Manon Smit

Manon Smit is a Researcher at the Clinical Child and Family Studies department within the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She holds dual affiliations with LEARN! - Child rearing. Her work focuses on psychotrauma and sexual abuse among individuals with intellectual disabilities, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.

Key research areas include:

• Psychosocial impacts of sexual abuse on marginalized populations
• Development of evidence-based care guidelines
• Body experience assessment tools for individuals with disabilities
• Institutional policy analysis for vulnerable groups

Her recent publications (2021–2024) emphasize clinical perspectives on trauma recovery, policy implementation, and psychometric tool development. Notable contributions include a psychomotor perspective on sexual abuse trauma and a thematic analysis of Dutch care facility policies.

Major achievements include the JIDD 2023 International Research Prize and a grant for developing trauma care guidelines in disability care settings. She actively participates in academic workshops and conferences, recently organizing the 2024 Researchdag Associatie Academische Werkplaatsen Verstandelijke Beperkingen.