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Dr. L. (Loes) van Rijn-van Gelderen

Associate Professor
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Programme group: Preventive Youth Care
Area of expertise: Same-sex parent families, fathers and mothers, primary and secondary caregivers, parenting, child development, parenting interventions, common elements of interventions
Photographer: Bram Belloni 130425149
Visiting address
  • Nieuwe Achtergracht 129
  • Room number: D.9.04
Postal address
  • Postbus 15776
    1001 NG Amsterdam
Contact details
Links
Social media
  • Profile

    I'm an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam, combining research, teaching, and leadership in child and adolescent development. My work explores how parent-child interactions, parenting networks, and parenting stress shape children’s social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. I also study parenting and child development in same-sex parent families, and evaluate what makes parenting interventions, such as the Family Check-Up, effective for diverse families. I use a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, drawing on experimental studies, longitudinal cohorts, and meta-analytic approaches.

    In teaching and supervision, I aim to create an inclusive and stimulating environment where students and early-career researchers can thrive. I coordinate the Research Master of Child Development and Education, develop and teach courses, and mentor students in research and professional growth.

    I hold leadership roles in programme coordination and educational committees, and serve on editorial boards. My goal is to conduct rigorous, relevant research that informs parenting practice and supports children’s development in diverse family contexts.

    For awarded research grants, honours and an overview of the courses I teach, please check out my CV.

    Research expertise

    • same-sex parent families
    • fathers and mothers
    • primary and secondary caregivers
    • parenting
    • child development
    • parenting interventions
    • common elements of interventions

    Media appearances

    Also: Ouders van NU, Het Parool, AD, Dagblad van het Hoge Noorden, Huffington Post.

  • Research

    Research methods

    • Quantitative: longitudinal cohort studies, experimental designs, multilevel models, meta-analyses, MASEM, DSEM
    • Qualitative: observational coding (e.g., Strange Situation, Emotional Availability),  interviews
    • Mixed-methods: integration of quantitative and qualitative insights
    • Intervention evaluation: Family Check-Up, Incredible Years

    Current research projects

    • Parenting Interventions: Evaluating mechanisms and effectiveness of the Family Check-Up for different family types.
    • Same-Sex Parent Families: Investigating child development, parental well-being, and family functioning in diverse family structures.

    Current cooperation

    National partners: 

    • Sarphati Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam)
    • Family Check-Up Nederland
    • Trimbos Instituut
    • Entrea Lindenhout
    • Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
    • Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen
    • Universiteit Utrecht
    • Meer dan Gewenst
    • 5e Montessori Watergraafsmeer
    • MI time
    • Hogeschool van Amsterdam

    International colleagues from:

    • Swansea University,
    • Université Paris Nanterre
    • University of Rome Tor Vergata
    • Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
    • Centro Italiano di Psicologia Analitica
    • University of Cambridge
  • PhD Supervision

    Ongoing

    • Surrogacy Guidance (Rise of New Families): Developing national guidance for parents, surrogate mothers, and egg donors in the Netherlands, addressing the growing need for structured support (PHD candidate: Sanne Agterberg, supervision team: Floor van Rooij, Loes van Rijn- van Gelderen, Ruben Fukkink, Henny Bos)
    • Parenting Networks: Mapping parenting behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and child outcomes as interdependent networks to inform personalized, more effective interventions. (PHD candidate: Yue Sun, supervision team: Brechtje de Mooij, Loes van Rijn- van Gelderen, Geertjan Overbeek)
    • Parenting Stress: Investigating development and propagation of parenting stress in family systems, including fathers, coparenting, and CHCC support, using multi-method longitudinal data. (PhD candidate: Silke Hoekstra, supervision team: Katrien Helmerhorst, Loes van Rijn – van Gelderen, Anna Lichtwarck-Aschoff)

    Finished

    • Roots of Rebellion – The Role of Children’s Temperament and Genetics in Disruptive Behavior and Parenting (PhD candidate: Marijke Huijzer-Engbrenghof, supervisory team: Loes van Rijn – van Gelderen, Geertjan Overbeek)
  • Publications

