Annika Maria Désirée Melinder

• Rasiah, Midja; Larsen, Maria Å.; Bernhardt, Ida Stange & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2026). Barnefaglig sakkyndiges opplevelser av å arbeide i skjæringspunktet mellom juss og psykologi. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. doi: 10.52734/XQDA1314. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée & Kierulf, Haagen Klundby (2026). Experts’ Approaches when Interviewing Children and Evaluating their Care Needs. Child Abuse & Neglect. ISSN 0145-2134. 177. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2026.108129. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract Background Experts are often hired by the courts in child protective system (CPS) cases to evaluate children's care needs and they may also provide information about the best interest of the child. Although experts' reports are quality-secured by the Expert Commission on Children (ECC), we lack insight into the evaluative approaches used by experts. Objectives This study examines (a) the type of child- interviews and observational methods used by experts, (b) the extent to which experts explicitly refer the concept of the best interest of the child, and (c) whether the content of experts´ assessments is associated with the quality of their evaluative justification. Method 299 expert reports, including information about the child and the family, were collected from the ECC. We employed observational design and correlational statistics. Reports are analyzed using a coding system based on references from the ECC covering interview- and observational practices (inter-rater reliability, α = 0.89). Results Experts interviewed 222 children. Of those not interviewed, 56 were younger than five years. Within these interviews, 94.5% were conducted with limited use of evidence-based techniques. Observations were conducted in 36% of cases. The child's best interest references appeared in 12%. The quality of experts' evaluative justification was positively associated with the depth of descriptions of the child's care needs. Conclusions Experts predominantly rely on non-standardized interview methods and infrequent observational assessments. Explicit articulation of the best interest of the child is uncommon. The findings highlight substantial variability in experts' methodological approaches and call for more transparency of experts' work.

• Kierulf, Haagen Klundby & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2026). Few and unstructured: observation count, observation methods and guideline-based evaluation quality in parent-child interaction observations in child protection cases. Children and Youth Services Review. ISSN 0190-7409. 190, s. 109230–109230. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.109230. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Parent–child interaction observations are frequently used as part of evidence within child protection proceedings, yet little is known about how expert witnesses conduct these observations or if observation count relate to the extent to which interplay and relationship evaluations reflect guideline-based quality criteria. Objective: To examine the number and methods of parent–child interaction observations in expert witness reports, identify predictors of observation count and assess whether the number of observations predicts scores on a guideline-based quality measure of parent–child interplay and relationship evaluations. Participants and Setting: A total of 271 expert witness reports produced between 2020 and 2023 in child protection cases were collected. Methods: Expert witness reports were coded for observation count, observation method, and scores on a guideline-based quality measure. Poisson regression was used to identify predictors of observation count, and ordinal regression was used to assess the relationship between observation count and scores on the guideline-based evaluation quality measure. Results: 58% of reports included only one or two observations, and 88.2% relied on unstructured observation methods. The number of children involved (p = 0.006) and report year (p = 0.011) significantly predicted observation count in Poisson regression. Ordinal regression indicated that each additional observation increased the odds of receiving a higher score on the guideline-based quality measure by 23% (OR = 1.23, p = 0.027). Conclusions: Parent–child interaction observations in expert witness reports are often few and predominantly unstructured. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the observational basis available to experts may be related to how extensively experts document, justify, and connect observations to their evaluations of parent–child interplay and relationship. Further research is needed to examine how different observational approaches influence the consistency and evidentiary basis of expert assessments.

• Brodshaug, Maylén F.; Logendran, Abisha & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Ungdommers forståelse av mistenktes ­ rettigheter og plikter i avhør. Tidsskrift for strafferett. ISSN 1502-685X. 25(3-2025), s. 298–324. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Denne studien undersøkte hvordan tydeliggjøring og forenkling av informasjon kan forbedre ungdommers forståelse av egne rettigheter og plikter som mistenkte under politiavhør. Ungdommer (antall: 268, 15–17 år) ble randomisert til ett av tre ulike informasjonsnivåer med stigende tilpasningsnivå av avhørsrettigheter fra dagens nivå (1), til nivå med elaborert tekst og illustrasjon (3). Målinger av deltakernes gjenkallings- og gjenkjenningsforståelse viste statistisk signifikante forskjeller. Deltakerne fra nivå 1 viste den laveste forståelsen, mens deltakerne fra nivå 3 viste den høyeste forståelsen. Verken alder eller kjønn påvirket resultatene. Studien viste at forenkling av informasjon kan forbedre ungdommers forståelse av sine rettigheter og plikter i avhør.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée & Bernt, Agnes Camilla (2025). Samtaler med og forklaringer fra barn – psykologiske og juridiske perspektiver. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 2025(3), s. 213–235. doi: 10.18261/fab.23.3.3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  I denne artikkelen drøfter forfatterne juridiske og psykologfaglige premisser og hensyn ved samtaler med barn i barnelovs- og barnevernssaker, både som ledd i å gjennomføre barnets rett til medvirkning og ved psykologfaglige utredninger. Forfatterne fremstiller utviklingen i synet på samtaler med barn, og på hvem som bør snakke med barn, og hvordan samtaler med barn bør foregå og dokumenteres. Avslutningsvis presenteres et prosjekt med utvikling og implementering av en samtalemetodikk for sakkyndiges barnesamtaler, som inngår i et større forskningsprosjekt om sakkyndighet i barnevernssaker.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Kierulf, Haagen Klundby & Ulleberg, Pål (2025). Towards Higher Quality in Expert Reports in Child Protection: Why Emphasizing Limitations and Alternative Explanations Matters. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. ISSN 2524-5236. doi: 10.1007/s42448-025-00226-2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Lekva, Karine Bakke & Fosse, Hulda Rødder (2025). Deeply navigating among cross-cultural issues makes you a better expert. Children and Youth Services Review. ISSN 0190-7409. 177. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108501. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The European Court of Human Rights underscores the importance of cultural and ethnic aspects in experts’ evaluations of child protective services cases. However, little is known about whether the degree of justification of their conclusions and the quality of expert reports differ as a function of the case’s ethnicity. We explored whether experts who examine nonethnic Scandinavian (NES) vs. ethnic Scandinavian (ES) cases differ in terms of justifying their conclusions and producing high-quality reports. A total of 306 reports (n = 124 NES) were collected after reliability testing (α ≥ 0.81) and coded for ‘Justifying’ and ‘Quality’ variables. ANOVA did not show significant differences between the NES and ES groups in terms of justification (p = 0.84), but when the NES group was divided into yes/no regarding the discussion of ethnic issues, ANOVA showed that the discussed NES group was superior in terms of justification to the not discussed NES group (p = 0.01), but not compared to the ES group (p = 0.88). For the quality variables, no differences were detected between the NES and ES groups (p ≥ 0.08). When the discussed NES group was compared with the ES group, we found a difference in the ‘quality of evaluation’ between the discussed NES group and the not discussed NES group (p = 0.02). The rating scores of the experts’ conduct and behavior did not differ. Only experts who discussed ethnic issues in their work with NES cases had higher scores on the justification and quality measures. Examining NES cases without discussing issues of ethnicity might be a risk factor for worse justification and lower quality in experts’ reports in child protective services cases.

