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  • Afaattisten henkilöiden ja heidän läheistensä subjektiivinen arvio kuorolauluintervention hyödyistä 
    Firon, Csilla (2019)
    Tavoitteet. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tarkastella uudenlaisen afasian kuntoutukseen suunnatun kuorolauluintervention subjektiivisesti koettua hyötyä. Interventio oli osa Helsingin yliopiston Kognitiivisen aivotutkimuksen yksikön Laulun sanoin -hanketta ja se koostui kuorolaulusta, ryhmämuotoisesta MIT (melodinen intonaatioterapia) -kuntoutuksesta sekä laulun harjoittelusta tablettitietokoneella. Interventioon osallistui afasiaa sairastavia henkilöitä sekä heidän läheisiään. Aiemmissa tutkimuksissa on havaittu, että musiikilla ja laululla voi olla kuntoutuksellisia vaikutuksia muun muassa kielellisiin toimintoihin. Afasian kuntoutuksessa on eniten tutkittu MIT-menetelmää, mutta myös uusia musiikkia sisältäviä kuntoutusmuotoja kehitetään aktiivisesti. Subjektiivisesti koettua kuntoutuksesta saatua hyötyä ei ole afasian osalta erityisesti tutkittu, vaikka oman kokemuksen tiedetään vaikuttavan kuntoutuk- sen lopputulokseen. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, minkälainen subjektiivinen arvio afaattisilla henkilöillä ja heidän läheisillään oli interventiosta. Lisäksi tarkastellaan, oliko afasian vaikeusasteella, harjoittelumäärällä tai demografisilla tai kliinisillä taustatiedoilla yhteyttä koettuun hyötyyn sekä erosivatko afaattisten henkilöiden ja läheisten kokemukset toisistaan. Menetelmät. Aineiston muodosti osallistujien intervention jälkeen täyttämät kyselylomakkeet subjektiivisista kokemuksista, interventiojakson aikana toteutuneet harjoittelumäärät sekä osallistujien demografiset ja kliiniset taustatiedot. Kyselylomakkeeseen vastasi 23 afaattista henkilöä sekä 11 läheistä. Aineistoa analysoitiin tilastollisesti Friedmanin testillä, Mann–Whitney U-testillä, Spearmanin järjestyskorrelaatioanalyysilla, Wilcoxonin merkittyjen sijalukujen testillä sekä yhden otoksen t-testillä. Avointen kysymysten vastauksia analysoitiin tyypittelemällä vastauksia teemoittain ja laskemalla esiintymisfrekvenssejä. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Afaattiset henkilöt kokivat intervention hyödylliseksi ja myös läheiset kokivat, että interventio oli afaattisille henkilöille hyödyllinen. Afaattisten henkilöiden ja läheisten kokemukset intervention hyödyllisyydestä eivät eronneet toisistaan, eikä harjoittelumäärän, kliinisten tai musiikillisten taustatietojen ja koetun hyödyn välillä havaittu tilastollisesti merkitsevää yhteyttä. Erityisesti mielialan kohoaminen, uusiin ihmisiin tutustuminen ja vertaistuen saaminen nousivat esiin kvalitatiivisissa vastauksissa. Näiden tulosten perusteella voidaan ehdottaa, että ryhmämuotoinen kuoro- laulukuntoutus, jossa on MIT:n elementtejä, vaikuttaa positiivisesti afaattisten henkilöiden mielialaan, sekä heidän itse arvioimana että läheisten arvioimana. Interventiosta voi jatkotutkimuksen avulla ke-hittää afasian ryhmämuotoisen laulukuntoutusmuodon.
  • Afaattisten henkilöiden tekemät toisen puheeseen kohdistuvat korjausaloitteet 
    Peltomaa, Heidi (2022)
    Aim. This thesis investigates other-initiation of repair (OIR) made by people with aphasia (PWA). OIR means the practices used in conversation for requesting a clarification on something in the other speaker ́s turn. Aphasic conversation and repair has been studied a lot. However, there is hardly any studies about the OIR of PWA. Method. The data has been collected and the transcriptions made in a research project Managing the problems of speaking and understanding in conversations of speakers with aphasia. The data of this thesis consists of nine conversations between a PWA and one or two familiar partner(s). The OIR sequences initiated by PWA were collected, and then grouped and analyzed. Results & Conclusions. PWA did produce OIRs but for some reason there was great variation between the participants. The repair sequences were short and the problems were solved effectively. Repeat-formatted OIRs were the most frequent type of OIR and targeting question words the most rare. The problems that the OIRs were targeting were often problems of understanding or hearing of speech. There were a lot of similarities between OIRs produced by PWAs and OIRs of typical Finnish conversation. The results help to establish a better picture of the OIR by PWA and are in line with the prevoius hypothesis about the phenomenon.
  • Afasia: subakuutista krooniseen vaiheeseen : kuntoutuminen ja uuden sanaston oppiminen 
    Jussila, Anu (2020)
    Background. Aphasia is a linguistic disorder that occurs after language acquisition and is most commonly caused by stroke. Research on novel word acquisition can contribute to the development of aphasia rehabilitation because it helps understand the relearning of words lost due to aphasia. Novel word acquisition has been researched mainly in chronic aphasia, in which learning is possible but shows large individual variation. There is initial evidence that novel word learning is also possible in non-chronic aphasia. Aims. The objective of this thesis is to study recovery and novel word learning in the subacute and chronic stages of aphasia. The thesis will also look into possible connections between learning in subacute aphasia and learning in chronic aphasia. These connections have not been previously explored. Methods. The multiple case study included four aphasic participants who were examined 0–3 months after stroke and again 12 months after stroke. The examination consisted of cognitive-linguistic background tests, questionnaires and a computer-based novel word learning task. In the latter, the participant was tasked with learning the associations between given pseudo-words and images through feedback and repetition. Research data was analyzed case by case. Results and conclusions. Recovery and novel word learning in subacute and chronic aphasia varied among the participants. In both stages, some participants learned new vocabulary and were able to transfer it into their long-term memory. The changes in novel word learning from subacute to chronic aphasia also varied among the subjects. These changes were not systematically connected with the severity of the participants’ aphasia, their baseline learning ability or an alleviation of cognitive-linguistic symptoms. Learning ability in subacute aphasia does therefore not always appear to predict learning ability in chronic aphasia, but novel word learning is possible in both subacute and chronic aphasia. Aphasia recovery shows considerable individual variation.
