Maaike van Rest

Dr. Maaike van Rest is a Researcher at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, affiliated with the LEARN! initiative. Her research focuses on social information processing in youth with mild to borderline intellectual disability and externalizing behavior problems, emphasizing diagnostic tool development and clinical practice improvements. She holds a PhD from VU Amsterdam (2018) on the topic of social information processing in youth with mild intellectual disabilities.

Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education and reduced inequalities. Key projects include the SIVT diagnostic instrument, developed through interdisciplinary collaboration with Viveon, Hogrefe, and consortium partners. She is also involved in valorization initiatives via the Impact Board of the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences.

Research trends in her publications emphasize virtual reality applications for behavioral profiling, emotion processing in neurodevelopmental disorders, and media engagement strategies for disability awareness. Notable awards include the Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award (2014 finalist) and LEARN! Research Grant (2018).

Her advisory and grant activities include project leadership in trauma care quality (2022-2025) and academic workshops on intellectual disabilities. Collaborations span clinical, academic, and industry partners, with active participation in conferences and editorial roles for Frontiers in Psychology.