Herbert Roeyers
Motivation
What is your main driver for doing research?
My main driver is to contribute through my research to a better quality of life for individuals with a developmental disorder and their family members.
Why do you believe that strengthening mental health is so important?
Mental health issues are often chronic, impairing and costly and associated with adverse outcomes. Strengthening mental health is important to prevent the cascade of secondary problems and challenges.
How could research change the world?
Research will not change the world. Research can only offer findings, results, tools,... that potentially can change the world a bit. Therefore, translational aspects and valorization should increasingly be emphasized and be put at the forefront.
With whom outside academia did you already collaborate and achieved important results?
I collaborated with governmental bodies in several countries to develop facilities and implement evidence-based practices that foster mental health in children with developmental challenges and disorders. Examples include Indonesia, Democratic Republic Congo, Romania, France and most recently Ukraine. In Belgium, I was involved in developing national guidelines for diagnosis and intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (together with the "kwaliteitscentrum voor diagnostiek" and the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre). Our group also developed a screening instrument for autism together with the Flemish day care centres and we developed an evidence-based intervention programme for preschoolers with autism, together with the rehabilitation centres. We also translated and implemented international intervention programmes in the rehabilitation centres and home guidance centres.
Publications
https://biblio.ugent.be/person/801000630153