  • Affektiivisuutta tuottamaan pyrkivät kirjalliset keinot ja sisällöt Harry Salmenniemen novellistiikassa 
    Salminen, Aino (2024)
    Maisterintutkielmassa tarkastellaan affektiivisuutta tuottamaan pyrkiviä kirjallisia keinoja ja sisältöjä Harry Salmenniemen novellistiikassa. Tutkimusaineisto on rajattu pääasiallisesti Salmenniemen novelleihin ”Kaksi ihmistä kaupungissa”, ”Kukaan ei ymmärrä minun tuskaani”, ”Miksi koskit penikseeni?” (Uraanilamppu ja muita novelleja, 2017), ”Ihminen on onnellinen eläin”, ”Crème fraîche” (Delfiinimeditaatio ja muita novelleja, 2019) sekä ”Sukufilmejä” (Uhrisyndrooma ja muita novelleja, 2020). Tutkielma osoittaa, että Salmenniemen novelleista voidaan erottaa runsaasti affektiivisuutta. Sen tavoitteena on tarkastella sitä, millaisilla kirjallisilla keinoilla tätä affektiivisuutta teksteissä saadaan aikaan. Näistä kirjallisista keinoista tutkielma keskittyy erityisesti ironisen rekisterin, niin kutsutun epäkatharttisuuden, oikuttelevan kertojaäänen sekä etäännyttämisen ja elliptisyyden käyttöön. Tutkielman pyrkimyksenä on myös kehittää sovellutuksia runouden kentällä kehitetyn menetelmän hyödyntämiseksi proosatekstien analyysiin. Tekstianalyysia hyödyntävän tutkielman teoreettisena viitekehyksenä toimii affektiivinen kirjallisuudentutkimus. Tutkielmassa hyödynnetään Peter Rabinowitzin kerronnallisen yleisön (engl. narrative audience) käsitteellistystä: sen avulla on mahdollista analysoida sitä, millaisia affektiivisia reaktiomahdollisuuksia tutkitut novellit lukijalle tarjoavat. Tutkielmasta käy ilmi, että salmenniemeläisessä novellistiikassa olennaista on monitulkintaisuuden mukanaan kantama affektiivinen häilyntä. Esimerkiksi novellien ironisen rekisterin tarkastelun pohjalta tutkielma esittää, että Salmenniemen tekstit jäävät tyypillisesti tarkoituksellisen monitulkintaisiksi suhteessa siihen, tulisiko ne tulkita parodisiksi vai satiirisiksi. Vastaavaan häilyvyyteen tutkielma kohdentaa myös erittelemällä sellaisia novellien käyttämiä kirjallisia keinoja ja sisältöjä, joiden yhdessä esitetään kontribuoivan tekstien affektiiviseen sävyyn tavalla, jonka voi tulkita niin kutsuttua epäkatharttisuuden estetiikkaa toteuttavaksi. Tutkielma esittää, että monet Salmenniemen novellit pyrkivät rakentamaan vähän vähältä yltyvää affektiivista monitulkintaisuutta. Novellit petaavat kerronnalliselle yleisölleen moninaisia affektiivisia tulkintamahdollisuuksia muun muassa ajallisella rakenteellaan, affektiivisessa sävyssä tapahtuvilla äkillisillä muutoksilla sekä sillä, etteivät novellien lopetukset tyypillisesti tarjoa vapautusta tästä affektiivisesta hämmentävyydestä. Kerronnallisen yleisönsä hämmentämiseen ja härnäämiseen salmenniemeläinen novellistiikka pyrkii myös erityistä, tutkielmassa ”oikuttelevaksi” nimettyä kertojaääntä hyödyntämällä. Novellien hyödyntämiä moninaisen affektiivisen maiseman synnyttämiseen tähtääviä kirjallisia keinoja ovat myös elliptisyys, jota tutkielmassa tarkastellaan toisaalta sekä novellien tekstien mutta myös niiden hyödyntäminen kuvien ja näiden välisen vuorovaikutuksen osalta. Tutkielmassa tarkastellaan myös novellien hyödyntämää etäännyttämistä, jota niihin rakennetaan muun muassa tekstien sisällön ja muodon välisellä epäsuhtaisuudella.
