List of publications
Ongoing projects
Equipping pre- and in-service primary and secondary school staff to respond to non-suicidal self-injury: A co-created online training (EQUIP-NSSI)
PI: Prof. dr. Imke Baetens (VUB, Belgium), dr. Tinne Buelens (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Prof. dr. Angeliki Paleologou (University of Ioannina, Greece), Prof. dr. Johan Bjureberg (Karolinksa Institutet, Sweden), and Prof. dr. Paul Plener (Medical University of Vienna, Austria). In collaboration with: dr. Lisa Van Hove (VUB, Belgium), Prof. dr. Stephen Lewis (University of Guelph, Canada), Prof. dr. Chloe Hamza (University of Toronto, Canada), Prof. dr. Penelope Hasking (Curtin University, Australia), and Prof. dr. Marie-Claude Geoffrey (McGill University, Canada)
The EQUIP-NSSI project aims to develop a free, evidence-informed and co-created online training for future and current primary and secondary school staff on responding to students who engage in non-suicidal self-injury. The project will first identify education professionals’ needs across countries, after which the training will be developed together with education professionals and people with lived experience. The resulting training will subsequently be piloted and evaluated to ensure that it is practical, culturally relevant, and closely aligned with educational practice. The consortium is currently revising the funding application for resubmission under the 2027 Erasmus+ KA220-SCH call.
Addressing Non-suicidal self-injury and mental health problems by Training inSchools (ANTS)
PI: Prof. dr. I. Baetens (VUB, Belgium), in collaboration with Prof. dr. M. Van Heel (VUB, Belgium), Prof. dr. Veerle Soyez (VUB, Belgium), Prof. dr. Peter Theuns (VUB, Belgium), Prof. dr. Maria Zetterqvist (Linköping University, Sweden), Prof. dr. Paul Plener (Medical University of Vienna, Austria), dr. Lisa Van Hove (VUB, Belgium), and dr. Zahra Azadfar (VUB, Belgium)
To examine the effectiveness of an integrated prevention approach consisting of a universal lesson package (TIER 1), a targeted E-MOTION training for at-risk students (TIER 2), and specialized training for gatekeepers (TIER 3) based on the ANTS approach (Baetens, Plener & Zetterqvist). Approximately five secondary schools across Flanders and Brussels will participate in this large-scale prevention study.
Past projects
An exploration of the impact of self-injury on peers of those who self-injure
PI: Prof. dr. I. Baetens (VUB, Belgium), Prof. dr. Chloe Hamza (University of Toronto, Canada), Prof. dr. Penelope Hasking (Curtin University, Australia), Prof. dr. Stephen Lewis, (University of Guelph, Canada), in collaboration with dr. Lisa Van Hove (VUB, Belgium)
To enhance our understanding of the impact of self-injury on peers to whom NSSI has been disclosed in Australia, Belgium, and Canada.
Publications:
Van Hove, L., Zetterqvist, M.., Malata, C., Hamza, C., Lewis, S. P., Hasking, P., & Baetens, I., (2026). Social exposure and perceived stigma toward non-suicidal self-injury: A cross-national examination among university students who know someone who self-injures. Stigma & Health. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000703
Fostering self-management among students: The feasibility of STAR, an e-health intervention for NSSI
PI: Prof. Dr. I. Baetens (VUB, Belgium), in collaboration with Prof. dr. M. Kaess (University of Bern, Switzerland) and Prof. dr. N. Heath (McGill University, Canada), and dr. Lisa Van Hove (VUB, Belgium)
STAR has been developed at the University of Bern and has proven to be effective to foster self-management among young adolescents with NSSI (Kaess et al., 2019). The VUB and the Support Centre for Inclusive Higher Education (SIHO) have translated and adapted the program to the Flemish context. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the adapted psycho-education program STAR among Flemish college students.
Non-suicidal self-injury in elementary school: Experiences and needs assessment of school personnel
PI: Prof. Dr. I. Baetens (VUB, Belgium), Em. Prof. dr. Nancy Heath (McGill University, Canada), in collaboration with dr. Lisa Van Hove (VUB, Belgium)
To determine elementary school educators’ knowledge of student non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and their experience working with students who engage in NSSI.
Publications:
Simundic, A., Van Hove, L., Baetens, I., Bloom, E., & Heath, N. (2024). Nonsuicidal self‐injury in elementary schools: School educators' knowledge and professional development needs. Psychology in the Schools, 61(5), 1868-1880. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23142