Better oars, more frequent rowing. On the treatment of behavioural problems in children’.

This was the title of the inaugural lecture delivered by Prof. Barbara van den Hoofdakker on Friday 11 March 2022. Barbara van den Hoofdakker has been appointed by Accare as professor in the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at the University of Groningen, with the study ‘Treatment of behavioural problems in children’. On Friday 8 July an additional symposium took place, under the fantastic chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Maaike Nauta, with the title ‘Developments in the treatment of behavioural problems in children’. After an insightful introduction by Marco Bottelier about Accare’s mission and vision as an organisation, in which treatment and research go hand in hand, the following speakers talked about their research:

Clinical psychologist Dr Lianne van der Veen- Mulders. She outlined the historical background of the line of research that was shaped by Barbara van den Hoofdakker together with other researchers.

Senior researcher and university lecturer Dr Annabeth Groenman. She told about the latest results of an individual participant data meta-analysis into parent training in ADHD. For more information, see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.02.024.

Associate professor and psychologist Dr. Marjolein Luman. She gave an overview of the causes, diagnostics and treatment of behavioural problems in children at school. For more information, see https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2020.1846542

Professor and clinical psychologist Prof. Dr. Saskia van der Oord. She told about experimental research into operant learning in children with ADHD and how this may be relevant to improving the effectiveness of behavioural therapy interventions with this target group.