معرفی
Leonie Vreeke is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology at Leiden University's Institute of Psychology. She specializes in preventing anxiety in young children through research on temperament, parental factors, and intervention strategies. Her roles include interim research coordinator on the department's executive board and teaching Master’s courses like 'Behavior Training with Children' and 'Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.'
Her research focuses on the interplay between child characteristics (e.g., anxiety, temperament) and parental behaviors (e.g., overprotection) to improve preventive interventions. Notable programs include the Cool Little Kids initiative for anxiety-prone toddlers and the Brave Steps treatment program for children with anxiety disorders. These programs emphasize parental training and gradual exposure techniques.
Dr. Vreeke is active in media outreach, addressing parenting challenges for anxious children in outlets like NRC, Volkskrant, and Leiden Psychology Podcast. Her work bridges academic research with practical advice, emphasizing small-step approaches to build children’s coping skills.
She supervises clinical internships and Master’s theses, contributing to the Social Anxiety and Specific Phobia in Youth Lab. Her research is funded by grants like ZonMw, focusing on intervention efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
