Shannon Lynch, Ph.D.
Professor, Clinical Psychology
208-282-2110
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.
Research Interests
My research interests focus broadly on experiences of interpersonal violence, and more specifically, on trauma survivors' use of resources to cope with and to recover from traumatic events. Currently, my research team is conducting a series of projects examining incarcerated women's and youths' trauma exposure, mental health, treatment/programming needs, and factors influencing current functioning as well as reintegration into the community post-release from prison. Finally, I am also working with colleagues to examine trauma exposure and mental health as risk factors for incarceration.
My clinical interests are in trauma treatment, families, and general individual and group treatment.
Selected Publications
*denotes current or former students as co-authors
*DeCou, C. R., *Mahoney, C., *Kaplan, S. & Lynch, S. M. (2018). Coping self-efficacy and trauma-related shame mediate the association between negative social reactions to sexual assault and PTSD symptoms. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Online First July 19 2018. doi: 10.1037/tra0000379
*DeCou, C.R. & Lynch, S.M. (2018). Sexual orientation, gender, and attempted suicide among adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Psychological Services, 15 (3), 363-369. doi: 10.1037/ser0000216
Lynch, S. M., DeHart, D., Belknap, J., Green, B., Dass-Brailsford, P., *Johnson, K.J. & Wong, M.M. (2017). An examination of the associations among victimization, mental health, and offending in women. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 44, 796-814. doi: 10.1177/0093854817704452
Lynch, S. M. & *Health, N. M. (2017). Predictors of incarcerated women’s post-release depression, PTSD, and substance use problems: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 56, 157-172. doi: 10.1080/10509674.2017.1290007.
*DeCou, C. R., *Cole, T. T., Lynch, S. M., Wong, M. M., & *Matthews, K. C. (2017). Assault-related shame mediates the association between negative social reactions to disclosure of sexual assault and psychological distress among female undergraduates. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(2), 166-172. doi: 10.1037/tra0000186
*DeCou, C. Lynch, S. M., Dehart, D. D. & Belknap. (2016) Evaluating the association between childhood sexual abuse and attempted suicide across the lifespan: Findings from a nationwide study of women in jail. Psychological Services, 13(3), 254-260. doi: 10.1037/ser000009.
Lynch, S., DeHart, D., Belknap, J., Green, B., Dass-Brailsford, P., *Johnson, K.J. & *Whaley, E. (2014). A multi-site study of the prevalence of serious mental illness, PTSD, and substance use disorders in women in jail. Psychiatric Services, 65(5), 670-674. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201300172.
DeHart, D., Lynch, S., Belknap, J., Dass-Brailsford, P., & Green, B. (2014). Life-history models of female offending: The role of serious mental illness and trauma in women’s pathways to jail. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(1),138-151. doi: 0.1177/0361684313494357.
Lynch, S. M., *Fritch, A. M. & *Heath, N. M. (2012) Looking beneath the surface: The nature of incarcerated women’s experiences of interpersonal violence, mental health, and treatment needs. Feminist Criminology, 7(4), 381-400.
Lynch, S. M., *Heath, N. M., *Matthews, K. C., & *Cepeda, G. J. (2012). Seeking Safety: An intervention for trauma exposed incarcerated women? Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 13, 1-14.