Projects
The attachment relationship between parents and their infants with severe or profound intellectual disabilities (ID): Psychophysiology and a bioresponse system as instruments to elucidate and support this bond. KU Leuven
Developing consolidated, secure attachment relationships with one’s primary caregivers at a young age yields great benefits for children’s social-emotional growth, now and later in life. Especially among children with severe or profound intellectual disabilities (SPID), who are, compared to the general population, more likely to acquire mental health problems, the importance of the parent as attachment figure is significant. However, ...
Stress and stress regulation in children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities KU Leuven
The project’s main aim is to unravel the role and mechanisms of stress regulation in children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). First, the way in which these children experience sensory stimuli and respond to them, as well as how these contribute to their general stress level will be studied. Secondly, it will be evaluated in which way high quality interactions which are attuned to the needs of persons with PIMD can ...
Longitudinal study on the influence of family resources and family patterns of interaction on the development of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities KU Leuven
Due to the complex interplay of their limitations, young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay are highly dependent on their immediate social setting. Parents and professionals are confronted with unique challenges in the children’s upbringing and support, while research on this specific target group is very scarce. Based on the ‘Developmental Systems Approach’ of Guralnick (2011), this PhD project aims to ...
Longitudinal study of developmental patterns and trajectories in children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities KU Leuven
Research on the development of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) is very scarce. The main aims of this study are:
- to evaluate the cognitive, motor, communicative and social-emotional abilities of young children with PIMD
- to analyse the developmental trajectories and patterns in these children
- to evaluate the effect of parenting behaviour on the developmental trajectories
- to ...
Combining p-values and effect sizes in the meta-analysis of single-case experiments: Monte Carlo simulations, R package, and applications on treating challenging behaviour among persons with intellectual disabilities. KU Leuven
Long Read Sequencing for the detection of cryptic Structural Variation in patients with intellectual disability and congenital anomalies KU Leuven
A correct and early genetic diagnosis is essential for patients with intellectual disability and/or multiple congenital anomalies (ID/MCA). A proper diagnosis avoids a ‘diagnostic odyssey’, is vital for family planning, and enables the initiation of early therapeutic interventions in order to improve the outcome. Technical innovations were always instrumental to delineate (new) genetic syndromes and led to an ever-increasing diagnostic yield. ...
Exploring new roads towards more family quality of life. The relationship between a family-centered approach and family quality of life in families with children with an intellectual disability. KU Leuven
Recent research on families with a child with a disability pays much attention to family quality of life (FQOL) and the family-centered approach (FCA). Although plenty of research has been conducted on their theorizing, conceptualization, and measurement, several questions regarding both concepts remain unanswered. In addition, several questions regarding their realization are still unresolved. Moreover, although they are often conceptually ...
Move My Own Way: a co-created and theory-based mHealth intervention to increase physical activity in adolescents with intellectual disability Ghent University
Overweight and obesity are globally challenging health problems and major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Sufficient physical activity (PA) is an important protective factor in the development of overweight and obesity. Adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) report lower levels of PA and higher rates of overweight and obesity in comparison to adolescents without ID. ...
Long Read Sequencing for the detection of cryptic Structural Variation in patients with intellectual disability and congenital anomalies Ghent University
Successive technological innovations have repeatedly revolutionized the
genetic diagnostics. Since 1959, trisomy 21 has been identified as the cause of Down syndrome
The introduction of conventional chromosome research has become molecular for the past 60 years
cause for> 5,000 genetic diseases clarified (OMIM, "Online Mendelian Inheritance
in Man "). With ...