Research Interests

My research interests concern cognitive processes in the aetiology of anxiety and addictive disorders. Current research lines are: the role of attentional and interpretive bias in the development of adolescent and adult anxiety disorders, the role of cognitive processes in the interaction between anxiety and alcohol use in adolescence and adulthood; prevention and treatment of anxiety and alcohol problems (see also publications page). 

Background information

Elske Salemink was born on January 28, 1979, in Doetinchem. After completing secondary education (VWO, Isala College in Silvolde) in 1997, she studied Health Sciences (Mental Health Science) at Maastricht University and graduated cum laude in 2002. For almost two years, she worked as an academic research assistant and junior lecturerat the Department of Medical, Clinical, and Experimental Psychology of Maastricht University. From 2004 until 2008, she was a PhD student at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at Utrecht University . During this period, she also performed a study at the University of Western Australia , Perth for three months in collaboration with Professor Colin Macleod. In 2008 Elske worked as a post-doc at Utrecht University.

From February 2009, she is assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam , Department of Developmental Psychology (focus on experimental research regarding developmental psychopathology). She is part of the ADAPT research group ( www.adaptlab.eu ). Elske received an NWO Veni grant to study the interaction between implicit anxiety and alcohol-related processes and the modification of those processes (Cognitive Bias Modification training; CBM). Furthermore, she obtained a ZonMW preventie grant and Leone de Voogd is a PhD student on that project examining whether CBM training might increase emotional resilience in adolescents. 

In 2011 Elske became a behavioural and cognitive therapist (member of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (VGCt) and is involved in organising the Dutch and European CBT conference.

• Publications

International publications

• Salemink, E., & Wiers, R. (2012). Adolescent threat-related interpretive bias and its modification: The moderating role of regulatory control. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50, 40-46.
• Salemink, E., & Wiers, R. (2011). Modifying threat-related interpretive bias in adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child psychology, 39, 967-976.
• Salemink, E., Hertel, P., & Mackintosh, B. (2010). Interpretation training influences memory for prior interpretations . Emotion, 10, 903-907.
• Salemink, E., & van den Hout, M. A. (2010). Trained interpretive bias survives mood change. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 41, 310-315 .
• Salemink, E. , van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2010). How does cognitive bias modification affect anxiety ? Mediation analyses and experimental data. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 38, 59-66.   
• Salemink, E., van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2010). Generalisation of modified interpretive bias across tasks and domains. Cognition and Emotion, 24, 453-464 .
• Lange, W.-G., Salemink, E. , Windey, I. , Keijsers, G. P. J., Krans, J., Becker, E. S., & Rinck, M. (2010) . Does modified interpretation bias influence automatic avoidance behaviour? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24, 326-337.  
• Salemink, E. , & van den Hout, M. A. (2010). Validity of the "recognition task" used in training of interpretation biases. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 41, 140-144
• Salemink, E. , van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2009). Effects of positive interpretive bias modification in highly anxious individuals. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23 , 676-683.
• Salemink, E. , van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2007). Trained interpretive bias and anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45 , 329-340.
• Salemink, E. , van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2007). Selective attention and threat: Quick orienting versus slow disengagement and two versions of the dot probe task. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45 , 607-615.
• Salemink, E. , van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2007).Trained interpretive bias: Validity and effects on anxiety. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 38 , 212-224.
• Stroebe, M., Boelen, P. A., van den Hout, M. A., Stroebe, W., Salemink, E. , & van den Bout, J. (2007). Ruminative coping as avoidance: A reinterpretation of its function in adjustment to bereavement. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 257 , 462 - 472.
• Salemink, E. , & van Lankveld, J. J. D. M. (2006). The effects of increasing neutral distraction on sexual responding of women with and without sexual problems. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35 , 179-190.
• Van den Hout, M., Muris, P., Salemink, E. , & Kindt, M. (2001). Autobiographical memories become less vivid and emotional after eye movements. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40 , 121-130.

National publications

• Salemink, E. (in press). Computergestuurde training om negatieve interpretaties bij angst te verminderen. Psychopraktijk
• Wiers, R. W., Gladwin, T., & Salemink, E. (201 1). Tel eerst tot tien: Executieve functies en probleemgedrag. De Psycholoog, 46, 54-62.
• van Deursen, D. S., Salemink, E., Lammers, J., Wiers, R. W. (2010). Selectieve en geïndiceerde preventie van problematisch middelengebruik bij jongeren. Kind en Adolescent, 31, 234-246.
• van Deursen, D. S., Salemink, E. , Schoenmakers, T. M., & Wiers, R. W. (2009).   Het hertrainen van  automatische cognitieve processen bij angst- en verslavingsproblematiek. GZ-psychologie, 2 ,  24-31.
• Salemink, E. , Rijkeboer, M., van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2008). Angst en vertekening in de informatieverwerking: Ontwikkelingen in onderzoek en mogelijke toepassing. De Psycholoog, 43 , 130 - 135.
• Salemink, E. , & Zandbergen, M. (2002). Reconstructies van het seksuele lichaam: Lichamelijke en psychische implicaties en complicaties. Tijdschrift voor Seksuologie, 26 , 270-271.
• Van den Hout, M., Kindt, M. , Muris, P., & Salemink, E. (2001). Vreemde oogbewegingen maken herinneringen minder levendig en minder emotioneel. Directieve Therapie, 21, 257-269.

Contributions to books

• Kraag, G., Salemink, E., & Wiers, R. W. (2011). Middelengebruik. In M. Taal & C. Poleij (Eds). Interventies in het onderwijs: Werken aan goede verhoudingen. Den Haag: Boom Onderwijs.
• Boelen, P. A., Salemink, E. , & van der Heiden, C. (2009). Cognitieve gedragstherapie bij Angststoornissen. In S. Colijn, H. Snijders, M. Thunnissen, S. Bögels, & W. Trijsburg (Eds). Leerboek Psychotherapie. Utrecht: De Tijdstroom.

• No ancillary activities