Mental health across the lifespan

This focus area adresses the mental well-being of people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. The emphasis lies on understanding, preventing, and treating mental health problems in a variety of contexts, such as the family, school, and work environment. We carry leading research and education programmes in this field.

Based on insights gained from fundamental research, we develop numerous applications, such as diagnostic tests, treatment programmes and training courses for individuals with (impending) mental health problems and the people in society that surround them, such as family members, schools, policymakers and healthcare professionals. This knowledge is clustered in knowledge centres, such as the Knowledge Center for Anxiety and Stress in Youth (KAS) or the Leiden University Treatment and Expertise Centre (LUBEC). 

Examples of research