Biography
Dr. Linda Dekker is an Assistant Professor of Clinical (Child & Adolescent) Psychology at the Department of Psychology of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
In 2019 she successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled "Tackling Teenage: Psychosexual functioning in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)" at the Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital.
Dr. Dekker's current research focuses on two main themes, interventions and sexuality. Particularly, she is interested in sexuality in potentially vulnerable populations or potentially vulnerable situations, as well as supporting and optimizing support where possible, particularly vulnerable populations.
Dr. Dekker is also a founding member of the Erasmus Love Lab (ELL). This is an interdisciplinary research group with backgrounds in Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, Clinical Psychology, Children's and Youth Psychology, and Sociology. Within the ELL, various topics related to intimate relationships, love, and sexuality are explored through several research projects. Specifically, Dr. Dekker is involved in the new T@ckle project, in which sexually transgressive behavior (both online and offline) and the prevention and reduction thereof will be investigated.
She is the founder of the Rotterdam Autism Consortium (R.A.C.), a collaboration between the EUR and clinical partners in the region of Rotterdam. In 2021, dr. Dekker together with the R.A.C. acquired a grant from ZonMw to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on families with children with ASD. Currently, the R.A.C. is piloting a novel treatment option for autistic youth, to improve care-variety and success in this group.
Her current teaching responsibilities focus on coordinating a practical on "Sexuality & Relationship therapy" (MSc), next to supervising clinical (GZ) and research internships. In addition, she provides guest lectures and supervises Honours students and Advanced Research Program students.
Clinical specialties: Diagnostics (specifically ADI-R & ADOS - research reliability achieved); Tackling Teenage training program (certificate), sexuality and relationships.
Keywords: sexuality; psychosexual functioning; adolescents; adolescence; developmental psychology; Autism Spectrum Disorder
Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences
- l.p.dekker@essb.eur.nl
More information
Work
- Elisabeth H.M. van Rijen, Olivia F. Ward, Femke L. Truijens, Ruth Van der Hallen, Anneke Louwerse, Kirsten Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, Leontine W. Ten Hoopen, Wietske Ester, Linde W.E. Hooijman, Laura C. Bijvank, Iris S.A. van den Heuvel, Rosanne Leeflang & Linda P. Dekker (2025) - Experiences of parenting stress in caring for children with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands - International Journal of Developmental Disabilities - doi: 10.1080/20473869.2025.2480656 - [link]
- Clemens Boy, Femke L. Truijens, Anneke Louwerse, Kirsten Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, Wietske A. Ester, Elisabeth H.M. Van Rijen, Ruth Van der Hallen & Linda P. Dekker (2025) - Stability of emotional and behavioral problems in autistic children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic - Advances in Autism, 11 (2), 114-129 - doi: 10.1108/AIA-04-2024-0029 - [link]
- Xihan Yang, Linda Dekker, Kirstin Greaves-Lord & Eileen T Crehan (2024) - Psychometric Properties of Psychosexual Functioning Survey Among Autistic and Non-autistic Adults: Adapting the Self-Report Teen Transition Inventory to the U.S. Context - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54 (12), 4555-4570 - doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06170-9 - [link]
- Linde W. D. Hooijman, Ruth Van der Hallen, Anneke Louwerse, Kirsten Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, Wietske Ester, Elisabeth H. M. van Rijen, , Femke L. Truijens & Linda P. Dekker (2024) - Parent-reported autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptomatology of children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 1.5-year longitudinal study - International Journal of Developmental Disabilities - doi: 10.1080/20473869.2024.2418166 - [link]
- Eileen T Crehan, Xihan Yang, Simone Dufresne, Jamie Barstein, Laurie Stephens, Linda Dekker & Kirstin Greaves-Lord (2024) - Adapting the Tackling Teenage Training Sex Education Program for Autistic Adults in the US: A Pilot Study - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54 (6), 2108-2123 - doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-05962-3 - [link]
- Donna A. de Maat, Ruth Van der Hallen, Pieter F.A. de Nijs, Kirsten Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, Femke L. Truijens, Elisabeth H.M. van Rijen, Wietske Ester, Peter Prinzie, Pauline W. Jansen & Linda P. Dekker (2023) - Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Times of COVID-19: Examining Emotional and Behavioral Problems, Parental Well-Being, and Resilience - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55 (2), 752-763 - doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05846-y - [link]
- T Brandsma, K Visser, J J G Volk, A Balleur van Rijn & L P Dekker (2022) - A pilot study on the effect of peer support on quality of life of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and gender dysphoria - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54 (3), 997-1008 - doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05832-4 - [link]
- Linda P. Dekker, Esther J.M. van der Vegt, Anneke Louwerse, Kirsten Visser, Jan van der Ende, Athanasios Maras, Frank C. Verhulst & Kirstin Greaves-Lord (2022) - Complementing or congruent?: Desired characteristics in a friend and romantic partner in autistic versus typically developing male adolescents - Archives of Sexual Behavior, 52 (3), 1153-1167 - doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02444-y - [link]
- Linde Hooijman, Ruth Van der Hallen, Anneke Louwerse, K (Kirsten) Visser, Leontine ten Hoopen, Pieter de Nijs, Gwen Dieleman, WA (Wietske) Ester, Susan van Rijen, Femke Truijens & Linda Dekker (2022) - Parent-reported impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents with ASD.
