Education: Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, Doctor of Biomedical Sciences, Master of Science in Statistics, Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (licensed clinical psychologist)

Welcome to my personal website!  

I am a developmental and clinical research psychologist. My primary focus is on advancing scientific knowledge about why (non-suicidal) self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (e.g., cutting, hitting oneself) emerge and how to timely predict and prevent their occurrence. More broadly, I am interested in mental health research among adolescents and emerging adults and the implementation of digital tools in mental health care. My research makes use of a range of complementary methodological approaches (e.g., epidemiological surveys, clinic-based studies, and real-time monitoring).

On this website, you can find more information about my research interests and past and current work.

I am currently affiliated with Tilburg University in The Netherlands as an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology and as a Senior Research Fellow (FWO funded) with KU Leuven (Belgium). Please contact me if you would be interested in collaborating in any areas that overlap with my interests.

Featured Example Publications: 

  1. Eggermont, K., Claes, L., Luyckx, K., Bogaerts, A., Myin-Germeys, I., & Kiekens, G. (2026) Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. The real-time associations between identity, emptiness, and non-suicidal self-injury ideation: An ecological momentary assessment study in individuals seeking treatment. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 135(3), 391–402. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0001098
  2. Robillard, C. L., Claes, L., Victor, S. E., Myin-Germeys, I., & Kiekens, G. (2025). Self-criticism is a real-time predictor of non-suicidal self-injury and disordered eating: An ecological momentary assessment study among treatment-seeking individuals. Journal of Affective Disorders, 371, 13-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.121  
  3. Kiekens, G., Claes, L., Kleiman, E., Luyckx, K., Coppersmith, D. D., Fortgang, R., Myin-Germeys, I., & Nock, M. K. (2024). The short-term course of non-suicidal self-injury among individuals seeking psychiatric treatment. JAMA Network Open, 7(10), e2440510-e2440510. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40510