  • Against Anthropocentricism : Human–Animal Separation, Wildness, and Empathy as Ecocritical Issues in Carbo’s The Wild Inside and McConaghy’s Once There Were Wolves 
    Ylikraka, Sanja (2024)
    This thesis takes an ecocritical perspective, reading Christine Carbo’s The Wild Inside (2015) and Charlotte McConaghy’s Once There Were Wolves (2021) as narratives that criticise anthropocentricism, or human exceptionalism, and raise environmental questions and concerns. Both are crime novels with human violence as a distinct theme, have clear ecological themes, and feature wildlife in contact with humans. This amounts to the novels putting forward pointedly violent and abusive portrayals of humans, which highlights animals and nature as being ultimately subject to human power. The way that these works present anthropocentricism as a problematic worldview is examined through the topics of human separation from nature, the complex issue of wildness and the human need to manage it, and empathy as a reflective process and potential motivational force. These issues are addressed using the frameworks of ecocriticism, animal studies, and empathy studies. The ideas and terms from research by Elisa Aaltola (2018; 2023) and by Lori Gruen (2015; 2018) in animal studies and empathy studies become especially central in the discussion on anthropocentricism and human–animal separation, making it clear that animal interests, along with environmental concerns, are at the core of these novels. The shared interest of ecocriticism and narrative empathy about the power that narratives can have on attitudes and potentially on real-world action is also a crucial part of the study, discussed using the works of Greg Garrard (2023) and Suzanne Keen (2006; 2007). The narrative similarities that are relevant to examining how Carbo’s and McConaghy’s novels approach ecological topics and present anthropocentrism as a problematic worldview also feature in this discussion: the first-person character narrators let the reader see the narrators’ thoughts and feelings, asking the reader to think about ecological issues, and enable sympathetic depictions of wildlife. Similarities in characterisation between the two novels, on the other hand, portray humans as violent and destructive, in contrast to the wildlife, grizzly bears and grey wolves, whose lives are in the stories put at risk for human needs.
  • Agglomeroinnin vaikutukset maitojauheen ennastusominaisuuksiin 
    Pihlaja, Liisa (2023)
    In instantization milk powders’ reconstitution properties are improved. Typical instantization processes are agglomeration, in which particle size and porosity are increased, and lecithination, in which powder particle surface is made less hydrophobic. Both instantization methods have some drawbacks: Agglomeration is not sufficient for instantizing high fat milk powders, while lecithination tends to decrease powder’s flowability. The aim of this study was to review suitability of agglomeration in instantizing milk powder (SMP) and whole milk powder (WMP). Powders were agglomerated on fluid bed agglomerator by using different binder liquids. The physical properties, like wettability, flowability and particle size, of the agglomerated powders were characterized and compared to the unprocessed raw materials and reference powders (commercial instantized milk powders). According to the results reconstitution properties were improved more when using other binder liquids than only water. The fastest wetting on agglomerated SMP was achieved with sugar binder liquids. However, sugar also impaired powders’ flowability. On agglomerated WMPs fastest wetting occurred with phospholipid fraction as a binder liquid. Future research could investigate usage of different binder liquids in combination and optimizing agglomeration parameters for each binder liquid.
  • A histochemical double staining protocol for GABA-α2 and CAMKII in hippocampal neurons using PGC-1α transgenic mice as an example 
    Koivisto, Maria (2020)
    Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a widely used research tool for detecting antigens and can be used in medical and biochemical research. The co-localization of two separate proteins is sometimes crucial for analysis, requiring a double staining. This comes with a number of challenges since staining results depend on the pre-treatment of samples, host-species where the antibody was raised and spectral differentiation of the two proteins. In this study, the proteins GABAR-α2 and CAMKII were stained simultaneously to study the expression of the GABA receptor in hippocampal pyramidal cells. This was performed in PGC-1α transgenic mice, possibly expressing GABAR-α2 excessively compared to wildtype mice. Staining optimization was performed regarding primary and secondary antibody concentration, section thickness, antigen retrieval and detergent. Double staining was performed successfully and proteins of interest were visualized using a confocal microscope after which image analyses were performed using two different methods: 1) a traditional image analysis based on intensity and density of stained dots and 2) a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) machine learning approach. The traditional image analysis did not detect any differences in the stained brain slices, whereas the CNN model showed an accuracy of 72% in categorizing the images correctly as transgenic/wildtype brain slices. The results from the CNN model imply that GABAR-α2 is expressed differently in PGC-1α transgenic mice, which might impact other factors such as behaviour and learning. This protocol and the novel method of using CNN as an image analysis tool can be of future help when performing IHC analysis on brain neuronal studies.
  • Äidin ahdistuksen yhteys lapsen ahdistukseen ja pelko-oireiluun : vanhemmuuskompetenssi välittävänä tekijänä 
    Jaurimaa, Janessa (2020)
    Objectives. Anxiety causes significant suffering in different life domains, and its prevalence rates are high already in childhood and adolescence. Often symptoms develop into a disorder which is why identifying factors associated with anxiety is important. Anxiety disorders run in families but only few studies have examined the association between maternal and child anxiety on a symptom level. It’s possible that this association is mediated by parenting competence but, as far as is known, this has never been studied. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of maternal anxiety with child anxiety and fears both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. It was also examined whether this association is mediated by parenting competence. Methods. The sample of this study was part of the Finnish Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (PREDO) cohort. The sample consisted of 992 mothers who evaluated their own anxiety symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory) first when children were 2–5 years old and again when they were 7–11 years old. In the latter follow-up mothers also evaluated their parenting competence (Parenting Sense of Competence) as well as children’s anxiety (Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale for Parents) and fears (The Short Form of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children – Revised). The association of maternal anxiety with child anxiety and fears was examined with linear regression analysis. The mediating effect of parenting competence was examined with mediation analysis. Results and conclusions. Child anxiety and fears were associated with both current and previous maternal anxiety. Children of more anxious mothers showed more anxiety and fear-related symptoms and the association with mother’s former symptoms was as strong as with mother’s current symptoms. The associations of maternal anxiety with children’s later anxiety and fears were partially mediated by parenting competence. These results support previous findings that even low maternal anxiety is associated with child development and elaborates them by showing that it is associated specifically with child anxiety and fear-related symptoms. The current findings also extend existing knowledge about this association by showing that it is partially mediated by parenting competence. These findings can be utilized in prevention and treatment of childhood anxiety.
