About
Rick Roels is a researcher at the Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies (IFSS) within the Department of Neurosciences at KU Leuven, integrating his expertise as a psychiatrist-psychotherapist and sexologist to explore intersections of medical science, human sexuality, and psychotherapy. His work emphasizes dyadic processes and biopsychosocial mechanisms in sexual health.
His educational background includes:
- Bachelor of Medicine (KU Leuven, 2007-2009)
- Master of Medicine (KU Leuven, 2009-2014)
- Master in Specialist Medicine, Psychiatry (KU Leuven, 2014-2022)
- Master of Human Sexuality Studies, MSc (KU Leuven, 2015-2019)
- Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (KU Leuven, 2015-2019)
- PhD in Biomedical Sciences (KU Leuven, 2016-2022)
Roels' research investigates sexual well-being, dysfunction, and relational dynamics through lenses of psychophysiology, attachment theory, and neuroendocrinology. His work examines how individual factors (e.g., attachment styles) and dyadic variables (e.g., sexual similarity) interact with biological markers like oxytocin to influence sexual health outcomes, particularly within couples and clinical populations.
His publications (2017-2022) consistently focus on communication patterns, physiological correlates, and satisfaction metrics in sexual relationships. Methodologies span observational couple studies, hormonal assays, and psychometric analysis, revealing how sexual frequency, communication quality, and biological factors collectively shape relational well-being.
Scientific Awards: None mentioned.
Grants:
- Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) doctoral grant (2016-2022)
Labs and Teams: Active in IFSS research environment conducting couple-based studies with psychophysiological and hormonal measurements within KU Leuven's Department of Neurosciences.
