risk and resilience factors in mental health
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Monozygotic twins
Twin pairs and, where applicable, their non-twin siblings participate in a standardized laboratory session (13:00–17:00). Following informed consent and completion of the qu
Sponsors
Universitätsklinikum Tübingen
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Twin pairs and their additional non-twin siblings aged 16;0 years and older Sufficient German language proficiency
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: age below 16; Willingness of only one twin sibling to participate Shift work involving night shifts or similar working hours that make the planned EMA assessments impossible
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Mental health: Mental health is assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) (Franke, 2014; Derogatis & Unger, 2010), which measures subjectively perceived impairment by physical and psychological symptoms within the last 7 days. The questionnaire consists of 90 items assigned to nine symptom dimensions. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). In addition to the subscales, a Global Severity Index (GSI) is calculated to reflect overall psychological distress. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Labaratory Assessment: Well-being: Assessed using the WHO-5 (5 items, 6-point scale). Higher scores indicate higher well-being. Emotion regulation: Assessed using the DERS-18 (18 items, 6 subscales, 5-point scale). Higher scores indicate greater difficulties. Childhood maltreatment: Assessed using the CTQ (28 items, 5 subscales, 5-point scale). Higher scores indicate greater maltreatment exposure. Attachment: Assessed using a modified BBE (5-point scale) focusing on social relationships and partnerships. Measures attachment dimensions. Cognitive attitudes: Assessed using the DAS-18 (18 items, 7-point scale). Higher scores indicate more dysfunctional attitudes. Depressive symptoms: Assessed using the BDI-II (21 items, 4-point scale). Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. Self-efficacy: Assessed using the SWE/GSE-10 (10 items, 4-point scale). Higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy. Sleep quality: Assessed using the PSQI (19 items, 7 components). Global score ranges from 0–21; higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. To induce acute psychosocial stress, participants complete the MIST (2 × 9 minutes) with time pressure, adaptive difficulty, and standardized negative feedback, followed by a 20-minute recovery period. Heart rate and heart rate variability are recorded via chest ECG (Movesense sensor), and five saliva samples (baseline, between runs, immediately after, and twice during recovery) are collected for stress hormone assessment. In addition, blood samples are used to analyze DNA methylation (e.g., FKBP5, OXTR, SLC6A), and hair samples are used to assess hair cortisol as a marker of chronic stress burden. Ambulatory Assessment: During a one-week ambulatory phase, participants complete EMA assessments six times daily on mood (MDBF), perceived stress (PSS-4), and contextual factors (e.g., sleep, activity, substance use). In addition, daily audio diaries are recorded; all data are used to contextualize biological stress markers. | — |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
Public ContactJohanna Löchner
LMu München
Outcome results
None listed