  • Äidin mentalisaatiokyvyn ja tunnesäätelyn yhteydet ja muutokset terapeuttisen vauvaperhetyön asiakkailla 
    Hukkanen, Henna-Maaret (2023)
    Objective: Parent–infant therapeutic work is an intensive intervention, individually tailored for families with an infant to support the parent–infant relationship. It is offered when support provided by maternity and child health clinics and other basic services is not enough. Maternal mentalization and emotion regulation are thought to be the underlying mechanisms of the intervention’s potential effectiveness. There are many similarities in the development of mentalization and emotion regulation as well as in their importance to parenting. Theoretically it has been thought that the association between them is bidirectional and mutually reinforcing. This study investigates whether maternal mentalization and emotion regulation change during parent–infant therapeutic work. In addition, the association between mentalization and emotion regulation is investigated with both cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs. Methods: The study sample was part of a larger effectiveness study of services offered to families with infants in finnish family centers. The sample consisted of 90 mothers receiving parent–infant therapeutic work. Emotion regulation was assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF) questionnaire. Maternal mentalizing was assessed in a subsample of 31 mothers, using either the Pregnancy Interview (PI) or the Parent Development Interview Revised (PDI-R), depending on whether the measurement was made during pregnancy or after childbirth. Changes in emotion regulation and mentalization during the intervention as well as the relationship between the changes were evaluated using linear mixed models. The association between mentalization and emotion regulation at baseline was evaluated using linear regression analysis. Results and conclusions: One of the DERS-SF subscales, access to emotion regulation strategies, improved during treatment. In addition, maternal mentalizing improved in mothers with low baseline mentalizing capacity. This result supports the previously observed phenomenon that it may be easier to increase low mentalization ability than high mentalization ability. It is possible that in order to improve emotion regulation and mentalizing more broadly, the intervention should include more systematic support of emotion regulation and mentalization. This study also confirmed previous, albeit conflicting evidence that maternal mentalizing and emotion regulation are not unequivocally associated. More research is needed on the effectiveness of parent–infant therapeutic work and the association between parental mentalizing and emotional regulation using different research methods and designs.
  • Äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun yhteys kouluikäisen lapsen ADHD-oireisiin ja toiminnanohjaukseen 
    Niinivaara, Noora (2021)
    Äidin perinataalimasennuksen eli raskaudenaikaisen ja synnytyksen jälkeisen masennuksen on todettu olevan yhteydessä moniin lapsen kasvun ja kehityksen ongelmiin. Aiemmissa tutkimuksissa on löydetty äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun yhteys lapsen ADHD-oireisiin ja heikompaan toiminnanohjaukseen. Aihetta on kuitenkin tutkittu toistaiseksi melko vähän, ja ADHD-oireita käsitelleiden tutkimusten kohteina ovat olleet pääasiassa alle kouluikäiset lapset. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, onko äidin perinataalimasennusoireilu yhteydessä kouluikäisen lapsen ADHD-oireisiin ja toiminnanohjaukseen. Tutkimuksessa selvitetään lisäksi, vaikuttaako sukupuoli äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja kouluikäisen lapsen ADHD-oireiden väliseen yhteyteen sekä äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen toiminnanohjauksen väliseen yhteyteen. Tutkimukseen osallistui 2 002 äiti-lapsiparia, jotka kuuluivat suomalaiseen The Prediction and Prevention of Pre‐eclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (PREDO) -kohorttitutkimukseen. Äidit vastasivat masennusoirekyselyyn 14 kertaa raskausaikana alkaen raskausviikolla 120/7–136/7 ja päättyen raskausviikolle 380/7–396/7 tai synnytykseen sekä kaksi viikkoa ja kuusi kuukautta synnytyksen jälkeen. Äidit arvioivat lastensa ADHD-oireita sekä ADHD Rating Scale että Conners’ 10-item Scale -kyselylomakkeilla ja toiminnanohjausta Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) -kyselylomakkeella. Äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun yhteyttä lapsen ADHD-oireisiin ja toiminnanohjaukseen tutkittiin lineaarisella regressioanalyysillä, jossa huomioitiin useita äitiin ja lapseen liittyviä taustamuuttujia. Sukupuolen vaikutusta äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen ADHD-oireiden sekä äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen toiminnanohjauksen välisiin yhteyksiin tutkittiin moderaatioanalyysillä. Lineaarisella regressioanalyysillä tutkittiin, onko sukupuolen ja äidin perinataalimasennuksen välillä yhdysvaikutusta ennustettaessa lapsen ADHD-oireita ja toiminnanohjausta. Tutkimuksen tuloksista ilmeni, että äidin masennusoireilu sekä raskausaikana että synnytyksen jälkeen oli yhteydessä lapsen voimakkaampiin ADHD-oireisiin ja heikompaan toiminnanohjaukseen. Tulosten perusteella lapsen sukupuoli moderoi äidin ensimmäisen raskauskolmanneksen masennusoireilun ja kouluikäisen lapsen yliaktiivisuus-impulsiivisuusoireiden välistä yhteyttä. Sukupuoli ei kuitenkaan moderoinut muita äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen ADHD-oireiden välillä löytyneitä yhteyksiä eikä vaikuttanut äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen toiminnanohjauksen väliseen yhteyteen. Tutkimus lisäsi tietoa siitä, kuinka äidin masennusoireilu jokaisena raskauskolmanneksena ja synnytyksen jälkeen on yhteydessä kouluikäisen lapsen voimakkaampiin ADHD-oireisiin ja heikompaan toiminnanohjaukseen. Tässä tutkimuksessa sukupuoli moderoi äidin ensimmäisen raskauskolmanneksen masennusoireilun ja kouluikäisen lapsen yliaktiivisuus-impulsiivisuusoireiden välistä yhteyttä, mutta kyseessä saattaa olla satunnainen löydös. Sukupuolen mahdollisesta vaikutuksesta äidin perinataalimasennusoireilun ja lapsen ADHD-oireiden väliseen yhteyteen tarvitaan lisää tutkimuksia.
