Gerda de Kuijper is an intellectual disability (ID) physician. She graduated as a medical doctor in 1980, as an ID physician in 2000, and as a PhD in 2013. She carried out her PhD project from 2008-2013 at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. The subject of the project was “Aspects of long-term use of antipsychotic drugs on an off-label base in individuals with intellectual disability”. She has worked as a GP in primary care (1982-1988), in youth healthcare (1982-1994), and as an ID physician in mental healthcare and ID care settings (1993-2023). Her research interests are diagnostics and treatment of mental disorders and challenging behavior and the organization of mental healthcare for people with ID. She is an expert in psychopharmacology. She was a member of working groups in the development of guidelines: 1) the Dutch guideline on Psychotropic drug prescription in people with ID (published in 2008, revision in 2016), 2) the multidisciplinary Dutch guideline on Problem behavior in adults with ID (published in 2018), and 3) the multidisciplinary guideline on “Self-management of adults with disabilities or chronic disorders in vulnerable groups (2023). She was one of the founders of the Academic Collaboration Intellectual Disability and Mental Health, UMCG, which was founded in 2019. In 2022, she received the “Hannah Oorthuys” award from the Dutch Association of ID Physicians for her contributions to the research and practice of ID medicine.
Josien Jonker, MSc., PhD candidate at Department Centre for Intellectual Disability and Mental Health, GGZ Drenthe Master Health Sciences (with distinction), 08/2007, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands. I am an experienced scientist-practitioner, working in the field of intellectual disabilities and mental health for more than 18 years. Until 2021, I combined nursing work with scientific research within this population. Currently, I have focused entirely on scientific research, combining a PhD trajectory with the position of coordinator within the Academic Collaboration Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health. The topic of my PhD is the appropriate prescribing of psychotropic drugs in people with intellectual disabilities, with a particular focus on the role of direct caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities. I am also closely involved in studies on the topics of shared decision-making, challenging behavior, and the diagnosis of autism. Additionally, I supervise students for their thesis.
Pieter J. Hoekstra is a Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Groningen. He graduated as an MD in 1994 and as a PhD in 2003. His research interests include ADHD (treatment, neuroimaging and genetics), Autism Spectrum disorders (treatment and genetics), Intellectual disability (etiology and treatment), psychopharmacology, and Tic disorders (immunology, treatment, and genetics). He is a member of Eunethydis and editor-in-chief of European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Annelies de Bildt, PhD, Psychologist/senior researcher at Accare Child Study Center, UMCG Groningen and GGZ Drenthe. PhD in Medical Sciences (Child Psychiatry) on autism in intellectual disabilities, 09/2003 University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; thesis awarded with the ABBAS award for best thesis in the area of research and development of instruments. Master in Developmental Psychology, 08/1996 University of Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands. Research interests are autism in children, adolescents and adults with and without intellectual disabilities. Research focuses on diagnostics and psychosocial treatment in outpatient clinics, at home/living situations and in education. Studies include effect studies of interventions, epidemiological studies into early development, and national and international collaborative studies on diagnostic instruments. Involved in policy on autism and intellectual disabilities within Accare and part of national and international networks (Dutch board for the guidelines for autism in children and adolescents, International Society for Autism Research, the Dutch Psychological Association, the Dutch Expert network on autism in young children and Intellectual Disabilities and mental health). Authored books and chapters on autism.
