Sylvia van der Pal
My primary expertise lies in investigating the psychosocial impact of Child Health-related designs, particularly around childbirth, such as the long-term psychosocial impact of premature birth, the effects of baby massage, and the psychosocial impact of screening, such as the heel prick.
My particular interest lies in conducting participatory research, involving active participation from children, parents, or Child and Youth Health Care (JGZ) professionals as the target audience. For instance, collaborating with upper-level primary school students to explore how we can engage girls in Science & Technology and how we can use a robotic companion to assist students with psychosocial skills. Alternatively, working with JGZ professionals and parents to examine how parents can be more effectively involved in developmental assessments for children up to 4 years old.
Recent publications
- van der Pal SM, Wins S, Klapwijk JE, van Dijk T, Kater-Kuipers A, et al. (2022). Parents’ views on accepting, declining, and expanding newborn bloodspot screening. PLOS ONE 17(8): e0272585.
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van der Pal SM, van der Meulen SA, Welters SM et al. Reproductive risks in 35-year-old adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight: an observational study. Eur J Pediatr 180, 1219–1228 (2021).
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Windhorst DA, Klein Velderman M, van der Pal S. et al. The effects and process of the intervention “Individual Shantala Infant Massage” in preventive child healthcare to improve parent–child interaction: study protocol for a quasi-experimental study. BMC Complement Med Ther 23, 231 (2023).
Leiden - Sylviusweg
Sylviusweg 71
2333 BE Leiden
The Netherlands