  • Äidin raskauden aikaisen masennusoireilun yhteys 7-11 vuotiaiden lasten ahdistusoireiluun : vauvaiän negatiivinen emotionaalisuus välittävänä tekijänä 
    Linnankoski, Johanna (2021)
    The aim of the study. Maternal depression during pregnancy occurs in up to one in four women. It is a serious condition that can have long-term negative effects on the development of the foetus and the child through a harmful intrauterine environment. Maternal depression during pregnancy is for instance associated with internalizing mental health symptoms and temperament in children. However, there is little research evidence on the association of maternal depression during pregnancy with anxiety symptoms in school-aged children. Childhood anxiety symptoms can have serious and long-term consequences for an individual in terms of psychosocial, academic and professional functioning. This study examines whether maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy increases the risk of anxiety symptoms in school-age children. I also investigate whether infant negative emotionality mediates the association between maternal depression symptoms during pregnancy and anxiety symptoms in school-age children. Methods. The sample of this study, which consists of 1625 mother-child pairs, was part of a larger PREDO (The Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction) follow-up study. Data from 3-12 months infancy follow-up and follow-up at the age of 7 to 11 years were used in this study. Mothers rated depressive symptoms during pregnancy using a self-assessment questionnaire (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Mothers assessed their children's negative emotionality (Revised Infant Behavior Questionnaire) in the infant follow-up and their children's anxiety symptoms (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, parent report version & The Short Form of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised) in the school-age follow-up. The associations between maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and anxiety symptoms in school-age children were examined with linear regression analysis. Negative emotionality in infancy as a mediator of this relationship was examined with mediation analysis. Results and conclusions. According to this study, maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy increased the risk of anxiety symptoms in school-age children. The observed associations between maternal depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms in children were independent of all the covariates selected for this study, such as maternal depression symptoms during follow-up at the age of 7 to 11. Preliminary research findings were also obtained on negative emotionality in infancy as partly mediating the association between maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and anxiety symptoms in school-age children. This study helps to increase understanding of the early risk factors of anxiety symptoms in children and the importance of preventive measures during pregnancy. High negative emotionality in early childhood is also a justified target for interventions.
  • Äidin vanhemmuusstressi ja parisuhdetyytyväisyyden merkitys sen taustalla lapsen varhaisvuosina : ITU-seurantatutkimus 
    Väisänen, Elina (2023)
    Background: Parenting stress, romantic relationship satisfaction and their associations have been studied extensively, mostly with cross-sectional studies and in different clinical groups. However, parents of young children in non-clinical groups are less studied, especially with longitudinal settings. The aim of this master’s thesis is to investigate the change in maternal parenting stress over time, associations with romantic relationship satisfaction and if romantic relationship satisfaction modifies the change in parenting stress. Methods: Our sample (n = 361) is drawn from the prospective cohort study “The InTraUterine sampling in early pregnancy” (ITU). Participating mothers took part in two follow-up assessments: first at the child’s age of 1–2-years and second at 3 years. Parenting stress was assessed at the first and second follow-ups with the “Parenting Stress Index-Short Form” (PSI-SF) questionnaire with three subscales: parental distress, parent-child dysfunctional interaction and difficult child. Romantic relationship satisfaction was assessed at the first follow-up with the satisfaction subscale form the “Dyadic Adjustment Scale” (DAS) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using linear regression models and mixed models. Child’s age, sex, daycare, and siblings, as well as mother’s education and mental health disorders were controlled for in the analyses. Results: Higher parenting stress at the first follow-up was associated with higher parenting stress at the second follow-up. Higher romantic relationship satisfaction was associated with lower parenting stress at the first follow-up in all the subscales, and at the second follow-up in parental distress and difficult child subscales. Parenting stress related to difficult child’s subscale appeared to increase over time in the entire sample, but in the closer examination the changes in parenting stress were partly different in the groups of high and low romantic relationship satisfaction. Controlling for background variables did not affect the results. Conclusions: The results of this thesis fill the previous gaps in longitudinal settings and studies carried out with mothers of young children in non-clinical groups. It seems that romantic relationship satisfaction may be connected to parenting stress and its change in the early childhood. A broader understanding of these phenomena in the family context may be beneficial for applications, for example in health care, in preventing problems and promoting wellbeing of families with children.
