Maria Wiertsema

Maria Wiertsema serves as a Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Groningen within the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, specifically in the Department of Educational Science. Her academic profile demonstrates a strong commitment to understanding adolescent social development, with particular focus on bullying behaviors, peer relationships, and the transmission of social experiences across generations and contexts.

Dr. Wiertsema's research interests center around adolescent psychology, with emphasis on bullying and peer aggression dynamics, social development trajectories, and the intergenerational transmission of social behaviors. Her work frequently employs meta-analytic methodologies to synthesize evidence across multiple studies, providing robust insights into developmental patterns. She has also investigated educational contexts, particularly examining student-teacher relationships and academic motivation among diverse student populations.

Her publication record shows a clear progression of research examining how peer experiences in childhood and adolescence influence later development, with recent work exploring connections between peer victimization and parenting outcomes. The articles demonstrate methodological sophistication, often utilizing longitudinal designs and meta-analytic approaches to address complex developmental questions. Her research contributes significantly to understanding how social experiences propagate across different life domains and generations.

Dr. Wiertsema actively participates in academic discourse through conference presentations and symposia organization, including the Online Symposium on the Longitudinal Correlates of Peer Aggression (2022) and presentations at the VNOP-CAS Research Days (2022). Her work has garnered attention across academic platforms, with multiple publications receiving citations and mentions in news outlets.

Her research aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to well-being, quality education, and reduced inequalities. Through her investigations of bullying, peer relationships, and intergenerational transmission patterns, her work contributes valuable insights for developing interventions that promote healthier social development across the lifespan.