Mirjam Oosterman

Mirjam Oosterman is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), with affiliations to the departments of Clinical Child and Family Studies, LEARN! (Child rearing), and APH (Mental Health). She specializes in parenting behaviors, child development, maternal mental health, and attachment theory. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education and good health.

Her research focuses on topics such as intergenerational transmission of attachment, maternal stress and trauma, parenting self-efficacy, and the impact of birth experiences on child-parent relationships. Notable projects include the 'Stress- and Smoke Free Start of Life' study, exploring eHealth interventions for maternal stress reduction. She teaches courses like 'Ouderschap, Stress & Ontwikkeling' (Parenting, Stress & Development) and contributes to training programs for professionals assessing parent-child interactions.

Oosterman has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and supervised 11 PhD theses. Her work emphasizes practical tools for clinicians, such as validated rating scales for parental sensitivity. Awards include the 2008 Dissertation Award. She actively collaborates internationally, addressing issues like maternal PTSD, child motor coordination, and the effects of parental trauma on caregiving.

Her research also bridges clinical and academic domains, with contributions to policy through initiatives like the EU COST Action 'TREASURE' on maternal perinatal stress. She balances teaching, research, and public engagement, including media contributions on foster care and parenting challenges.