A common thread runs through this thesis: how mental health conditions relate to people's ability to function in everyday life. People with mental health conditions often experience difficulties in daily life, but these challenges do not always fit neatly within diagnostic labels such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or autism. In this thesis, I explored functioning from different perspectives, beginning with everyday experiences, and gradually moving towards thinking processes and brain functioning. Across these different levels, a consistent pattern emerged: difficulties in functioning were more closely associated with symptom severity, particularly emotional distress and negative emotions, than with psychiatric diagnoses themselves. The findings also showed that people with different diagnoses can share similar patterns of functioning, highlighting the value of looking beyond diagnostic categories. Together, these results support a broader, more personalized view of mental health that may complement traditional diagnoses and help guide future research and more tailored care.
Joosje Kist worked as a PhD student at the Radboudumc and the Donders Institute from 2020 to 2023, studying psychiatric conditions relate to daily- cognitive and neural functioning. She holds a Master's degree in Neuroscience and Cognition from Utrecht University. Since January 2024, she has worked for De DNA dialogen at Erasmus MC, supporting public dialogue on genetic technologies.