  • Aikuisten huuliolukutestin verkkosovelluksen pilotointi 
    Koljonen, Laura (2024)
    Aims: Speechreading refers to detecting and understanding speech solely from the speaker’s facial movements using only visual perception. The technique is important for individuals with hearing loss but also those with normal hearing utilize it. It is necessary to assess a person’s speechreading skills both when determining their need for training and in monitoring the development of their skills during rehabilitation. However, there is currently no reliable method for assessing speechreading in Finland, although there is a need for it because assessment practices are unsystematic and varied between speech therapists. The aim of this thesis was to pilot an online assessment of speechreading for adults, along with its automatic scoring, and to examine the performance of normal-hearing adults in its word and sentence sections. In my thesis, I investigated how participants performed in the speechreading test at the word and sentence levels, how similar the rater’s manual scoring and the automatic scoring were, and how consistent the identification of different sentences was. Methods: The participants in the study (n=45) were adults with normal hearing between the ages of 20 and 59 (avg =25,9 yr). The method used was a speechreading test, where participants saw silent videos first with words and then with sentences, from which they wrote down what they understood the speaker had said. The data was collected from the participants’ responses and analysed using the SPSS statistical software. Participants’ performance was examined using the mean, median, standard deviation, range, and box plot. The differences between the scoring methods were analysed by examining the aforementioned statistical measures and another box plot and conducting a t-test of two samples. The consistency of the sentence collections, or internal consistency, was assessed in the entire sentence section and separately in each sentence collection using Cronbach’s alpha, as well as by looking at corrected item-total correlations, and alpha if item deleted values. Results and conclusions: Participants' performance varied a lot individually, especially in the word section of the test, as observed in previous research. The automatic scoring corresponded to the rater’s manual scoring, but the scoring methods differed significantly in the word section of the test. The internal consistency of all sentence collections was acceptable and sentence collection B proved to be the most fitting. Combining sentence collections A and C was tentatively found to be possible and useful. Based on the results, the speechreading test can be utilized in the future for assessing speechreading skills.
  • Äitien hyvinvoinnin tukeminen yhteisöllisen ruuanvalmistuksen keinoin 
    Rausku, Nea (2023)
    Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää, millä tavalla heikommassa asemassa olevien äitien hyvinvointi on vahvistunut, kun äidit ovat osallistuneet päiväryhmätoimintaan ja yhteisölliseen ruuanvalmistukseen. Päiväryhmä on tarkoitettu vauvaperheiden äideille, jotka tarvitsevat tukea oman jaksamisen tai mielenterveyden haasteiden, puutteellisen tukiverkoston tai muutoin haasteellisen elämäntilanteen vuoksi. Aihe on tärkeä, sillä riittävällä sosiaalisella verkostolla ja tuella on suuri merkitys vanhemmuuteen ja vanhempien hyvinvointiin. Vaikuttamalla heikommassa asemassa olevien äitien hyvinvointiin, tuetaan hyvää vanhemmuutta sekä äitien keinoja selviytyä haastavista elämäntilanteista. Yhteiskunta tukee heikommassa asemassa olevia väestöryhmiä, jotta terveys- ja hyvinvointierot kaventuisivat ja kaikilla olisi mahdollisuus kokea sosiaalista yhteenkuuluvuutta. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on ymmärtää paremmin tekijöitä, jotka vaikuttavat vauvaperheiden äitien hyvinvointiin ja osallisuuteen. Maisterintutkielma on tehty osana Yhteisillä ruokailuilla elämänvoimaa vauvaperheille-hanketta, jossa on ollut mukana Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto, Venner-ruokakasvatusyritys sekä Itsenäisyyden juhlavuoden lastensäätiö Itla. Aineistona tutkimuksessa on käytetty päiväryhmään ja yhteisölliseen ruuanvalmistukseen osallistuneiden äitien fokusryhmähaastatteluja, joita on analysoitu laadullisesti hyödyntäen teoriasidonnaista sisällönanalyysiä. Haastatteluja oli neljä ja haastateltuja äitejä oli 15. Tutkimuksen keskeisenä yläkäsitteenä on hyvinvointi, jota on tarkasteltu kokonaisvaltaisesti äitien pystyvyyden, toimijuuden sekä Erik Allardtin (1976) hyvinvointimallin näkökulmista. Teoreettisena viitekehyksenä on ollut Allardtin hyvinvointimalli, josta on hyödynnetty yhteisyyssuhteiden ja itsensä toteuttamisen osa-alueita analyysiä tehdessä. Tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan yhteisöllinen ruuanvalmistus ja ruokailu on tukenut päiväryhmään osallistuneiden äitien hyvinvointia täyttäen äitien yhteisyyssuhteisiin sekä itsensä toteuttamiseen liittyviä tarpeita. Päiväryhmään ja yhteisölliseen ruuanvalmistukseen osallistuminen on tukenut myös äitien pystyvyyden sekä toimijuuden kokemuksia vanhempina. Heikommassa asemassa olevien äitien hyvinvoinnin ja pystyvyyden sekä toimijuuden tukeminen vaikuttaa äitien osallisuuteen ja on näin myös yhteiskunnallisesta näkökulmasta merkittävää. On tärkeää tukea erityisasemassa olevien äitien hyvinvointia, sillä sen avulla voidaan tukea myös lasten kokonaisvaltaista hyvinvointia.