• Coldevin, Marit Melnæs; Brænden, Astrid Irene; Zeiner, Pål; Øyen, Anne-Siri; Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée & Stubberud, Jan Egil (2024). Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, parental stress, and attachment styles. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 3. doi: 10.3389/frcha.2024.1430850. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a relatively new diagnostic entity concerning children with chronic irritability and severe anger outbursts. Currently, there is limited knowledge about the parental factors associated with the disorder. The aim of this study was to compare stress levels and attachment styles in parents of children with DMDD with those of parents of children with other diagnoses. Our sample consisted of 218 children (6–12 years, Mage = 9.68 years) referred to child mental health outpatient clinics. Clinicians used a standardized semi-structured diagnostic interview to identify diagnoses. Parental stress levels and attachment styles were assessed using parent reports. We found that parents of children with DMDD experience significantly higher levels of parenting stress related to factors in the child than parents of children with other diagnoses. Furthermore, parents of children with DMDD show a higher association with insecure adult attachment styles than parents of children without DMDD. Finally, an adult preoccupied-ambivalent attachment style explains the variability in parental stress in the DMDD group to a large degree. We discuss how parental stress and an insecure attachment style can be associated with negative parenting practices. An implication from this study could be that treatment results might be improved by involving parents more in treatment programs for children with DMDD.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée & Skyberg, Lisbeth (2024). Etiske aspekter ved fritaksretten ved vurderingen av barnets beste. I Jakobsen, Kristina Kepinska & Risan, Patrick (Red.), Etikk i etterforskning. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205605602. s. 280–300. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Brænden, Astrid; Coldevin, Marit Melnæs; Zeiner, Pål; Stubberud, Jan Egil & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2023). Executive function in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder compared to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, and in children with different irritability levels. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. ISSN 1018-8827. 33(1), s. 115–125. doi: 10.1007/s00787-023-02143-6. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract Addressing current challenges in research on disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), this study aims to compare executive function in children with DMDD, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). We also explore associations between irritability, a key DMDD characteristic, and executive function in a clinical sample regardless of diagnosis. Our sample include children (6–12 years) referred to child psychiatric clinics. Measures of daily-life (parent-reported questionnaire) and performance-based (neuropsychological tasks) executive function were applied. Identifying diagnoses, clinicians administered a standardized semi-structured diagnostic interview with parents. Irritability was assessed by parent-report. First, we compared executive function in DMDD (without ADHD/ODD), ADHD (without DMDD/ODD), ODD (without DMDD/ADHD) and DMDD + ADHD (without ODD). Second, we analyzed associations between executive function and irritability using the total sample. In daily life, children with DMDD showed clinically elevated and significantly worse emotion control scores compared to children with ADHD, and clinically elevated scores on cognitive flexibility compared to norm scores. Children with DMDD had significantly less working memory problems than those with ADHD. No differences were found between DMDD and ODD. Increased irritability was positively associated with emotional dyscontrol and cognitive inflexibility. For performance-based executive function, no diagnostic differences or associations with irritability were observed. We discuss how, in daily life, children with high irritability-levels get overwhelmed by feelings without accompanying regulatory capacities.

• Brænden, Astrid; Coldevin, Marit Melnæs; Zeiner, Pål; Stubberud, Jan Egil & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2023). Neuropsychological mechanisms of social difficulties in disruptive mood dysregulation disorder versus oppositional defiant disorder. Child Neuropsychology: A Journal of Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence. ISSN 0929-7049. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2023.2205632. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Children with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are characterized by irritability and social difficulties. However, the mechanisms underlying these disorders could be different. This study explores differences in social cognition and executive function (EF) across DMDD and ODD and the influence of these factors and their interaction on social problems in both groups. Children with DMDD (n = 53, Mage = 9.3) or ODD (n = 39, Mage = 9.6) completed neuropsychological tasks measuring social cognition (Theory of Mind and Face-Emotion Recognition) and EF (cognitive flexibility, inhibition, and working memory). Parents reported social problems. More than one-third of the children with DMDD and almost two-thirds of those with ODD showed clear difficulties with Theory of Mind. Most children with DMDD (51–64%) or ODD (67–83%) showed difficulties with EF. In children with DMDD, worse EF (β = –.36) was associated with more social problems, whereas in children with ODD, better EF (β = .44) was associated with more social problems. In those with ODD, but not in those with DMDD, the interaction between social cognition and EF contributed to the explained variance of social problems (β = –1.97). Based on the observed interaction pattern, enhanced EF may lead to increased social problems among children with ODD who also exhibit social cognition difficulties. This study suggests the existence of distinct neuropsychological mechanisms underlying the social issues observed in children with DMDD versus those with ODD.

• Coldevin, Marit Melnæs; Brænden, Astrid; Zeiner, Pål; Øyen, Anne-Siri; Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée & Stubberud, Jan Egil (2023). Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder in a Norwegian Clinical Child Population. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. ISSN 1359-1045. doi: 10.1177/13591045231176928. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Brænden, Astrid Irene; Lebena, Andrea; Faresjö, Åshild; Theodorsson, Elvar; Coldevin, Marit Melnæs & Stubberud, Jan Egil [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Excessive hair cortisol concentration as an indicator of psychological disorders in children. Psychoneuroendocrinology. ISSN 0306-4530. 157. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106363. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Cortisol in hair is a new biomarker assessing long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, which is related to emotion regulation. We compare hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), in clinically referred children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) (n = 19), children with other types of psychological disorders (n = 48), and healthy subjects (n = 36). We also investigate the association between HCC and irritability, age, and sex. Our results show that children with DMDD or other types of psychological disorders have higher HCC than healthy subjects, p < .001, ηp2 = .39. No difference between children with DMDD and those with other types of psychological disorders was found, p = .91, nor an association between HCC and irritability in the clinical sample, p = .32. We found a significant negative correlation between HCC and age in those with DMDD, r = −0.54, p < .05, but not in the normative sample, r = −0.20, p = .25. No differences in HCC between girls and boys were found in the normative sample, p = .49. Children in need of psychological treatment, including those with DMDD, seem to have dysregulated HPA-axis activity over time. Excessive accumulated cortisol concentrations in hair could be an indicator of a psychological disorder in children.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Brænden, Astrid Irene; Lebena, Andrea; Faresjø, Åshild Olsen; Theodorson, Elvar & Coldevin, Marit Melnæs [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). The psychobiology of child and parental stress and the subjective perception of parental stress in a clinical sample of children. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2, s. 1–11. doi: 10.3389/frcha.2023.1173317. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Parental stress may influence the assimilation of treatment strategies and affect a child's recovery trajectory. Thus, assessing parental stress is crucial for children requiring psychiatric care. The Parenting Stress Index (PSI) is widely utilized to gauge perceived parental stress. However, since the PSI does not quantify cortisol concentration (i.e., a biological marker for stress), it is vital to ascertain the alignment between these indicators. Moreover, understanding the correlation in cortisol concentrations between parents and children in clinical contexts can refine assessment and diagnostic methodologies. In an outpatient sample [mean age ( M age ) = 9.68 years], we examined the correlation between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in 60 pairs of parents and children, analyzed the relationship between PSI scores and parent HCC ( n  = 65), and used a regression model to probe the influence of child HCC and PSI scores on parent HCC ( n  = 63). The results showed a significant relationship between parent and child HCC ( p  &amp;lt; 0.001). The “Distraction and Hyperactivity” PSI subscale correlated significantly with parent HCC ( p  = 0.02). None of the PSI scores correlated with child HCC ( p  ≥ 0.07). The regression model, accounting for 44% of the variance, demonstrated that only child HCC significantly predicted parent HCC ( p  &amp;lt; 0.001), while the “Distraction and Hyperactivity” subscale did not.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Jahren, Marie & Bernt, Agnes Camilla (2023). Hvordan arbeider sakkyndige psykologer med barnevernssaker? En gjennomgang av 1855 saker fra årene 2018–2020. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 21(3), s. 175–195. doi: 10.18261/fab.21.3.3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Brænden, Astrid; Zeiner, Pål; Coldevin, Marit Melnæs; Stubberud, Jan Egil & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2022). Underlying mechanisms of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder in children: A systematic review by means of research domain criteria. JCPP Advances. 2, s. 1–24. doi: 10.1002/jcv2.12060. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background A systematic overview of underlying mechanisms in the new disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) diagnosis is needed. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) represent a system of six domains of human functioning, which aims to structure the understanding of the nature of mental illnesses. By means of the RDoC framework, the objective of this systematic review is to synthesize available data on children and youths <18 years suffering from DMDD as reported in peer reviewed papers. Methods A literature search guided by PRISMA was conducted using Medline, PsychInfo, and Embase, while the RDoC domains were employed to systematize research findings. Risk of bias in the included studies was examined. Results We identified 319 studies. After study selection, we included 29 studies. Twenty-one of these had findings relating to >1 RDoC domain. The risk of bias assessment shows limitations in the research foundation of current knowledge on mechanisms of DMDD. Discussion Reviewing self-report, behavior and neurocircuit findings by means of RDoC domains, we suggest that DMDD youths have a negative interpretation bias in social processes and valence systems. In occurrence of a negative stimuli interpretation, aberrant cognitive processing may arise. However, current knowledge of DMDD is influenced by lack of sample diversity and open science practices. Conclusion We found the six RDoC domains useful in structuring current evidence of the underlying mechanisms of DMDD. Important opportunities for future studies in this field of research are suggested. In clinical practice, this comprehensive summary on DMDD mechanisms can be used in psychoeducation and treatment plans.