    2025

    • Agterberg, S., van Rijn - van Gelderen, L., van Rooij, F. B., de Vos, M. P. C. W., Jaspers, E., Fukkink, R. G., Mochtar, M., Goddijn, M., & Bos, H. M. W. (2025). Demographic and arrangement-based predictors of Dutch people’s attitudes towards surrogacy in various family constitutions. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2025.2462076
    • Bos, H. M. W., Assink, M., Shenkman, G., D’Amore, S., van Rijn - van Gelderen, L., & Carone, N. (2025). Validating an instrument on gay fathers’ beliefs about socialising children conceived through surrogacy. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2025.2577295
    • Soultanopoulos, G. C., Henrichs, J., Ganzevoort, W., Borman, D., Slot, L. C., van Rijn-Van Gelderen, L., & Verhoeven, C. J. M. (2025). Adapting to fatherhood: A qualitative study into resilience resources. Children and Youth Services Review, 177, Article 108441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108441
    • Van Rijn - van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Vecho, O., Rubio, B., Carone, N., Frau, C., Schiavetto, C., Runze, J., Jorgensen, T. D., Bos, H. M. W., & Lamb, M. E. (2025). Attachment in families created through assisted reproductive techniques: Results from the first study using the Strange Situation Procedure in same-sex and different-sex parent families. Attachment and Human Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2025.2572578
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Schulz, S., Neervoort, N., Branje, S., & Overbeek, G. (2025). “Children will Love Like You Do”: How Adolescents’ Relationships with Parents Predict the Quality of Best Friendships and Romantic Relations. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 54(9), 2392-2403. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-025-02172-1

    2024

    • Huijzer-Engbrenghof, M., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Spencer, H., Wesarg-Menzel, C., Creasey, N., Lalihatu, E. S., & Overbeek, G. (2024). A longitudinal study on the relation between parenting and Toddler’s disruptive behavior: what is the role of Toddler’s negative emotionality and physiological stress reactivity? Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1444447. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1444447 [details]
    • Leter, T. L. M., Ellis-Davies, K., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Bos, H. M. W., Lamb, M. E., & Van Rijn-Van Gelderen, L. (2024). Parental positive affect and negative affect in same- and different-sex parent families: no associations with parental gender and caregiving role. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1332758. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1332758 [details]

    2023

    2022

    2020

    • Bos, H., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., & Gartrell, N. (2020). Self-esteem and problem behavior in Dutch adolescents conceived through sperm donation in planned lesbian families. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 24(1), 41-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10894160.2019.1625671 [details]
    • Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Gross, M., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, A., Golombok, S., & Lamb, M. E. (2020). Transition to parenthood and quality of parenting among gay, lesbian and heterosexual couples who conceived through assisted reproduction. Journal of Family Studies, 26(3), 422-440. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2017.1413005 [details]
    • Van Rijn - Van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Huijzer-Engbrenghof, M., Jorgensen, T. D., Gross, M., Winstanley, A., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Lamb, M. E., & Bos, H. M. (2020). Determinants of non-paid task division in gay-, lesbian-, and heterosexual-parent families with infants conceived using artificial reproductive techniques. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 914. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00914 [details]

    2019

    • Keizer, R., Helmerhorst, K. O. W., & van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (2019). Perceived Quality of the Mother–Adolescent and Father–Adolescent Attachment Relationship and Adolescents’ Self-Esteem. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(6), 1203-1217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01007-0 [details]

    2018

    • Bos, H., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Vecho, O., Rubio, B., Gross, M., Jorgensen, T., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, A., Golombok, S., & Lamb, M. (2018). Welbevinden van homoseksuele vaders met een kind via draagmoederschap. Pedagogiek, 38(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.5117/PED2018.2.002.BOS [details]
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H. M. W., Jorgensen, T. D., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, C. A., Golombok, S., Rubio, B., Gross, M., Vecho, O., & Lamb, M. E. (2018). Wellbeing of gay fathers with children born through surrogacy: A comparison with lesbian-mother families and heterosexual IVF parent families. Human Reproduction, 33(1), 101-108. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dex339 [details]
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Gartrell, N., & Bos, H. (2018). Het psychologisch welbevinden van Nederlandse adolescenten met lesbische moeders die gebruik maakten van een bekende, niet-anonieme of anonieme spermadonor: Is donortype belangrijk? Pedagogiek, 38(2), 169- 187. https://doi.org/10.5117/PED2018.2.004.RIJN [details]

    2016

    • Bos, H. M. W., Knox, J. R., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., & Gartrell, N. K. (2016). Same-sex and different-sex parent households and child health outcomes: Findings from the national survey of children's health. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, 37(3), 179-187. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000288 [details]
    • van der Put, C. E., Hermanns, J., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., & Sondeijker, F. (2016). Detection of unsafety in families with parental and/or child developmental problems at the start of family support. BMC Psychiatry, 16, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0715-y [details]

    2015

    2013

    • Bos, H., Gartrell, N., & van Gelderen, L. (2013). Adolescents in lesbian families: DSM-oriented scale scores and stigmatization. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 25(2), 121-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538720.2013.782456 [details]
    • van Gelderen, L., Gartrell, N. N., Bos, H. M. W., & Hermanns, J. M. A. (2013). Stigmatization and promotive factors in relation to psychological health and life satisfaction of adolescents in planned lesbian families. Journal of Family Issues, 34(6), 809-827. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X12447269 [details]