  • Ajankohtaista biogeenisten amiinien määrittämisestä viineistä 2000-luvulla 
    Sachan, Sinivuokko (2021)
    At low concentrations, biogenic amines (BA) promote natural physiological activity, but at higher concentrations they can cause a wide variety of health hazards, especially for more sensitive individuals. The BA determination in wine is challenging due to the variation in physicochemical properties and the potential matrix effects of other compounds in the sample. It is important to develop efficient sample purification methods to minimize matrix interference. Derivatization is required for most biogenic amines due to the absence of chromophores. The conditions that promote the origin or formation of biogenic amines in wines are not yet fully understood, as many factors contribute to their formation. The main sources or stages of BA formation during wine-making should be identified in order to reduce BA levels by corrective measures. Currently, the analytical community is striving for more environmentally friendly methods. The literature review examines methods for determination of biogenic amines in wines from 2005 until 2020. The methods are high-performance liquid chromatography, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, high-temperature liquid chromatography, nano-liquid chromatography, micellar liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, micromachined capillary electrophoresis, gas chromatography, immunoassay, sensor, colorimetric method, thin-layer chromatography and ion chromatography. The health disadvantages of biogenic amines and the problem areas associated with their determination from a complex wine matrix, such as matrix effect and derivatization, are also surveyed. In addition, changes in the BA profile during different stages of winemaking and storage, as well as the effect of the grape variety and lactic acid bacterial strain on the BA profile, are surveyed. Validation determines the suitability of a method for its intended use. In the methods for determining the literature review, measurement uncertainty - possibly the most important validation parameter - had not been determined in any of the validations. The aim of the research project was to obtain a functional and validated method for the determination of biogenic amines in wines for the Alcohol Control Laboratory at Alko Inc. In the method tested, histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, phenylethylamine and isoamylamine derivatized with diethyl ethoxymethylene malonate were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detector. The method was not sufficiently reliable, so a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of histamine in wines was introduced, which provided a useful method for the Alcohol Control Laboratory. The validation determined specificity/selectivity, recovery, repeatability, systematic error, estimation of random error, measurement uncertainty, expanded measurement uncertainty, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The European Food Safety Authority has confirmed histamine and tyramine as the most toxic amines. The International Organization of Vine and Wine has not set legal limits for BA levels, but some European countries have had recommended maximum levels for histamine. Many wine importers in the European Union require a BA analysis even in the absence of regulations. Based on the literature review, high BA levels were found in the wines under study, including levels of histamine, tyramine, and phenylethylamine that exceeded the toxicity limits. Some wines had biogenic amines below the detection limit, so the production of low-amine wines is possible. In addition, certain strains of lactic acid bacteria were found to significantly reduce the BA levels in wine. High-performance liquid chromatography is the most widely used determination method. An increasing trend is to develop simpler methods such as the portable sensor-based method.
  • Akuuttivaiheen neuropsykologisten oireiden ja kuntoutuksen sisältöjen vaikutus työhön paluuseen aivoverenkiertohäiriöpotilailla 
    Rasmus, Enni (2022)
    Backround Returning to work (RTW) is an essential part of stroke patients’ wellbeing. According to previous literature, severity of stroke is the most consistent predictor of RTW. However, the role of neuropsychological rehabilitation and cognitive deficits in the context of RTW is less clear. Closer examination of the predictors of RTW could enable the identification of stroke patients who are in a greater risk of unsuccessful RTW. Analyzing the connections between rehabilitation and RTW could help to provide better treatment. We studied whether RTW could be predicted by acute cognitive deficits, duration and different elements of neuropsychological rehabilitation. Methods Participants were 79 stroke patients (33% women) who had received outpatient neuropsychological rehabilitation. Prior to stroke, all patients had been either full or part time working or studying. Patients were neuropsychologically assessed in the acute phase. Logistic regression was used to assess variables associated with RTW. Results Of the patients, 49% had returned to work. Deficits in attention and processing speed predicted poorer likelihood to RTW. Fewer outpatient visits and more straightforward content of the rehabilitation were associated with RTW, possibly due to lesser stroke severity. Finally, most of the aspects of neuropsychological rehabilitation were associated with RTW. Conclusions According to this study, RTW of stroke patients can partly be predicted by acute cognitive performance. Results regarding attention and processing speed are in congruence with previous research. Additional research is needed to clarify the relations of cognitive performance and neurorehabilitation to RTW.
  • Älä ole tyhmä : tutkielma tyhmyydestä Saarnaajan kirjassa 
    Salmi, Senja Emilia (2021)
    Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma tarkastelee mitä tyhmyys on Saarnaajan kirjassa. Tutkielman metodeina hyödynnetään semantiikkaa, hermeneutiikkaa sekä metaforien teoriaa. Tutkielmassa analysoidaan yksitellen kaikki jakeet, joissa hepreankielinen alkuteksti mainitsee sanan tyhmyys tai tyhmä. Tyhmyys jaotellaan seitsemään eri kategoriaan, joista jokainen paljastaa jotakin siitä, miten tyhmyys käsitettiin Saarnaajan kirjassa. Ensimmäiseen kategoriaan, tyhmyys viisauden vastakohtana, kuuluu suurin osa tarkasteltavista kohdista. Toinen kategoria käsittelee tyhmyyttä mielettömyytenä. Moraalittomuuden ja tyhmyyden kategoria paljastaa Saarnaajan kirjan yhdistävän tyhmyyden vääränlaiseen kultilliseen toimintaan tavalla, jollaista ei esiinny muissa Vanhan testamentin teksteissä. Sen sijaan tyhmyyden liittäminen puheliaisuuteen ja kuuntelemattomuuteen on hyvin tyypillistä muinaisen Lähi-idän viisauskirjallisuudessa, ja myös Saarnaajan kirjassa nämä piirteet yhdistetään tyhmyyteen. Laiskuus on ominaisuus, jonka Saarnaaja yhdistää tyhmyyteen. Myös liiallinen iloitseminen on tyhmän ihmisen piirre. Viimeisessä kategoriassa käsitellään tyhmyyden suhdetta pimeyteen, vasempaan ja pahuuteen. Pääosin Saarnaajan kirjan näkemys tyhmyydestä vastaa sitä, miten se ymmärretään myös muissa Vanhan testamentin viisausteksteissä. Erojakin löytyy niin tyhmyydestä käytettävien sanojen osalta kuin sen osalta mitä tyhmyydellä tarkoitetaan. Saarnaaja käyttää tyhmyydestä vain muutamaa sanaa, mutta on laajentanut niiden semanttisia kenttiä merkityksiin, joita kyseiset sanat eivät muissa teksteissä saa.