• Tidemann, Ida Therese & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2022). Infant behavioural effects of smartphone interrupted parent-infant interaction. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. ISSN 0261-510X. 40(3), s. 384–397. doi: 10.1111/bjdp.12416. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2022). Verbal and nonverbal memory in school-aged children born to opioid-dependent mothers. Early Human Development. ISSN 0378-3782. 171(105614). doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105614. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: The potential long-term developmental effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure during pregnancy are still largely unknown. Aims: We investigated memory function in school-aged children of women enrolled in opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) during pregnancy. Study design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. Subjects: Participants included 41 children (aged 9–11 years), 20 of which had histories of prenatal methadone or buprenorphine exposure. Outcome measures: Verbal and non-verbal memory function was assessed using four subtests from the Test of Memory and Learning - Second edition (TOMAL-2). Results: The OMT group scored lower on both the two non-verbal as well as the two verbal memory tasks, all p-values <.05. Group differences remained for three out of the four subtests after controlling for general IQ. Including maternal tobacco use during pregnancy increased the explanatory power of the model, R2 change of 0.07, p = .04. Conclusions: Children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine had significantly lower memory performance, however, this association may in part be explained by maternal tobacco use during pregnancy. Consequently, smoking cessation programs should be systematically integrated into opioid maintenance therapy programs for pregnant women.

• Hermansen, Tone Kristine; Syrstad, Kari Enger; Røysamb, Espen & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2022). Child internalizing and externalizing behaviors: Interplay between maternal depressive symptoms and child inhibitory control. JCPP Advances. 2(4). doi: 10.1002/jcv2.12107. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Maternal depression is a risk factor for child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Aiming to investigate the moderating role of child inhibitory control on this relationship, we invited a sub-sample of dyads from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort study (MoBa) for a lab-based assessment (N = 92, Mage = 68 months, Range = 59–80, 50% girls). Maternal depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), while child behaviors were measured using the Child Behavior Check List, and inhibitory control using a child friendly version of the Flanker-task. As expected, higher levels of concurrent maternal depressive symptoms predicted higher levels of child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Importantly, and in line with our predictions, child inhibitory control moderated the association. Lower levels of inhibitory control predicted a stronger association between concurrent maternal depressive symptoms and child behavioral outcomes. The results support prior research suggesting that concurrent maternal depression poses a risk for child development, and highlight that children with lower levels of inhibitory control are more vulnerable to negative environmental influences. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complexity of parental mental health issues on child development and suggest avenues for personalized treatment programs for families and children at risk.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; magnusson, mikaela; Ask, Karl; Gilstrap, Livia & Landström, Sara (2021). When a different perspective and contextual knowledge change the conclusions: Commentary on Baugerud et al. (2020). Applied Cognitive Psychology. ISSN 0888-4080. doi: 10.1002/acp.3763. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  In this commentary, we raise concerns about potential methodological shortcomings in a recent paper by Baugerud et al. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2020, 34, 654–663, which threaten the validity and the interpretative power of the original authors' conclusions. Our concerns relate to (a) the use of a scoring system that fails to account for how children's legal rights have been implemented in the Norwegian legal system; (b) the failure to acknowledge the legal and ethical rationales behind the use of specific procedures in the Norwegian child interviewing model; (c) the lack of justification based on developmental theory or empirical distributions when creating age groups for statistical comparisons; and (d) the seemingly arbitrary and selective use of outcome variables to support a negative interpretation of the Norwegian interviewing model. Finally, because applied research may directly inform policy decisions, we argue that authors need to be particularly transparent with any potential conflicts of interest and have a low threshold for reporting such.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Koch, Katrin & Bernt, Agnes Camilla (2021). Som du spør får du svar: En gjennomgang av mandater til sakkyndige i barnevernsaker. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 19(1), s. 52–77. doi: 10.18261/issn.0809-9553-2021-01-04. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  I dette arbeidet har vi, med både psykologisk og juridisk blikk, undersøkt hvilke mandater som blir gitt sakkyndige i barnevernssaker. Det finnes ikke noen tilsvarende gjennomgang fra tidligere, men på bakgrunn av erfaringer fra feltet hadde vi grunn til å anta at mandatene ble formulert med stor variasjon, og ofte uten referanse til den relevante lovmessige rammen. Vår gjennomgang av 201 mandater gitt av barneverntjenesten til sakkyndige bekreftet til dels våre antagelser og avdekket et behov for mer tematisk avgrensede og standardiserte mandater, samt et behov for å bevisstgjøre barns rett til å bli hørt gjennom sunne metodiske tilnærminger.