    2012

    • Bos, H., Goldberg, N., van Gelderen, L., & Gartrell, N. (2012). Adolescents of the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: male role models, gender role traits, and psychological adjustment. Gender & Society, 26(4), 603-638. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243212445465 [details]
    • Bos, H., van Gelderen, L., & Gartrell, N. (2012). Veerkracht bij kinderen met lesbische moeders: een nieuw onderzoeksperspectief. In K. Van Leeuwen, & H. Van Crombrugge (Eds.), Gezinnen in soorten (pp. 197-214). Garant. [details]
    • van Gelderen, L., Bos, H. M. W., Gartrell, N., Hermanns, J., & Perrin, E. C. (2012). Quality of life of adolescents raised from birth by lesbian mothers: the US National Longitudinal Family Study. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, 33(1), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0b013e31823b62af [details]
    • van Gelderen, L., Gartrell, N., Bos, H. M. W., van Rooij, F. B., & Hermanns, J. M. A. (2012). Stigmatization associated with growing up in a lesbian-parented family: what do adolescents experience and how do they deal with it? Children and Youth Services Review, 34(5), 999-1006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.01.048 [details]

    2011

    • Paik, J. H., van Gelderen, L., Gonzales, M., de Jong, P. F., & Hayes, M. (2011). Cultural differences in early math skills among U.S., Taiwanese, Dutch, and Peruvian preschoolers. International Journal of Early Years Education, 19(2), 133-143. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2011.600276 [details]

    2009

    2020

    • Van Rijn-Van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Huijzer-Engbrenghof, M., Jorgensen, T. D., Gross, M., Winstanley, A., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Lamb, M. E., & Bos, H. M. W. (2020). Corrigendum: Determinants of Non-paid Task Division in Gay-, Lesbian-, and Heterosexual-Parent Families With Infants Conceived Using Artificial Reproductive Techniques. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 1544. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01544

    2021

    2016

    2012

    • van Gelderen, L. (2012). Home-based interventieprogramma’s: kritische punten en aanbevelingen voor de toekomst. Kind en Adolescent Review, 19(2), 201-205. [details]
    • van Gelderen, L. (2012). Langetermijneffecten van Multisysteemtherapie : een 21.9-jarige follow-upstudie van een RCT met ernstige en gewelddadige jeugdcriminelen. Kind en Adolescent Review, 19(4), 424-428. [details]

    2011

    • van Gelderen, L. (2011). Identiteitsproblemen bij adolescenten: verbanden met de borderline persoonlijkheidsstoornis. Kind en Adolescent Review, 18(4), 422-427. [details]

    2010

    • Bos, H., & van Gelderen, L. (2010). Homo en lesbisch ouderschap in Nederland. In S. Keuzenkamp (Ed.), Steeds gewoner, nooit gewoon acceptatie van homoseksualiteit in Nederland (pp. 104-118). Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau. [details]

    2025

    • de Mooij, L. S., & van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (2025). The Influence of Urban Stressors on Parenting and Child Behavior: Exploring the Role of Urbanicity. Poster session presented at European Conference
      on Developmental Psychology, Vilnius, Lithuania.

    2024

    2023

    • Agterberg, S., de Vos, M. P. C. W., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., van Rooij, F. B., Jaspers, E., Mochtar, M., Fukkink, R. G., Goddijn, M., & Bos, H. M. W. (2023). How do Dutch adults think about the social and genetic aspects of surrogacy? A nationally representative study about Dutch adults’ attitudes. Poster session presented at Annual SRIP Conference 2023, Lausanne, Switzerland.
    • Agterberg, S., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., van Rooij, F. B., de Vos, M. P. C. W., Jaspers, E., Fukkink, R. G., Mochtar, M., Goddijn, M., & Bos, H. M. W. (2023). How do Dutch adults think about the social and genetic aspects of surrogacy? A nationally representative study about Dutch adults’ attitudes. Paper presented at LGBTQIA+ Research Day 2023, Utrecht, Netherlands.

    2022

    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Neervoort , N. E., & Overbeek, G. J. (2022). How do parents and peers influence the development of a romantic relationship of good quality during adolescence? The role of mixed friendships, earlier romantic relationships, and intimacy motivation. Poster session presented at 26th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Rhodes, Greece.

    2019

    • Spencer, H., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Huijzer, M., & Overbeek, G. J. (2019). Alterations of children's DNA methylation and stress reactivity as a function of parenting: design of a randomized controlled trial. Poster session presented at The Future of Neuroscience, Attachment and Mentalizing: from research to clinical practice, London, United Kingdom.
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, C. A., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Bos, H. M. W., Gross, M., & Lamb, M. E. (2019). Parenting quality and attachment in gay-father, lesbian-mother, and heterosexual-parent families. Paper presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) 2019, Baltimore, United States.
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, C. A., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Bos, H. M. W., Gross, M., & Lamb, M. E. (2019). Parenting quality of gay fathers with children born through surrogacy: A comparison with lesbian-mother and heterosexual IVF parent families. Paper presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) 2019, Baltimore, United States.

