Shannon Lynch, Ph.D.
Professor, Clinical Psychology - PsyD Director of Clinical Training
Office: Sam and Aline Skaggs Health Science Center 1311 E Central Dr | Meridian, ID 83642
B.A. (1992), Tufts University;
M.A. (1996) and Ph.D. (1999), University of Michigan;
Postdoctoral Fellow (1999-2001), Victims of Violence Program, Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Lynch will be accepting one clinical PhD graduate student for admission in fall 2027.
Research Interests
My research interests focus broadly on individuals’ experiences of and recovery from interpersonal violence. Currently, my research team is conducting a series of projects examining incarcerated women's and youth’s trauma exposure, mental health, treatment/programming needs, and factors influencing current functioning as well as reintegration into the community and reoffending. I am interested in understanding how mental health and trauma and marginalization intersect to increase the risk of becoming involved with the criminal legal system and reoffending. Finally, my team is also examining how emotion regulation and shame are associated with trauma exposures and subsequent mental health problems in multiple populations.
My clinical interests are in trauma treatment, interpersonal treatment, couples, and general individual and group treatment.
Selected Publications
*denotes current or former students co-authors
*Stubbers K., *Stalzer, A., *Bengtson, L. & Lynch, S. M. (2026). Reproductive Healthcare Utilization Influences Among Women and Sexual/Gender Minority Survivors of Sexual Violence. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2026.2724888
Lynch, S. M. & *Kaplan, S. (2025) Examining trauma-related shame and trauma coping self-efficacy as predictors of PTSD in women in jail. Social Sciences 14(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14010049
*Bengtson, L., & Lynch, S. M. (2025). Trauma, PTSD, and Self-Efficacy: Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening in Sexual Violence Survivors. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 40(7-8), 1865-1887. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241265431
*Weber, S. & Lynch, S. M. (2024). Interpersonal violence, emotion regulation, and trauma coping self-efficacy as predictors of PTSD, substance use, and risk engagement among women in jail. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 41(1-2), 26-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241307227
*Richner, D. C., & Lynch, S. M. (2024). Sexual health knowledge and sexual self-efficacy as predictors of sexual risk behaviors in women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 48(1), 133-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/03616843231172183
Lynch, S. M., *Weber, S., *Kaplan, S. & *Craun, E. (2024) Childhood and adult sexual violence exposures as predictors of PTSD, dissociation, and substance use in women in jail. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 33(4), 424–440. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10538712.2023.2226132
*Richner, D. C., & Lynch, S. M. (2023). Sexual health knowledge and sexual self-efficacy as predictors of sexual risk behaviors in women. Psychology of Women Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/03616843231172183
*DeCou, C., Lynch, S. M., *Weber. S, *Richner, D., *Mozafari, A., *Huggins, H. & *Perschon, B. (2023). On the association between trauma-related shame and symptoms of psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 24(3), 1193-1201. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211053617
DeHart, D.D. & Lynch, S.M. (2021). Women’s and Girls’ Pathways through the Criminal Legal System: Addressing Trauma, Mental Health, and Marginalization. San Diego, Cognella. ISBN: 978-1-5165-3446-3
*Weber, S. & Lynch, S.M. (2021). Understanding the relations among adverse childhood experiences (ACE), substance use, and reoffending among detained youth. Child Abuse & Neglect, 120. 105211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105211