- Linda Dekker, Linde Hooijman, Anneke Louwerse, Kirsten Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, Leontine Ten Hoopen, Pieter De Nijs, Gwen Dieleman, Wietske Ester, Susan Van Rijen, Femke Truijens & Ruth Van Der Hallen (2022) - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their families: A mixed-methods study protocol - BMJ Open, 12 (1) - doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049336 - [link]
- Linda Dekker (2020) - Help, ik krijg borsten! - [link]
- , Daphne van de Bongardt, Gusta Tavecchio, Linda Dekker, Helen Tibboel, Matthias Wieser, Chantie Luijten & Moniek Buijzen (2020) - Longread: Hoe gaat het met de peers?: Over adolescenten en hun relaties met leeftijdgenoten in tijden van COVID-19 - Pedagogiek in Praktijk, 116, 36-41 - [link]
- Linda P. Dekker, Kirsten Visser, Esther J.M. van der Vegt, Athanasios Maras, Jan van der Ende, Nouchka T. Tick, Frank C. Verhulst & Kirstin Greaves-Lord (2020) - Insight into informant discrepancies regarding psychosexual functioning of adolescents with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder - Journal of Research on Adolescence, 30 (2), 487-501 - doi: 10.1111/jora.12539 - [link]
- Linda Dekker (2019) - Tackling Teenage : Psychosexual functioning in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - [link]
- Linda P. Dekker, Esther J.M. van der Vegt, Jan Van der Ende, Nouchka Tick, Anneke Louwerse, Athanasios Maras, Frank C. Verhulst & Kirstin Greaves-Lord (2017) - Psychosexual functioning of cognitively-able adolescents with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing peers: The development and testing of the teen transition inventory- a self- and parent report questionnaire on psychosexual functioning - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47 (6), 1716-1738 - doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3071-y - [link]
- Linda Dekker, Femke Truijens, Susan van Rijen & Ruth Van der Hallen (25 augustus 2022) - Impact van COVID-19 op gezinnen met kinderen met ASS: De impact op ouders & blik op de toekomst. [Webinar]
- LP (Linda) Dekker, FL (Femke) Truijens, L.W.E. (Linde) Hooijman & RER (Ruth) Van der Hallen (10 december 2021) - The impact of COVID-19 on families with children with ASD – Implications for (mental) health care and educational professionals. (WEBINAR)
- Linda Dekker & Ruth Van der Hallen (24 september 2021) - Voorlopige bevindingen – zorg en informatiebehoeften van gezinnen met kinderen met ASS. Science Hotel – Nacht van de onderzoeker.
- Linda Dekker, Samira van Bohemen & Mirthe Verbeek (2024) - IFFR x Erasmus: How to Have Sex with consent. (Speaker)
Activiteit: Oral presentation › Popular - Linda Dekker (2022) - Tufts University (Visiting researcher)
Activiteit: Visiting an external academic institution › Academic - Linda Dekker, K (Kirsten) Visser & Jeroen Dewinter (2022) - Love on the Spectrum - a live interactive discussion night (Speaker)
Activiteit: Oral presentation › Professional - Linda Dekker, Linde Hooijman, Ruth Van der Hallen, Anneke Louwerse, K (Kirsten) Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, L ten Hoopen, Pieter de Nijs, Gwen Dieleman, WA (Wietske) Ester, Susan van Rijen & Femke Truijens (2022) - Care and informational needs of parents of children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Speaker)
Activiteit: Oral presentation › Academic - D (Daphne) van de Bongardt, R (Rianne) Kok, M (Michelle) Achterberg, SI (Sari) Hogye, FM (Frank) Weerman, J (Joran) Jongerling, MC (Miranda) Lutz & LP (Linda) Dekker (2021) - Annual Peer Relations Onderzoekers (PRO) conference (Participant)
Activiteit: Organising and contributing to an event › Academic - Ruth Van der Hallen, Linde Hooijman, Anneke Louwerse, K (Kirsten) Visser, Dennis Bastiaansen, L ten Hoopen, Pieter de Nijs, Gwen Dieleman, WA (Wietske) Ester, Susan van Rijen, Femke Truijens & Linda Dekker (2020) - The impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their families (Speaker)
Activiteit: Oral presentation › Academic
- Linda Dekker, Daphne van de Bongardt, Samira van Bohemen, Laura Baams, Jenneke van Ditzhuijzen, Iva Bicanic, John B.F. de Wit, Mischa Dekker, Willy van Berlo, Javier Koole & Remy Vink (2025) - T@ckle - NWA SGOG – naar een effectieve en preventieve aanpak (€2.858.000)
- Linda Dekker (2022) - KNAW Ter Meulen grant - 25.000 euros
- Linda Dekker, Ruth Van der Hallen, Susan van Rijen & Femke Truijens (2021) - Closing webinar on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with children with autism spectrum disorder
- LP (Linda) Dekker, RER (Ruth) Van der Hallen, EHM (Susan) van Rijen, FL (Femke) Truijens, K (Kirsten) Visser, S.C. (Anneke) Louwerse & D Bastiaansen (2020) - ZonMW – COVID-19 second wave focus area 2 – Bottom up
4.3 Couples therapy and sexuality
- Year
- 2025
- Course Code
- FSWP4023K
