Vera Cup

Vera Cup is a PhD Candidate at Utrecht University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, affiliated with the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and the Chair Stevens research group. Her work focuses on the mental health of Bi+ youth, examining factors like bullying victimization, gender, and age. Prior roles include a lecturer position in the same department (2022–2023). She holds a Master's in Youth Studies from Utrecht University, where she researched adolescent risk behavior and sexual orientation differences in life satisfaction.

Research Interests: Adolescent mental health, LGBTQ+ youth well-being, bullying prevention, and interdisciplinary social science methodologies. Her current PhD project investigates disparities in mental health outcomes among both-, other-, and same-sex attracted adolescents.

Key Publication: A 2025 Journal of Youth and Adolescence study analyzing mental health disparities linked to sexual orientation, bullying, and demographic factors. This work contributes to understanding systemic support needs for marginalized youth.

Her research is situated within the "Youth in Changing Cultural Contexts" initiative, emphasizing culturally responsive approaches to youth development. No awards or grants are publicly listed.