Hester Sijtsma

Hester Sijtsma is a Researcher affiliated with the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with additional research associations with IBBA and LEARN! (Educational neuroscience, learning and development). Her work focuses on adolescent development, particularly in the domains of trust, social behavior, and mental health, leveraging neuroimaging and longitudinal studies.

Her research interests include adolescents' social and emotional development, neuroimaging of brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and striatum, and the impact of external factors such as the pandemic on psychological wellbeing. She contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to mental health and well-being.

Recent work emphasizes trust dynamics across adolescence, mood variability, and the role of peer relationships in internalizing symptoms. Collaborative projects involve institutions globally, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to developmental neuroscience and clinical psychology.

She teaches courses on childhood and adolescent anxiety/depression and trends in brain-behavior relationships, integrating clinical and educational perspectives.