Sophie Sweijen

Sophie Sweijen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Erasmus SYNC lab. Using her background in developmental cognitive neuroscience, Sophie wants to make societal impact as a scientific researcher to help young individuals thrive in their social environment. Sophie works on the collaborative project PraatPower with MIND Us – an initiative focused on mental health among young individuals – in which societal dialogues will be held aimed to empower youth and mental health.

Under supervision of prof. dr. Eveline Crone, dr. Suzanne van de Groep, and dr. Lysanne te Brinke, Sophie worked on her PhD from 2021 to 2025 (defense planned on September 12, 2025) on prosocial behavior and societal contributions during adolescence. During her PhD, Sophie coordinated data collection of two longitudinal project. First, she coordinated and supervised the third wave of the behavioral and MRI data collection of the Brainlinks project, in which the aim was to examine the behavioral and neural development of prosocial behavior across adolescence. Second, together with the research team, Sophie set up and coordinated the online behavioral Urban Rotterdam Project, from the first wave in May 2020 to the ninth wave in October 2024. This project was initially set up to monitor young individuals’ wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has subsequently been extended into a project consisting of nine waves across four years to monitor the development, wellbeing, and societal engagement among young people in the Rotterdam area.

During her PhD, Sophie also worked as a researcher on two projects commissioned by the Ministery of OCW, in which she implemented the YoungXperts method. First, she collaborated with Trimbos, ECIO, Pharos, and Utrecht University in a project on performance pressure among mbo-students. In addition, Sophie collaborated with ECBO to examine the needs of mbo-students for equal opportunities in their education. In these projects, Sophie organized focus groups with students and implemented a new participatory research tool, which was developed in co-creation with youth (workers), to come up with ‘take actions’ (solutions) together with young individuals themselves to improve their wellbeing.

Related publications

Neural mechanisms underlying trust to friends, community members, and unknown peers in adolescence

Sweijen, S. W., van de Groep, S., te Brinke, L. W., Fuligni, A., & Crone, E. A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_02055

Adolescents’ trust and reciprocity towards friends, unknown peers, and community members

Sweijen, S. W., te Brinke, L. W., van de Groep, S., & Crone, E. A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12888

Supplement

Socioeconomic hardship, uncertainty about the future, and adolescent mental wellbeing over a year during the COVID-19 pandemic

Green, K. H., Becht, A. I., van de Groep, S., van der Cruijsen, R., Sweijen, S. W., & Crone, E. A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12674

Temporal discounting for self and friends in adolescence: A fMRI study

van de Groep, S., Sweijen, S. W., de Water, E., & Crone, E. A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101204

Supplement

Daily prosocial actions during the covid-19 pandemic contribute to giving behavior in adolescence and young adulthood.

Sweijen, S., van de Groep, S., Green, K., te Brinke, L. W., Buijzen, M., de Leeuw, R., & Crone, E.A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11421-3

Mood and emotional reactivity of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: short-term and long-term effects and the impact of social and socioeconomic stressors.

Green, K. H., van de Groep, S., Sweijen, S. W., Becht, A. I., Buijzen, M., de Leeuw, R. N., … & Crone, E. A.

Associated Projects

The Urban Rotterdam project

Brainlinks

more projects

Contact

ADDRESS

Erasmus University Rotterdam
Mandeville Building T13
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3062 PA Rotterdam, the Netherlands