Lenneke Alink is professor of Forensic Family Studies and Scientific Director of the Institute of Education and Child Studies at Leiden University. Her research focuses on various aspects of adverse childhood experiences, parenting problems and child maltreatment, such as risk factors, causes, consequences, prevention, and decisions in child protection cases.

More information about Lenneke Alink

Short CV

Lenneke Alink is professor of Forensic Family Studies and Scientific Director of the Institute of Education and Child Studies at Leiden University. She obtained her PhD at Leiden University in 2006 and was a visiting scholar at the Center for Child Development, University of Minnesota from 2006-2008, supported by an NWO Rubicon grant. In addition to her position in Leiden, she occupied the Jan Brouwer chair of Prevention, and consequences of child abuse and neglect at the VU from 2012-2017. She has been a member of the KNAW Young Academy, and has received several grants and prizes, such as an NWO VIDI grant and a KNAW Ammodo award.

Research

Her research focuses on various aspects of adverse childhood experiences, parenting problems and child maltreatment, such as risk factors, causes, consequences, prevention, and decisions in child protection cases. One of the research lines of her group focuses on the role of stress regulation in parenting. In addition, the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment is a central aspect of her research. In order to better understand, prevent and treat (consequences of) child maltreatment Lenneke combines more fundamental research – addressing questions about causality, mechanisms, and neurobiological processes – with research in clinical settings and in collaboration with practitioners.

Activities