  • Alchemical Eschatology and Union in John Donne’s Metaphysical Verse : Textual and Jungian Readings of Selected Poems 
    Mäkilä-Manninen, Johanna (2023)
    This thesis examines the use of alchemical imagery in selected love poems and religious verse by John Donne. Donne’s alchemical imagery has been argued to represent a blend of eschatology and alchemy, and the mystical imagery can be interpreted as a psychological representation of what Jung calls the “projection of the process of individuation”. The intersection of mystical alchemy, eschatology, and psychological integration materializes as a rich literary concoction in the following poems: “A Litanye”, “Resurrection. Imperfect”, “A Nocturnall vpon St Lucies Day”, “An Elegie vpon the death of the Ladie Marckham”, and “The Extasie”. Through close reading, this thesis employs a combination of textual criticism and Jung’s psychoanalytic treatment of alchemy. This thesis demonstrates the purpose of alchemy in Donne’s poetry to clarify, first, “why alchemy?”, and second, “what makes alchemy a potent tool for the poet?”. The alchemical influence in Donne’s poetry has been broadly recognized by literary critics, but an integrated Jungian analysis provides a more substantial and psychologically informed understanding of Donne’s poetic conceits and images. In this thesis, I present textual and historical readings within the context of the Jungian theory of individuation. The purpose of using Jung’s psychoanalytic concepts is to deepen our critical understanding of the spiritual and physical experiences of Donne as psychologically descriptive and significant. This thesis shows that Donne’s use of alchemical imagery illustrates his psycho-spiritual processes and self-formation in textual form. Close reading and the integration of Jungian alchemical theories help bring these processes to the surface, making what is concealed manifest in Donne’s words. While staying rooted in Christian doctrine, Donne utilizes alchemy as a tool for textual mappings of the internal motion of his soul. By appropriating alchemy as a poetic tool, Donne also participates in a diachronic thread of alchemical thinking from the wake of Hermeticism to 20th-century psychoanalysis and modern-day embodied schemata in cognitive science. The chosen imagery serves as a culturally appropriate vehicle for making sense of abstract subject matter during the golden age of alchemical developments. Furthermore, Donne’s verse shows that for the poet no union and wholeness can be achieved without love as the proverbial alchemist, and neither can he experience redemptive transmutation without God as the “Arch-Chymist”. By turning to psychoanalysis and Jungian concepts, this thesis shows that the process of individuation, and mystical union – coniunctio – is lodged in his verse. The unification of conscious and unconscious mind is textually illustrated in Donne’s reflections on the nature of love and spirituality. Indeed, the selected poems carry a distinct consciousness that seeks moral-intellectual refinement and purification to emulate the divine and to endure the transmutation process to become unified with the divine. Finally, the connection between love and alchemical transmutation lies in the union Donne seeks on spiritual and physical levels.
  • Aleksitymiapiirteiden yhteyden uupumusoireiluun : seurantatutkimus suomalaisesta väestöstä 
    Mäki-Filppula, Fanni (2024)
    Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether alexithymia and its subscales (difficulty in identifying and describing emotions and externalizing thinking) are related to exhaustion symptoms. Alexithymia reflects difficulty in identifying and describing emotions and has been found to be associated with a number of health and mental health problems. In turn, exhaustion is a problem that causes significant harm to individuals and society. This paper is the first to examine the association of alexithymia subscales with exhaustion symptoms. Methods: the study used the Young Finns Study follow-up data, from which data on alexithymia was examined in 1980 and exhaustion symptoms in the follow-up survey in 2012. The size of the sample was 1230. The research questions were explored using generalized linear gamma regression models controlling for different background variables (socioeconomic factors of adulthood and childhood family environment factors and depressive symptoms). Results: Higher alexithymia scores were found to be associated with more severe exhaustion symptoms. In addition, higher difficulties in identifying and describing emotions were associated with more intense exhaustion symptoms and higher levels of externalizing thinking were associated with lower intense exhaustion symptoms. Conclusion: Overall, alexithymic traits contribute to the intensity of exhaustion symptoms. However, controlling for depressive symptomatology weakened the association of the total alexithymia score with exhaustion symptomatology. This study raised the need to further investigate the significance of the alexithymia subscales in the future.
  • Al-Hol Camp and changing Finland : an analysis of the media debate 
    Foudila, Karoliina (2021)
    There has been a vivid public debate in Finland about the women and children who have been staying at al-Hol camp in Syria after the collapse of the ISIS caliphate. This thesis investigates the public debate in the media about these Finnish women and children. Using the method of qualitative content analysis, I examine 117 articles from Helsingin Sanomat from the period from May 1st to December 31st, 2019. My aim is to analyze the key issues that are raised in the debate; how the women and children are depicted; and the linkages between this debate and the changes taking place in the larger Finnish context. These changes involve on the one hand the society becoming more multi-religious, and on the other hand the rise of right-wing populism, anti-immigration, and Islamophobia. The theoretical basis of my analysis is the concept of othering in social sciences, namely the act of creating and using oppositional categories of ‘us’ versus ’them’, which are, for example, based on religion or race. The results show that the women are depicted as ’the dangerous Muslim other’ who could pose a security threat if they are brought back to Finland. These depictions are also shaped by the larger Finnish context, where there are contestations especially around religious diversity that is increasingly becoming a characteristic of society, about Finnishness as a modern identity, and about the challenges of Muslim communities today. My analysis also shows that while children’s rights and wellbeing remain an important goal of Finnish policies and legal obligations, the rights of the Finnish children in the camp have been contested in this debate. This is partly because of legal complexities regarding their repatriation to Finland, and partly because of a security-oriented perspective that sees some of the children as suspects and their relationship with their mothers as a problem. Overall, the analysis shows that the debate about these women and children at al-Hol is not just about whether the people should be repatriated, but about the current changes in Finnish society and the anxieties related to these changes.

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