• Thuve, Ellisiv; Aamnes, Didrik & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2021). En pilotstudie av MST-CAN i Norge. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 58(1), s. 18–28. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Aims: Multisystemic Treatment – Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) is an evidence-based treatment which offers a comprehensive approach to reducing child maltreatment by addressing both parental and child psychological and psychosocial problems. This study pilots for randomized control trials (RCT) of this treatment in Norway. Method: A longitudinal examination of validated and standardized inner group measures of psychological and psychosocial problems in 21 families before, after and six months after treatment. The study examines the team members adherence to MST-CAN and maps statistical strength for future research in a Norwegian municipality. Results: Positive effects were found for both parents’ and children’s psychological and psychosocial problems and an adequate adherence to MST-CAN among the team members. Implications: Findings from this pilot study indicate that future RCT studies are feasible in a Norwegian context. Future studies would need a minimum of 60 families in their sample to reach desired statistical power. A close collaboration with the MST-CAN teams are an important prerequisite for successful studies.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Albrechtsen, Malin & Sandberg, Kirsten (2021). In the Best Interest of the Child: the Norwegian Approach to Child Protection. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. ISSN 2524-5236. 4(3), s. 209–230. doi: 10.1007/s42448-021-00078-6. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract In the present paper, we discuss three challenges with the Norwegian Child Protective System (CPS) that might have contributed to the recent criticism from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). First, how to balance the rights of the child with those of the parents. Second, the psychological field’s influence on the interpretation of what constitutes the best interest of the child, and third we describe several missing links in the CPS work. Throughout the paper, we find indications of a well-developed Act, but a less optional CPS practice. Likewise, we find evidence for a narrow interpretation of the best interest of the child related to CPS and expert psychologists’ application of attachment theory, and several organizational and educational shortcomings in the area of CPS. We conclude that the child is not fully seen as a legal subject in the eyes of the ECtHR, and that more research into CPS measures and organization are needed to better deliver adequate assistance to vulnerable families.

• Carolien, Konijnenberg & Annika, Melinder (2021). Affective decision-making in children prenatally exposed to opioids. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. ISSN 0036-5564. 62(4), s. 529–536. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12743. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Although opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) is currently recommended for pregnant opioid-dependent women, potential effects on children’s long-term development are still largely unknown. The current study assessed the long-term cognitive development of children born to women in OMT. Particularly, children’s decision-making performance was assessed with a child-friendly version of the Iowa Gambling Task. Using a prospective longitudinal design, a cohort of children was followed from birth to middle childhood. Data were collected in Norway between 2005 and 2017. Participants included 41 children (aged 9–11 years), 20 of whom had histories of prenatal methadone or buprenorphine exposure. Background data were collected from personal interviews and medical records in 2005–2006. Children’s affective decision-making was assessed in 2016– 2017. Results showed no main effect of group on the net scores in the gambling task, F(1, 39) = 1.44, p = 0.24, g2 = 0.04, demonstrating no group differences in decision-making performance. A main effect of group was found on sensitivity to punishment, with children in the control group choosing the doors with the infrequent, but high punishment more often compared to children in the OMT group, F(1, 39) = 4.90, p = 0.03, g2 = 0.11. No main effect of group on decision-making speed was found, although results showed a significant interaction effect between group and gain, F(1, 8,194) = 4.09, p = 0.04, g2 = 0.001. Children prenatally exposed to opioids were found to have normal decision-making performance on an affective decision-making task and were able to consider future consequences when making decisions.

• Ousdal, Olga Therese; Milde, Anne Marita; Hafstad, Gertrud Sofie; Hodneland, Erlend; Dyb, Grete & Craven, Alexander R. [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2020). The association of PTSD symptom severity with amygdala nuclei volumes in traumatized youths. Translational Psychiatry. 10:288(288), s. 1–10. doi: 10.1038/s41398-020-00974-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The amygdala is a core component in neurobiological models of stress and stress-related pathologies, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While numerous studies have reported increased amygdala activity following traumatic stress exposure and in PTSD, the findings regarding amygdala volume have been mixed. One reason for these mixed findings may be that the amygdala has been considered as a homogenous entity, while it in fact consists of several nuclei with unique cellular and connectivity profiles. Here, we investigated amygdala nuclei volumes of the basolateral and the centrocorticomedial complex in relation to PTSD symptom severity in 47 young survivors from the 2011 Norwegian terror attack 24–36 months post-trauma. PTSD symptoms were assessed 4–5, 14–15 and 24–36 months following the trauma. We found that increased PTSD symptom severity 24–36 months post-trauma was associated with volumetric reductions of all basolateral as well as the central and the medial nuclei. However, only the lateral nucleus was associated with longitudinal symptom development, and mediated the association between 4–5 months and 24–36 months post-trauma symptoms. The results suggest that the amygdala nuclei may be differentially associated with cross-sectional and longitudinal measures of PTSD symptom severity. As such, investigations of amygdala total volume may not provide an adequate index of the association between amygdala and stress-related mental illness.

• Rachlew, Asbjørn; Brøste, Inger-Lise; Melinder, Annika Maria D & Magnussen, Svein (2020). Recruiting Eyewitness Science in Criminal Investigations: The Pocket Man Case. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice. ISSN 2473-2850. 20(3), s. 205–213. doi: 10.1080/24732850.2020.1714407. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Do surveillance shots and phantom drawings of the perpetrator in child abuse cases, images that are widely published in public media, contaminate the identifications made by young victims? This question was raised in the later phases of the investigations into a Norwegian child abuse case that involved a large number of victims, where a suspect was apprehended, and a photo lineup with the victims was planned. The police sought to answer the question by conducting a simple experiment: Two samples of participants – children in the age range of the real victims but from a different part of the country, and police cadets – were presented with the published photographs and drawings of the suspect; after a short interval, they were asked to pick the man they had seen in a 12-person photo lineup that was planned to be used with the real victims. The results showed that media exposure – surveillance shots and phantom drawings – in this case did not increase the probability of selecting the suspect. It is concluded that criminal investigations in some cases may profit from research evaluations of police procedures and eyewitness performance, supporting the investigative process by sorting out unreliable procedures and increasing the quality of the evidence.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Brennen, Timothy John; Husby, Mikael Falkhaugen & Vassend, Olav (2020). Personality, confirmation bias, and forensic interviewing performance. Applied Cognitive Psychology. ISSN 0888-4080. doi: 10.1002/acp.3674. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Confirmation bias is a universal characteristic of human cognition, with consequences for information processing and reasoning in everyday situations as well as in professional work such as forensic interviewing. Cognitive measures such as general intelligence are also related to personality traits, but there is a lack of research on personality and confirmation bias specifically. This study focuses, firstly, on the relationship between Big Five personality traits and confirmation bias as measured by the Wason selection task, and secondly, how these dispositions are related to observed performance in real forensic interviews of child victims. In a sample of police interviewers, Openness (i.e., the facets Ideas and Fantasy) and Neuroticism (i.e., the facets Anxiety and Vulnerability) were independently associated with confirmation bias (N = 72). Scores on the selection task, the Openness facet Values, and the Extraversion facets Assertiveness and Activity were consistently related to interview performance (N = 46). Implications of these findings are discussed for the empirical and conceptual relations of cognitive ability to personality and for the selection and training of police interviewers and their professional development.

