) a systematization of knowledge (by means of a survey to AYCs, country case studies, Delphi study, literature review); (2) the co-design, implementation and evaluation of a primary prevention intervention addressing AYCs’ mental health (by means of Blended Learning Networks and a clinical trial in six European countries); (3) the implementation of knowledge translation actions for dissemination, awareness, advocacy and lobbying (by means of national and international stakeholder networks, as well as traditional and new media). Project results substantially contributed to a better understanding of AYCs’ conditions, needs and preferences, defined tailored support intervention (resilient to COVID-19 related restrictions), and significant improvements in national and European policies for AYCs.

This study examines denominational, age, and gender differences in young children's God concepts. Subjects were 198 Dutch preschoolers (mean age 68 months) whose mothers and schools belonged to six different religious denominations. The mothers were non-affiliated, pentecostal, catholic, Dutch reformed, orthodox reformed, or strictly orthodox reformed. The schools were religiously neutral (state schools), interdenominational (protestant/catholic), catholic, Dutch reformed, orthodox reformed, or strictly orthodox reformed. Children's God concepts were measured using stuctured interviews and were operationalized as spontaneous references to aspects of the Bible and as ideas about potential characteristics of God. Results showed that both maternal and schools' religious denomination have independent effects on children's God concepts which generally correspond to theological descriptions of mainline Dutch religious beliefs. Boys identify God more with Jesus than girls. Older preschoolers perceive God less like their parents than the younger ones.

This study investigates whether there are differences in quality of life—i.e., psychosomatic complaints and life satisfaction—between schoolchildren with and without a chronically ill or disabled parent at home. It also examines the role played by the intensity of tasks, life circumstances, and social support at home and school. In 2017, a Dutch representative sample of adolescents aged between 12 and 16 (from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study) completed a questionnaire about illness of family members, tasks at home, life circumstances and characteristics, social support, psychosomatic complaints and life satisfaction. In total, 5470 schoolchildren who did not have a parent with a chronic illness and 652 who did have a parent with a chronic illness were selected (average age 13.9). Stepwise multilevel logistic regression analyses in STATA were used. Schoolchildren with an ill parent had more psychosomatic complaints and lower life satisfaction than their counterparts without an ill parent, even when controlling for extra task hours, specific life circumstances and characteristics (e.g., more likely to be growing up in a single-parent family or stepfamily and more likely to be female), and lower perceived support. These aspects are also predictors of a lower quality of life. Professionals should address these aspects of the life of schoolchildren with a sick parent in such a way that they are facilitated to make a successful transition to adulthood.

This study examines professional development activities for students and teachers in two Dutch professional development schools (PDSs). The PDSs consist of a partnership between the kindergarten classes of the elementary school and accompanying playgroup (with children aged 4–6 and 2.6–4, respectively), a teacher’s training college and a research group and educational service agency attempting to improve the effects of early childhood education programmes. The professional development activities encompass the quality of adult–child interaction during instruction and daily routines. All participants learn from each other how to support and challenge children’s language and reasoning skills by attending joint courses, observing each other and giving feedback. Rating scales of interactive skills were completed twice during one year by the participants themselves, colleagues and an observer. Also, the participants evaluated the interventions used. Findings indicate that although the subjects became more aware of the importance of adult–child interaction, only kindergarten teachers grew in interactive skills. RÉSUMÉ: Cette étude porte sur des activités de développement professionnel concernant étudiants et enseignants de deux écoles néerlandaises de développement professionnel (PDS). Les PDS reposent sur un partenariat entre les classes de jardin d’enfants de l’école élémentaire et les groupes de jeu (pour les enfants âgés, respectivement, de 4 à 6 ans et de 2.6 à 4 ans), une école de formation d’enseignants, un groupe de recherche et une agence de service éducatif, dans le but d’améliorer les effets des structures éducatives de la petite enfance. Les activités de développement professionnel concernent la qualité de l’interaction adulte–enfant pendant les temps d’enseignement et les routines quotidiennes. Tous les participants apprennent les uns des autres comment soutenir et promouvoir les aptitudes de langage et de raisonnement des enfants, en participant ensemble aux cours, en s’observant mutuellement et en réagissant. Une échelle des compétences interactives a été remplie deux fois en un an par les participants eux‐mêmes, des collègues et un observateur. Les participants ont aussi évalué les interventions utilisées. Bien que les sujets soient devenus plus conscients de l’importance de l’interaction adulte–enfant, les résultats indiquent seuls les instituteurs de jardins d’enfants ont amélioré leurs compétences interactives. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Diese Studie betrachtet die professionellen Entwicklungsaktivitäten für Studenten und Lehrer in zwei niederländischen Schulen für professionelle Entwicklung (PE). Diese PE‐Schulen bestehen aus einer Partnerschaft zwischen den Kindergartenklassen der Grundschulen und der mit ihnen verbundenen Spielgruppe (mit Kindern im Alter von 4 bis 6 Jahren bzw. von 2.6 bis 4 Jahren), einer Hochschule für Lehrerausbildung, einer Forschungsgruppe und einem Bildungsberatungsbüro und bezwecken, die Auswirkungen von Bildungsprogrammen im frühen Kindesalter zu verbessern. Die professionellen Entwicklungsaktivitäten befassen sich mit der Qualität der Erwachsenen‐Kinder‐Interaktion während des Unterrichts und bei den täglichen Routinearbeiten. Alle Teilnehmer lernen von einander, wie sie die Fähigkeiten der Kinder im Hinblick auf Sprache und logisches Denken fördern und herausfordern können, indem sie gemeinsam an Kursen teilnehmen, sich gegenseitig beobachten und Feedback geben. Beurteilungsskalen der interaktiven Kompetenzen wurden zweimal im Laufe eines Jahres von den Teilnehmern selbst, von Kollegen und einem Beobachter gegeben. Auch bewerteten die Teilnehmer die Interventionen. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass obwohl die teilnehmenden Personen sich der Wichtigkeit der Erwachsenen‐Kinder‐Interaktion bewusster wurden, sich nur die Kindergartenlehrer bezüglich der interaktiven Kompetenzen weiterentwickelten. RESUMEN: Este estudio analiza las actividades de desarrollo personal para estudiantes y profesores en dos institutos de desarrollo profesional de los Países Bajos (PDSs). Los institutos de desarrollo profesional consisten en una asociación entre las clases infantiles de la escuela primaria, y un grupo de juegos colaborador (con niños de 4 a 6 años y de 2.6 a 4 años, respectivamente), el colegio de formación de profesores, el grupo de investigación y la agencia de servicios educacionales, e intentan mejorar los efectos de los programas educacionales en la infancia temprana. Las actividades de desarrollo profesional abarcan la calidad de la interacción adulto‐niño durante la enseñanza y las actividades diarias. Todos los participantes aprenden, mutuamente, cómo apoyar y estimular el lenguaje de los niños y las aptitudes de razonamiento siguiendo cursos conjuntos, observándose mutuamente y ofreciendo el feedback. Los mismos participantes, compañeros de trabajo y un observador cumplimentaron escalas de valoración de competencias interactivas, dos veces durante un año. Los participantes también evaluaron las intervenciones utilizadas. Los estudios indican que, si bien los sujetos tomaron mayor conciencia sobre la importancia de la interacción adulto‐niño, sólo los profesores de guarderías mejoraron en competencias interactivas.