Chad Shenk

Chad Shenk, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rochester and affiliated with the Mt. Hope Family Center. Previously, he held faculty positions at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (2010–2013) and Pennsylvania State University (2013–2024). He is a board-certified clinical psychologist in clinical child and adolescent psychology and an APA Fellow (Divisions 37 and 53). His research focuses on three core areas: improving transdiagnostic outcomes in child maltreatment studies, identifying risk/resilience targets post-trauma, and optimizing behavioral interventions. His work has been funded by NIH, NSF, and other institutions. Dr. Shenk’s interventions include Trauma-Focused CBT, PCIT, DBT, and ACT. He leads a lab recruiting students to explore mechanisms of psychopathology and intervention efficacy.

Research Interests:

• Child maltreatment effects on mental health outcomes
• Contamination bias in observational studies
• Biobehavioral mechanisms in trauma response
• Optimizing TF-CBT and other therapeutic interventions

Scientific Awards and Affiliations:

• Fellow, American Psychological Association
• Board certification in clinical child/adolescent psychology
• Trained in evidence-based therapies (TF-CBT, PCIT, etc.)

Grants and Funding: Multiple NIH institutes, NSF, and private foundations support his research on pediatric trauma and intervention efficacy. His projects address causal inference in maltreatment studies, physiological biomarkers (e.g., RSA, cortisol), and epigenetic aging markers.

Labs and Teams: Directs a lab at the University of Rochester focusing on translational research bridging basic science and clinical practice to improve outcomes for trauma-affected children and families.