• Brøste, Inger-Lise; Magnussen, Svein; Melinder, Annika Maria D & Rachlew, Asbjørn (2020). Forskning i etterforskning: Politiets kvalitetssikring av vitnekonfrontasjonene i lommemannsaken. Tidsskrift for strafferett. ISSN 1502-685X. 20(2), s. 146–155. doi: 10.18261/ISSN.0809-9537-2020-02-02. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Magnusson, Mikaela & Gilstrap, Livia (2020). What Is a Child-Appropriate Interview? Interaction Between Child Witnesses and Police Officers. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. ISSN 2524-5236. 3, s. 369–392. doi: 10.1007/s42448-020-00052-8. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Dodier, Olivier; Melinder, Annika Maria D; Otgaar, Henry; Payoux, Mélany & Magnussen, Svein (2019). Psychologists and psychiatrists in court: What do they know about eyewitness memory? A comparison between experts in inquisitorial and adversarial legal systems. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology. ISSN 0882-0783. 34, s. 254–262. doi: 10.1007/s11896-019-09339-0. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kostopoulos, Maria Bjørdal; Iversen, Stine; Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2019). Beliefs About Young Children as Witnesses: a Survey of Experienced Defense Lawyers and Psychological Expert Witnesses in Norway. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. ISSN 2524-5236. 2, s. 309–322. doi: 10.1007/s42448-019-00029-2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2019). Salivary Cortisol Levels Relate to Cognitive Performance in Children Prenatally Exposed to Methadone or Buprenorphine. Developmental Psychobiology. ISSN 0012-1630. doi: 10.1002/dev.21921. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) is generally recommended for pregnant opioid‐ dependent women. However, much is still unknown about the potential long‐term effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure. This study explored the long‐term effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure in a co‐ hort (n = 41) of children, aged 9–11 years, using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) to measure cognitive development and salivary cortisol samples to measure HPA‐axis activity. Prenatally exposed children scored significantly lower on all four subtests of WASI (vocabulary, similarities, block design, and matrix rea‐ soning), compared to a comparison group (all p < .05). No group differences were found for salivary cortisol levels or cortisol reactivity levels (all p > .05). Cortisol lev‐ els significantly predicted matrix reasoning scores for the OMT group, β = −65.58, t(20) = 15.70, p = .02. Findings suggest that prenatal exposure to methadone or buprenorphine does not have long‐term effects on children's HPA‐axis functioning. However, since children of women in OMT scored significantly lower on tasks of cognitive function, careful follow‐up throughout the school years and across adoles‐ cence is recommended.

• Ousdal, Olga Therese; Milde, Anne Marita; Craven, Alexander R.; Ersland, Lars; Endestad, Tor & Melinder, Annika Maria D [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2018). Prefrontal glutamate levels predict altered amygdala–prefrontal connectivity in traumatized youths. Psychological Medicine. ISSN 0033-2917. s. 1–9. doi: 10.1017/S0033291718002519. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Augusti, Else-Marie; Baugerud, Gunn Astrid; Sulutvedt, Unni & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2018). Maltreatment and trauma symptoms: Does type of maltreatment matter? Psychological Trauma. ISSN 1942-9681. 10(4), s. 396–401. doi: 10.1037/tra0000315. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien; Jondalen, Nils Martin; Husby, Michael Falkhaugen & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2018). ERP correlates of cognitive control in children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine. Developmental Neuropsychology. ISSN 8756-5641. 43(7), s. 642–655. doi: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1493592. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hagen, Malin Albrechtsen van der; Stridbeck, Ulf & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2018). Førsamtaler på godt og vondt: Effekter på senere tilrettelagte avhør i lys av vitnepsykologisk forskning. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 16(4), s. 337–351. doi: 10.18261/issn.0809-9553-2018-04-06. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Det er heller praksis enn unntaket at barn forklarer seg om hendelser som kan værestraffbare, til ulike aktører før et tilrettelagt avhør finner sted. Ettersom påvirkning kanvære en betydelig faktor i forbindelse med slike førsamtaler, har det tidligere vært anbe-falt at førsamtaler helst ikke bør forkomme. Ny forskning viser imidlertid at pålitelig-heten kan bevares så lenge disse aktørene tar hensyn til barns sårbarhetsfaktorer oglegger opp samtalene i tråd med anbefalinger. I denne artikkelen vurderer forfatternedagens førsamtale- og avhørspraksis ut fra Lanzarote-konvensjonen og vitnepsykolo-giske anbefalinger.

• Baugerud, Gunn Astrid; Vangbæk, Sille Marie & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among Norwegian child protection workers: protective and risk factors. The British Journal of Social Work. ISSN 0045-3102. 48(1), s. 215–235. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcx002. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bakke, Laura A Wortinger; Endestad, Tor; Melinder, Annika Maria D; Øie, Merete Glenne; Sulheim, Dag & Fagermoen, Frode Even [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). Emotional conflict processing in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. ISSN 1380-3395. 39(4), s. 355–368. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2016.1230180. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Introduction: Studies of neurocognition suggest that abnormalities in cognitive control contribute to the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in adolescents, yet these abnormalities remain poorly understood at the neurobiological level. Reports indicate that adolescents with CFS are significantly impaired in conflict processing, a primary element of cognitive control. Method: In this study, we examine whether emotional conflict processing is altered on behavioral and neural levels in adolescents with CFS and a healthy comparison group. Fifteen adolescent patients with CFS and 24 healthy adolescent participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing an emotional conflict task that involved categorizing facial affect while ignoring overlaid affect labeled words. Results: Adolescent CFS patients were less able to engage the left amygdala and left midposterior insula (mpINS) in response to conflict than the healthy comparison group. An association between accuracy interference and conflict-related reactivity in the amygdala was observed in CFS patients. A relationship between response time interference and conflict-related reactivity in the mpINS was also reported. Neural responses in the amygdala and mpINS were specific to fatigue severity. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that adolescent CFS patients displayed deficits in emotional conflict processing. Our results suggest abnormalities in affective and cognitive functioning of the salience network, which might underlie the pathophysiology of adolescent CFS.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Toffalini, Enrico; Geccherle, Eleonora & Cornoldi, Cesare (2017). Positive events protect children from causal false memories for scripted events. Memory. ISSN 0965-8211. 25(10), s. 1366–1374. doi: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1306080. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Ousdal, Olga Therese; Huys, Quentin J.; Milde, Anne Marita; Craven, Alexander R.; Ersland, Lars & Endestad, Tor [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). The impact of traumatic stress on Pavlovian biases. Psychological Medicine. ISSN 0033-2917. 48(2), s. 327–336. doi: 10.1017/S003329171700174X. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Augusti, Else-Marie; Bernt, Agnes Camilla & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Kvalitetssikring av sakkyndighetsarbeid – en gjennomgang av vurderingsprosesser i Barnesakkyndig kommisjon, fylkesnemnder og domstoler. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 15(4), s. 256–289. doi: 10.18261/issn.0809-9553-2017-04-02. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Barnesakkyndig kommisjon (BSK) skal vurdere sakkyndigrapporter utarbeidet av sakkyndige som er engasjert av barnevernet og private parter, eller oppnevnt av avgjørelsesorganene. BSK ble opprettet med det formål å sikre kvalitet i sakkyndigrapporter som brukes som beslutningsgrunnlag og bevis i barnevernssaker. I 2015 ble BSK evaluert av en tverrfaglig gruppe ledet av Agenda Kaupang. Deler av denne evalueringen, som går spesielt på kvalitet i sakkyndigrapporter, kvalitetssikringsprosesser i BSK og anvendelse av BSKs vurderinger i avgjørelsesorganene, blir presentert nærmere i denne artikkelen. De empirisk baserte funnene tyder på god kvalitet i sakkyndigrapportene, konsistente og etterprøvbare kvalitetssikringsprosesser i BSK, og anvendelse av BSKs bemerkninger i avgjørelsesorganene i tråd med BSKs vurderinger.

