Linda Dekker

Dr. Linda Dekker is an Assistant Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam's Department of Psychology. She holds dual affiliations with the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences and the Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital. Her research focuses on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and sexuality, particularly in vulnerable populations. She founded the Rotterdam Autism Consortium (R.A.C.) and co-founded the Erasmus Love Lab, studying intimate relationships and sexuality across disciplines. Key contributions include ZonMW-funded studies on pandemic impacts on ASD families and cross-cultural adaptations of psychosexual assessments.

Education: PhD in Clinical Psychology (2019, Erasmus MC), specializing in psychosexual functioning in adolescents with ASD. Teaching includes coordinating 'Sexuality & Relationship therapy' (MSc) and 'Eating, Sex, and other needs' (BA3), alongside supervising clinical/research internships and Honours programs.

Clinical specialties: ASD diagnostics (ADI-R/ADOS), Tackling Teenage training, and sexuality/relationships counseling. Awards include the KNAW Ter Meulen Grant (2022). Recent activities include international collaborations (e.g., Tufts University visiting researcher 2022-2023) and public engagement through webinars on ASD during the pandemic.