Louise Vanmarcke
Junior researcher at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Communication Sciences, Ghent University.
Sexual well-being and sexual development
Sexual and reproductive health of adolescents
Parent-Child Communication on sexuality
Pornography consumption
Louise holds a Master’s degree in Biochemistry and biotechnology (2021, KU Leuven), and an Advanced Master’s degree in Global Health (2023), obtained at Ghent University (interuniversity program in collaboration with KU Leuven, Hasselt University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Antwerp University). During her advanced master's, Louise wrote her master's thesis on the impact of sexting and non-consensual dissemination of intimate images on children and young people. During this master's thesis, Louise developed a specific interest in the effects of online behaviours on the sexual development, health, and well-being of adolescents and young adults, as well as in qualitative and multi- and interdisciplinary research.
In line with these interests, Louise is undertaking a PhD investigating the impact of widespread pornography consumption on the sexual development and well-being of adolescents and young adults. Louise is doing a joint PhD under the supervision of Prof. Koen Ponnet (Ghent University) and Prof. Kristien Michielsen (Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies, KU Leuven). Her PhD is part of a FWO-SBO project called SWYPPe (https://www.swyppe.be/) in collaboration with Antwerp University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Catholic University of Leuven.