• Grønli, Janne; Melinder, Annika Maria D; Ousdal, Olga Therese; Pallesen, Ståle; Endestad, Tor & Milde, Anne Marita (2017). Life threat and sleep disturbances in adolescents: a two-year follow-up of survivors from the 2011 Utøya, Norway, terror attack. Journal of Traumatic Stress. ISSN 0894-9867. 30(3), s. 219–228. doi: 10.1002/jts.22196. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hermansen, Tone Kristine; Yrttiaho, Santeri; Røysamb, Espen & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Perceptual interference processing in preschool children, with and without prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Psychopharmacology. ISSN 0033-3158. 234(3), s. 339–351. doi: 10.1007/s00213-016-4467-7. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Wessel, Ellen Margrethe; Eilertsen, Dag-Erik; Langnes, Espen; Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Disclosure of child sexual abuse: expressed emotions and credibility judgments of a child mock victim. Psychology, Crime and Law. ISSN 1068-316X. 22(4), s. 331–343. doi: 10.1080/1068316X.2015.1109087. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Baugerud, Gunn Astrid; Howe, Mark L; Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Maltreated and non-maltreated children's true and false memories of neutral and emotional word lists in the Deese/Roediger-McDermott task. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. ISSN 0022-0965. 143, s. 102–110. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.10.007. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien; Sarfi, Annamaria Monika & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Mother-child interaction and cognitive development in children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine. Early Human Development. ISSN 0378-3782. 101, s. 91–97. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.08.013. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hermansen, Tone Kristine; Røysamb, Espen; Augusti, Else-Marie & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Behavior and inhibitory control in children with prenatal exposure to antidepressants and medically untreated depression. Psychopharmacology. ISSN 0033-3158. 233(8), s. 1523–1535. doi: 10.1007/s00213-016-4248-3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D & Milde, Anne Marita (2016). Samarbeid, samtykkeerklæring og deling av data. I Enebakk, Vidar; Ingierd, Helene & Refsdal, Nils Olav (Red.), De berørte etter 22. juli. Forskningsetiske perspektiver. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202522056. s. 73–84. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Bakke, Laura A Wortinger; Endestad, Tor; Melinder, Annika Maria D; Øie, Merete Glenne; Nilsen, Andre Sevenius & Wyller, Vegard Bruun (2016). Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity in the Salience Network of adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. PLOS ONE. 11(7). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159351. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Abstract Neural network investigations are currently absent in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In this study, we examine whether the core intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are altered in adolescent CFS patients. Eighteen adolescent patients with CFS and 18 aged matched healthy adolescent control subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI). Data was analyzed using dual-regression independent components analysis, which is a data-driven approach for the identification of independent brain networks. Intrinsic connectivity was evaluated in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN). Associations between network characteristics and symptoms of CFS were also explored. Adolescent CFS patients displayed a significant decrease in SN functional connectivity to the right posterior insula compared to healthy comparison participants, which was related to fatigue symptoms. Additionally, there was an association between pain intensity and SN functional connectivity to the left middle insula and caudate that differed between adolescent patients and healthy comparison participants. Our findings of insula dysfunction and its association with fatigue severity and pain intensity in adolescent CFS demonstrate an aberration of the salience network which might play a role in CFS pathophysiology.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Burrell, Lisa Victoria; Eriksen, Maria Olaussen; Magnussen, Svein & Wessel, Ellen Margrethe (2016). The Emotional Child Witness Effect Survives Presentation Mode. Behavioral sciences & the law. ISSN 0735-3936. 34(1), s. 113–125. doi: 10.1002/bsl.2232. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The emotional witness effect – the phenomenon whereby people are affected by the emotional manner in which a witness presents testimony – constitutes a possible source of wrongful decisions in legal contexts. One stereotypical view of abused children is that they should be sad when talking about their experiences of maltreatment, whereas children may in fact express a variety of emotional expressions when talking about abusive events. This raises the question as to whether there is an optimal mode in which to present child victim testimony that could reduce the possible influence of displayed emotions. In the present study, mock police interviews were carried out with female child actors, role-playing the victims of physical abuse by their stepfather, telling the same story with four emotional expressions (neutral, sad, angry, or positive). Laypersons (N = 465) were presented with the interviews as transcripts with the emotional reactions of the child witness noted, audio recordings, or videotaped recordings. Participants then rated the credibility of the victim witness. Replicating previous results, the “sad” expression elicited the highest credibility ratings across all modes of presentations. Presentation mode affected ratings of credibility, with the transcript versions resulting in the highest ratings.

• Burrell, Lisa Victoria; Johnson, Miriam Sinkerud & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Children as Earwitnesses: Memory for Emotional Auditory Events. Applied Cognitive Psychology. ISSN 0888-4080. 30(3), s. 323–331. doi: 10.1002/acp.3202. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  We examined the influence of age and emotionality of auditory stimuli on long-term memory for environmental sound events. Sixty children aged 7–11 years were presented with two environmental sound events: an emotional car crash and a neutral event, someone brushing their teeth. The sound events comprised six individual environmental sounds, and the participants passively listened to the sound events through a headset. After a two-week delay, participants performed a cued recall task and a recognition task. Independent of age, children were notably poor at recalling the sound events. Children recalled and recognized significantly more sounds from the emotional sound event than the neutral sound event. Additionally, the older children performed the recall task better than the younger children. The present findings confirm and expand the previously reported superiority of emotional material in memory.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D & Magnussen, Svein (2015). Psychologists and psychiatrists serving as expert witnesses in court: what do they know about eyewitness memory? Psychology, Crime and Law. ISSN 1068-316X. 21, s. 53–61. doi: 10.1080/1068316x.2014.915324. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hermansen, Tone Kristine & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Prenatal SSRI exposure: Effects on later child development. Child Neuropsychology: A Journal of Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence. ISSN 0929-7049. 21(5), s. 543–569. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2014.942727. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien; Lund, Ingunn Olea & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Behavioural outcomes of four-year-old children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine: a test of three risk models. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. 185(10), s. 1641–1657. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1016506. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  It is still under debate whether the reported effects of opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) on child behaviour are a direct effect of prenatal exposure, or whether other factors are involved. This prospective cohort study investigated three models: the teratogenic risk model, the maternal risk model, and a combined risk model in a group of 35 children (M = 52.20 months, SD = 1.69) prenatally exposed to OMT. Results revealed support for the maternal risk model and the combined model, with the combined model predicting child internalising and externalising behaviour problems the best (R2 = .65, p = .008 and R2 = .74, p = .003, respectively). Findings suggest that behaviour problems in children of women in OMT may not be a direct exposure effect. This underscores the importance of taking into consideration multiple factors when studying the effects of prenatal OMT exposure on child behaviour.

• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Executive function in preschool children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine. Child Neuropsychology: A Journal of Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence. ISSN 0929-7049. 21(5), s. 570–585. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2014.967201. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Visual Selective Attention Is Impaired in Children Prenatally Exposed to Opioid Agonist Medication. European Addiction Research. ISSN 1022-6877. 21(2), s. 63–70. doi: 10.1159/000366018. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Vitnebevisets psykologiske fallgruver. I Aarli, Ragna; Hedlund, Mary-Ann & Jebens, Sverre Erik (Red.), Bevis i straffesaker: Utvalgte emner. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205460096. s. 481–507. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Dette kapittel diskuterer hvordan og hvorfor variasjoner i den alminnelige menneskelige persepsjon og i kognitiv fungering kan forårsake feilkilder i bevisbedømmelsen. Fokuset rettes mot utenomrettslige faktorer som kan påvirke beslutningsprosesser.

• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Augusti, Else-Marie; Matre, Martin & Endestad, Tor (2015). Associations between executive functions and long-term stress reactions after extreme trauma: A two-year follow-up of the Utøya survivors. Psychological Trauma. ISSN 1942-9681. 7(6), s. 583–590. doi: 10.1037/tra0000048. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Terror attacks cause variation in everyday functioning across several domains. This paper focuses on the individual long-term costs in terms of clinical symptoms and cognitive (e.g., shifting, inhibition, and spatial working memory) difficulties associated with these symptoms in 24 survivors of a terror attack in Norway. Another 24 controls were included for comparison purposes. Participants were administered a battery of clinical and neurocognitive tests. Results showed that all clinical variables differed as a function of group, but no significant differences were revealed for the neurocognitive measures. In the survivor group, shifting capacity and its interaction with gender predicted intrusion symptoms and symptoms of avoidance. We discuss the findings in relation to theoretical models and therapeutic interventions.

• Johnson, Miriam Sinkerud; Magnussen, Svein; Thoresen, Christian; Lønnum, Kyrre; Burrell, Lisa Victoria & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). Best practice recommendations still fail to result in action: A national 10-year follow-up of investigative interviews in CSA cases. Applied Cognitive Psychology. ISSN 0888-4080. 29(5), s. 661–668. doi: 10.1002/acp.3147. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Konijnenberg, Carolien & Sarfi, Annamaria Monika (2015). Utvikling av nevrokognitive vansker hos førskolebarn som ble eksponert for metadon og buprenorfin i svangerskapet. Nevropsykologi : Medlemsblad for Norsk Nevropsykologisk Forening. ISSN 1500-8347. 17(1), s. 4–13. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Umiddelbarhetsprinsippet i bevisvurdering - en utfordring til rettssikkerheten? Lov og Rett. ISSN 0024-6980. 53, s. 607–621. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Mirandola, Chiara; Toffalini, Enrico; Grassano, Massimo; Cornoldi, Cesare & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Inferential false memories of events: Negative consequences protect from distortions when the events are free from further elaboration. Memory. ISSN 0965-8211. 22(5), s. 451–461. doi: 10.1080/09658211.2013.795976. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The present experiment was conducted to investigate whether negative emotionally charged and arousing content of to-be-remembered scripted material would affect propensity towards memory distortions. We further investigated whether elaboration of the studied material through free recall would affect the magnitude of memory errors. In this study participants saw eight scripts. Each of the scripts included an effect of an action, the cause of which was not presented. Effects were either negatively emotional or neutral. Participants were assigned to either a yes/no recognition test group (recognition), or to a recall and yes/no recognition test group (elaboration + recognition). Results showed that participants in the recognition group produced fewer memory errors in the emotional condition. Conversely, elaboration + recognition participants had lower accuracy and produced more emotional memory errors than the other group, suggesting a mediating role of semantic elaboration on the generation of false memories. The role of emotions and semantic elaboration on the generation of false memories is discussed.

• Baugerud, Gunn Astrid; Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). High accuracy but low consistency in children's long-term recall of a real-life stressful event. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. ISSN 0022-0965. 126, s. 357–368. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2014.05.009. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• McWilliams, Kelly; Augusti, Else-Marie; Dion, Jacinthe; Block, Stephanie D.; Melinder, Annika Maria D & Goodman, Gail S. (2014). Children as Witnesses. I Melton, Gary (Red.), The SAGE Handbook of Child Research. Sage Publications. ISSN 9781412930161. s. 285–300. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Konijnenberg, Carolien; Hermansen, Tone Kristine; Daum, Moritz & Gredebäck, Gustaf (2014). The developmental trajectory of pointing perception in the first year of life. Experimental Brain Research. ISSN 0014-4819. 233(2), s. 641–647. doi: 10.1007/s00221-014-4143-2. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D & Magnussen, Svein (2014). Psychologists and psychiatrists serving as expert witnesses in court: what do they know about eyewitness memory? Psychology, Crime and Law. ISSN 1068-316X. 21(1), s. 53–61. doi: 10.1080/1068316X.2014.915324. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Toffalini, Enrico; Mirandola, Chiara; Drabik, Marta Joanna; Melinder, Annika Maria D & Cornoldi, Cesare (2014). Emotional negative events do not protect against false memories in young adults with depressive-anxious personality traits. Personality and Individual Differences. ISSN 0191-8869. 66, s. 14–18. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.02.042. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Augusti, Else-Marie; Torheim, Hanna Karoline & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). The effect of emotional facial expressions on childrens working memory: Associations with age and behavior. Child Neuropsychology: A Journal of Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence. ISSN 0929-7049. 20(1), s. 86–105. doi: 10.1080/09297049.2012.749225. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2022). Sakkyndighetsarbeid: innføring for psykologer og psykiatere. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215058085. 247 s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Sakkyndighetsarbeid: Innføring for psykologer og psykiatere. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215022680. 177 s. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Sakkyndighetsarbeid utført av psykologer og psykiater kan representere viktige premisser for rettslige avgjørelser. Rollen som sakkyndig skiller seg dermed vesentlig fra klinisk arbeid, ikke minst fordi at oppdragsgiveren er en legal aktør. Enten den sakkyndige utreder saker for barneverntjenesten, forsikringsselskap eller for retten, er hensikten å søke fakta som kan bidra til å belyse ulike vurderingstemaer som loven presiserer. Arbeidet som den sakkyndige utfører, skal vurderes av mange andre kvalifiserte fagpersoner. Det kan vekke den sakkyndiges sårbarhet og lede til defensive manøver, og i noen tilfeller skråsikker. For å minke på slike reaksjoner, er det derfor sentralt at den sakkyndige beskriver sine utredninger på en måte som gjør arbeidet transparent, og baserer sine vurderinger på best mulig tilgjengelig kunnskap og erfaring. I denne boken vil den som påtar deg sakkyndighetsarbeider eller som vurderer å påta deg slike jobber, få en innføring i praktiske sider ved sakkyndighet. Boken kan også leses av andre legale aktører som kjøper sakkyndighetsarbeid, for eksempel barnevernet, advokater og dommere.

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• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Sandberg, Kirsten; Kierulf, Haagen Klundby & Skeimo, Inger (2026). Experts work in Child Protective Cases. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kierulf, Haagen Klundby; Skeimo, Inger & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2026). Samvær i barneverns- og barnelovssaker. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Barns medvirkning ved sakkyndige utredninger. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kierulf, Haagen Klundby & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Barnefaglig sakkyndiges samspillsobservasjoner i barnevernssaker. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Gjennomgangen av 271 norske barnefaglig sakkyndigrapporter fra 2020, 2022 og 2023 viser at foreldre–barn samspill som oftest blir observert bare én eller to ganger, og at 98.1% av observasjonene gjennomføres uten bruk av strukturerte observasjonsverktøy. Antall observasjoner øker når flere barn er involvert i saken, og var høyere i rapporter fra 2023 enn i 2020 og 2022. Ordinal regresjonsanalyse viser at hver ekstra samspillobservasjon øker oddsratioen med 23 % for at den sakkyndiges vurdering av relasjonen mellom barn og forelder plasseres i en høyere kvalitetskategori. Funnene peker på et behov for både flere og mer systematiske observasjoner i sakkyndigutredninger i barnevernssaker, for å styrke kvaliteten og rettssikkerheten i vurderingene.

