Jolien van der Graaff works as an assistant-professor at the department Youth and Family Studies of Utrecht University. Her research concerns the development of empathy and prosocial behavior in adolescence and young adulthood, and its links with relationship quality with family and friends. Jolien is involved in several research project as a copromotor. Further, Jolien is member of the exam committee for pedagogical sciences, and she teaches in several courses at bachelor and master level.
Besides her work at the UU, Jolien works as a MfN-registered family mediator and as a teamcoach (Groene Hart Mediation).