Full professor of Forensic Family Studies, Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University (2014 – present) Professor of Prevention and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect - Jan Brouwer chair, VU University Amsterdam (2012-present) Associate Professor (UHD), Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University (2012-2014) Assistant professor (UD), Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University (2006-2012) Postdoctoral fellow, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota (2006-2008) PhD. Social Sciences, Leiden University. Doctoral thesis: Early childhood aggression. Supervisors: Prof. dr. F. Juffer, Prof. dr. J.M. Koot, Prof. dr. M.H. van IJzendoorn (2006) MA. Developmental Psychology, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Leiden University (2002) Educational assistant at Leiden University, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology (2000-2003)

In the research cluster Child maltreatment we investigate the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of child maltreatment, using a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on neurobiological factors as well as socio-economic and family processes. We have performed two National Prevalence studies of Maltreatment of youth (NPM-2005 and 2010). The most recent NPM showed that in the Netherlands about 119.000 children have been victims of maltreatment in 2010. We also study differences between maltreating and nonmaltreating parents to explore risk factors for and processes that lead to maltreatment. In one of our research projects we specifically focus on stress regulation as a process underlying child maltreatment. In addition, we investigate the short- and long-term consequences of child maltreatment on brain development and behavior and study the mechanisms of these effects. One of the most striking consequences is the increased risk for maltreating their own children. Therefore, a central focus of this research cluster is to unravel the process of intergenerational transmission of abuse. We do this in a multigenerational family study in which we focus on individuals who do and ones who do not break the cycle of abuse and neglect. The knowledge that we gain with the different studies in this research cluster is used to design and test the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing the risk of child maltreatment.