• Kierulf, Haagen Klundby & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Parent–Child Interaction Observations in Norwegian Child Protection Assessments: A Study of 271 Expert Witness Reports. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Parent–child interaction observations are a key component of child protection assessments in Norway, yet little is known about how these observations are conducted by expert witnesses or how observation practices relate to quality of interplay and relationship evaluation. Objective To examine the number and types of parent–child interaction observations in Norwegian expert witness reports, identify predictors of observation count, and assess whether number of observations conducted predicts parent-child interplay and relationship evaluation quality . Participants and Setting A total of 271 expert witness reports produced between 2020 and 2023 in Norwegian child protection cases. Methods Expert witness reports were coded for observation count, observation method, and evaluation quality. Poisson regression was used to identify predictors of observation count, and ordinal regression was used to assess the relationship between observation count and evaluation quality. Results 58% of reports included only one or two observations, and 88.2% relied on unstructured observation methods. The number of children involved (p = .006) and report year (p = .011) significantly predicted observation count in Poisson regression. Ordinal regression indicated that each additional observation increased the odds of a higher-quality evaluation by 23% (OR = 1.23, p = .027). Conclusions Parent–child interaction observations in Norwegian expert witness reports are often few and predominantly unstructured. While observation quantity was positively associated with evaluation quality, current practices raise concerns about methodological rigor. Increasing both the number and structure of observations may strengthen the reliability of expert assessments in child protection cases.

• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Nytt utdanningsprogram for barnefaglig sakkyndige. Tidsskrift for familierett, arverett og barnevernrettslige spørsmål. ISSN 1503-2965. 2025(3), s. 246–248. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Sakkyndige og metodebruk. Klassekampen. ISSN 0805-3839. doi: https:/klassekampen.no/utgave/2025-06-18/debatt-sakkyndige-og-metodebruk. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Nytt utdanningsprogram for barnefaglig sakkyndige. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 62(9), s. 541–543. doi: https:/www.psykologtidsskriftet.no/artikkel/2025as08ae-Nytt-utdanningsprogram-for-barnefaglig-sakkyndige. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Sakkyndiges Arbeid som Bevis i Barnevernssaker (SABB) - Hvor er vi nå? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2025). Utvikling av en modell for sakkyndiges barnesamtale og videre implementering i utdanningsprogrammet for sakkyndige. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2024). Bruk av sakkyndighets-rapporter i forskning. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Bernt, Agnes Camilla; Kierulf, Haagen Klundby; Skeimo, Inger & Sandberg, Kirsten (2024). The use of Expert Reports as evidence in Child Protection Decision-Making. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Djup, Heidi Wittrup; Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Lorentzen, Per; Weele, Judith van der; Pettersen, Ragnhild E & Flock, Monica [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Filmen er problemet, ikke helsesykepleierne. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Djup, Heidi Wittrup; Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée; Lorentzen, Per; Weele, Judith van der; Nygaard, Egil & Karlsen, Kjersti [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Ukritisk formidling om vold og overgrep mot barn. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria Désirée (2023). Long-Term Neurocognitive and Behavioural Development of Children Born to Opioid-Maintained Mothers. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Østby, Ylva & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2021). Alt man skal huske – om hukommelse hos barn og ungdom, i hverdagslivet og i rettssystemet. I Tamnes, Christian Krog (Red.), Nevrokognitiv utviklingspsykologi. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205533387. s. 127–149. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2019). Neurocognitive Development and Cortisol Levels in Children Prenatally Exposed to Methadone or Buprenorphine. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D; Mirandola, Chiara & Gilstrap, Livia (2019). Emotion: Internal and external consequences for legal authorities. I Bull, Ray & Blandon-Gitlin, Iris (Red.), The Routledge International Handbook of Legal and Investigative Psychology. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. ISSN 9780367345570. s. 224–238. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This chapter provides an overview of the many memory mistakes our emotions can cause within the investigative and legal arenas. The chapter begins with a description of what emotions are and which types of emotion people expect to find alongside various recollections. The authors discuss the relationship between emotions and false memories, and the how that relationship unfolds in children with trauma and other types of adverse childhood experiences. The evolutionary benefits of the emotion-memory connection are discussed. Throughout, the chapter highlights the effects of human bias and stereotypes, and how the biases and stereotypes of investigative and legal professionals can affect their work, and affect the lives of adults and children who come in contact with the legal system.

• Baugerud, Gunn Astrid & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Stress og psykososiale belastninger: En målrettet intervensjon blant ansatte i barneverntjenesten. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Cognitive development of children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Melinder, Annika Maria D (2017). Hverdagens hukommelsespatologi : prestesaken reiser på nytt spørsmål om bekreftelsesfellen og hukommelsesproblematikk hos sårbare individer. Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening (Psykologtidsskriftet). ISSN 0332-6470. 54(3), s. 310–311. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Konijnenberg, Carolien & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2016). Barn av kvinner i legemiddelassistert rehabilitering (LAR): Hva vet vi om effektene av metadon og buprenorfin i svangerskapet på barns utvikling og fremtidige omsorgsbehov? Fosterhjemskontakt : tidsskrift om fosterhjemsarbeid. ISSN 0800-143X. 4, s. 10–15. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Hermansen, Tone Kristine; Yrttiaho, Santeri; Leppänen, J.-M.; Røysamb, Espen & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). The depth of conflict: ERP amplitude at N2 is associated with variation in reaction time in a perceptual interference task. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Burrell, Lisa Victoria; Johnson, Miriam Sinkerud & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2015). The state of affairs of interviews of sexually abused children in Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Milde, Anne Marita; Ousdal, Olga Therese; Stavestrand, Silje Haukenes; Matre, Lena; Endestad, Tor & Johansen, Venke A. [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2014). Psychiatric long-term effects in Survivors from the terror attack at Utøya 22. July. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Burrell, Lisa Victoria; Melinder, Annika Maria D; Eriksen, Maria Olaussen; Magnussen, Svein & Wessel, Ellen (2014). The emotional child witness effect paired with presentation mode. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Burrell, Lisa Victoria; Johnson, Miriam Sinkerud & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Interview strategies promoting children’s competence as witnesses. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Baugerud, Gunn Astrid; Howe, Mark; Magnussen, Svein & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Maltreated children’s performance on the DRM task with emotional and neutral word lists. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Ousdal, Olga Therese; Milde, Anne Marita; Craven, Alexander R.; Ersland, Lars; Johansen, Venke A. & Grønli, Janne [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2014). Emotional conflict Processing in Survivors of the 2011 Oslo and Utøya terror attack; Behavioural and fMRI data. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sulutvedt, Unni; Baugerud, Gunn Astrid & Melinder, Annika Maria D (2014). Children's memories of removal: The effect of delayed interview. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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