dr. S.M. Kelders (Saskia)

Associate Professor
BMS-HIB-PHT
Capitool 15 147
s.m.kelders@utwente.nl
+31534896055
Business card

Dr. Saskia M. Kelders is Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Health and Technology at the University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands and extraordinary professor at Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus. Her research interests are positive psychology, persuasive technology and digital interventions. She's now working on her VENI project on using individual engagement to personalize eHealth interventions. Methods used are, for example, analysis of log data, experimental studies and randomized controlled trials. Examples of interventions Saskia works on are web-based gamified interventions and mobile apps to increase wellbeing.

Expertise

  • Psychology

    • Health
    • Mental Health
    • Evaluation
    • Healthcare
    • Research
    • Behavior

  • Computer Science

    • User

  • Medicine and Dentistry

    • e-Health

Organisations

Publications

2026

Immersive Virtual Reality-supported Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for patients with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities and Substance Use Disorders: Two Exploratory Studies (2026)JMIR XR and Spatial Computing (Accepted/In press). Murray, S., Langener, S., Kip, H., Klaassen, R., Kelders, S. M., Heylen, D. & VanDerNagel, J.https://doi.org/10.2196/82601Virtual Reality Implementation in Mental Health Care Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint: Qualitative Longitudinal Study of a Virtual Reality Training Program (2026)JMIR mental health, 13. Article e83453. Kouijzer, M. M. T. E., Koenis, L. A. M., Huizinga, D., Kelders, S. M., Bouman, Y. H. & Kip, H.https://doi.org/10.2196/83453Towards a social practice of digital health: suggestions for engagement and implementation research in the context of digital health (2026)Behaviour & information technology (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Bastoni, S., Doğan, K. & Kelders, S. M.https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2026.2619650Towards an interdisciplinary theory of engagement: the Dynamic EngagEment Process framework for Digital Health Interventions (DEEP – DHI) (2026)Behaviour & information technology (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Doğan, K., ten Klooster, I., Kip, H., Amir Haeri, M. & Kelders, S. M.https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2026.2619659The added value of an internet-based intervention for treatment of aggression in forensic psychiatric outpatients: A mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial (2026)Digital Health, 12 (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Kip, H., Klein Haneveld, L., Klooster, I. t. & Kelders, S. M.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076261415917

2025

Compassion as a guiding framework for the implementation of digital mental health interventions: An interview study with clients and professionals (2025)PLoS ONE, 20(10 October). Article e0320710. van Lotringen, C. M., Zirnheld, A., Kelders, S. M., Westerhof, G. J. & Noordzij, M. L.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320710Randomized Controlled Trial of Group-Blended and Individual-Unguided Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Reduce Psychological Distress in People With Cancer (2025)Psycho-oncology, 34(9). Article e70286. Badaghi, N., Kwakkenbos, L., Prins, J., Donders, R., Kelders, S. & Speckens, A.https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70286Triggers and coping strategies for an Immersive Virtual Reality-supported Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for patients with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities and Substance Use Disorders: An Exploratory Study (2025)[Working paper › Preprint]. JMIR Publications. Murray, S., Langener, S., Kip, H., Klaassen, R., Kelders, S., Heylen, D. & van der Nagel, J.https://doi.org/10.2196/preprints.82601VR implementation in mental healthcare: A marathon, not a sprint: A qualitative longitudinal evaluation of a VR training program (2025)[Working paper › Preprint]. MedRxiv. Kouijzer, M. M. T. E., Koenis, L. A. M., Huizinga, D., Kelders, S. M., Bouman, Y. H. A. & Kip, H.https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.02.25330712Emotional Awareness: Compassion as a means to promote the sustainable mental health of military personnel (2025)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research external, graduation UT]. University of Twente. de Krijger, E.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036566827

Research profiles

  • eHealth (Master Health Psychology)
  • eMental Health (Master Positive Psychology and Technology)
  • Supervising Bachelor and Master theses

Courses academic year 2025/2026

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Courses academic year 2024/2025

Current research projects

  • The development of an online positive psychology intervention with game-elements
  • Systematic review of the influence of persuasive technology on the adherence and effectiveness of web-based interventions
  • Study the added value of a web based interactive care platform (e-Vita) as an integral approach of disease management for patients with diabetes type 2, chronic heart failure or COPD (PhD project Floor Sieverink)

Address

University of Twente

Capitool 15 (building no. 78), room 147
Capitool 15
7521 PL Enschede
Netherlands

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Organisations

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