    2018

    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Ellis-Davies, K., Jorgensen, T. D., Gross, M., Bos, H. M. W., Winstanley, C. A., Rubio, B., Vecho, O., & Lamb, M. E. (2018). Determinants of co-parenting quality in gay-, lesbian-, and heterosexual-parent families with infants.. Poster session presented at 126th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco.

    2017

    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H. M. W., Jorgensen, T. D., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, C. A., Golombok, S., Rubio, B., Gross, M., Vecho, O., & Lamb, M. E. (2017). Wellbeing of gay fathers with children born through surrogacy. Paper presented at 18th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, ECDP 2017, Utrecht, Netherlands.

    2016

    • Bos, H. M. W., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., van de Bongardt, D., van Beusekom, G., & Gartrell, N. K. (2016). How lesbian mothers prepare adolescents for homophobic stigmatization. Paper presented at 31st International Congress of Psychology (ICP), Yokohama, Japan.
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H. M. W., & Tornello, S. (2016). Childless gay men: Predictors of their intentions to have children. Paper presented at 31st International Congress of Psychology (ICP), Yokohama, Japan.

    2015

    • Bos, H. M. W., Gartrell, N. K., & van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (2015). Male role models for adolescents in lesbian- and heterosexual-parent families. Paper presented at American Psychological Association's 123rd Annual Convention (APA) 2015, Toronto, Canada.
    • Bos, H. M. W., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., & Gartrell, N. K. (2015). Satisfaction with known, open-identity, or unknown sperm donors: reports from lesbian mothers of 17-year-old adolescents. Paper presented at International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS) 2015, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    2010

    • van Gelderen, L. (2010). Homo en lesbisch ouderschap in Nederland: de stand van zaken. Poster session presented at Poster presented at Dag van de Sociologie.
    • van Gelderen, L. (2010). Homo en lesbisch ouderschap in Nederland. Poster session presented at UvAPride Sciences Lectures.

    Prize / grant

    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., de Mooij, B. & Overbeek, G. (2023). Motiverende gesprekstechnieken en feedback in opvoedinterventies: wat werkt, voor wie en hoe?.
    • Bos, H., Fukkink, R., Schrijvers, A., van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. & van Rooij, F. (2022). The rise of new families: how can we help them flourish?.

    Media appearance

    Journal editor

    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (reviewer) (2022). Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology (Journal).
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (reviewer) (2022). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (Journal).
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (member of editorial board) (2022). Early Childhood Research Quarterly (Journal).
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (reviewer) (2022). Journal of Family Studies (Journal).
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (member of editorial board) (2021-2022). Jeugd in Ontwikkeling (Journal).

    Others

    • de Mooij, B. (participant), Wielemaker, L. (participant), Overbeek, G. (participant) & van Rijn - van Gelderen, L. (chair) (27-8-2025). European Conferenceon Developmental Psychology, Vilnius. Does feedback in parenting interventions improve parenting? A Multiple Case Study investigating the effects of the Family Check-UpResearch (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Rijn - van Gelderen, L. (chair) (2025). European Conferenceon Developmental Psychology, Vilnius. Chair and discussant of the symposium entitled "Novel approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of intervention elements for improving the (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Rijn - van Gelderen, L. (participant), Ellis-Davies, K. (participant), Vecho, O. (participant), Rubio, B. (participant), Carone, N. (participant), Frau, C. (participant), Schiavetto, C. (participant), Runze, J. (participant), Bos, H. (participant) & Lamb, M. E. (participant) (2025). European Conferenceon Developmental Psychology, Vilnius. Poster Presentation "Attachment in families created through assisted reproductive techniques: Results from the first study using the Strange (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (participant) (19-6-2024). ISSBD Conference. Part of a round table discussion, entitled "Recognizing the underrecognized". (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • Soultanopoulous, (participant), Henrichs, J. (participant), Ganzevoort, W. (participant), Borman, D. (participant), Slot, L. C. (participant), van Rijn - van Gelderen, L. (participant) & Verhoeven, C. J. (participant) (2024). 44th SRIP Annual Conference (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Rijn - van Gelderen, L. (participant), de Mooij, B. (participant), Rodenburg, L. (participant) & Overbeek, G. (participant) (2024). Biennial International Meeting of the Family Check-Up. Invited Oral presentation: "When and how does a short parenting intervention start to work? A Multiple Case Study investigating the effects of the (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Gelderen, L. (organiser) & Bos, H. M. W. (organiser) (14-12-2013). Symposium Gay men and Surrogacy, Amsterdam (organising a conference, workshop, ...).

    2012

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  • Ancillary activities
    • Kinderslaapcoach Loes (zzp)
      Ouders coachen om hun kind te leren slapen
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