Simone is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Education and Child Studies. His research focuses on trust in the context of childhood maltreatment, examining how trust develops and how it is associated with related constructs such as psychological functioning. Additionally, his research focuses on understanding how trust influences the effectiveness of interventions in youth care, including the Lighthouse Parenting Program, with the goal of improving support for children and families who have experienced adversity.

More information about Simone Limiti

Short CV

Simone is a developmental psychology researcher with a strong interest in understanding how early life experiences shape child and family functioning.

He began his academic journey in Italy, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Milano-Bicocca. During his undergraduate studies, he completed a clinical internship as an Assistant Psychologist, contributing to psychological assessments and treatment planning under professional supervision.

In parallel, Simone gained practical experience in educational and care settings, working with children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly. As a Teacher and Educator, he led psychomotor activities for preschool children, strengthening his interest in developmental processes and early intervention.

He then moved to the Netherlands to complete a Research Master’s degree in Child Development and Education at the University of Amsterdam. During his master’s, he gained and deepened his research knowledge, by participating in different projects as coding interaction tasks for research projects at the university.

Simone is currently a PhD candidate at Leiden University, where he investigates the relations between childhood maltreatment, trust and parent–child relationships.

Research focus

Simone is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Education and Child Studies within the Trust in Focus project, part of the Forensic Family Pedagogy and Youth Care programme group.

His research examines the role of trust in the context of childhood maltreatment. He investigates how different forms of trust, including trust in caregivers, professionals, and care organizations, are related to traumatic childhood experiences, victimization, and stress among parents with serious parenting difficulties.

Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, Simone studies how trust develops and how it influences the effectiveness of interventions in youth care, particularly the Lighthouse Parenting Program. His goal is to better understand how trust can contribute to more effective care and the prevention of child maltreatment.

In addition to his PhD research Simone is contributing to undergraduate teaching and supervision.

Working days

Monday till Thursday