Scientific research at @ease

At @ease, we listen to young people. Not just in our talks, but outside of them too. Since the start, we’ve been working with Maastricht University and other partners to research young people’s mental well-being.

The results are used in scientific publications, allowing us to share our knowledge globally on youth, mental health, and low-threshold support.

How do we conduct research?

After a conversation at @ease, young people voluntarily fill out a questionnaire. This allows us to measure:

Number of young people visiting @ease
Topics they bring up
How they found @ease
How they feel afterwards

All answers are anonymous and used only for evaluation and research.

Why is research important?

This research helps us to:

Easier access to mental health support
We spot the barriers and break them down, so more young people can find @ease.
Sharing what we’ve learned
We publish our results in international journals, so others can learn from them too.
Making more impact
Our research helps parents, youth workers, and decision-makers understand what really matters to young people.

The studies are overseen by Prof. Dr. Thérèse van Amelsvoort, Professor of Transitional Psychiatry at Maastricht University and co-founder of @ease. She is widely respected and internationally recognised for her work.

Overview scientific @ease-publications

Everybody @ease – reaching Out To Vulnerable Subgroups of Young People with Mental Health Problems in the Netherlands: an Adaptation of the Standard @ease Working Method

13 May 2025

This study, published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development, examined the @ease outreach program. To what extent does it contribute to reaching subgroups that are typically underrepresented in mainstream care?

Evaluating changes in functioning and psychological distress in visitors of the @ease youth mental health walk-in centres

3 May 2024

This study, published in BJPsych Open, looked at the effects of @ease’s walk-in living rooms on young people (ages 12–25) with psychosocial challenges, over a period of five years.

Who is @ease? Visitors’ characteristics and working method of professionally supported peer-to-peer youth walk-in centers,anonymous and free of charge

27 March 2022

This study, published in Early Intervention in Psychiatry, maps the demographics, needs, and experiences of young people who attended an @ease location.

Peer involvement and accessibility as key ingredients for 21st century youth mental health care services

11 February 2022

This study, published in World Psychiatry, shows why young people need new forms of mental health care, and how peer support can play a key role.

Barriers and facilitators on the pathway to mental health care among 12-25 year olds

27 August 2021

In this study, published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, young people share their experiences with seeking help for mental struggles, and what holds them back or helps them move forward.

Ain’t no mountain high enough: How to improve access to youth mental health care

9 April 2021

Dr. Sophie Leijdesdorff investigated why young people with mental health problems often fall outside the regular care system.

Burden of mental health problems: quality of life and cost-of-illness in youth consulting Dutch walk-in youth health centers

22 October 2020

This study maps the social impact of mental health problems, measured in terms of quality of life and social costs.