University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Department of Psychology
Email: skumar@huskers.unl.edu
Shaina is a recent graduate of the Clinical Psychology Training Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is affiliated with the Violence Intervention for Survivors of Trauma and Abuse (VISTA) Lab and the Family Development Lab, working under the mentorship of Drs. David DiLillo and Rebecca Brock. She is currently a T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow affiliated with the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and VA Boston National Center for PTSD.
Shaina seeks to understand how people flourish amidst hardship. To that end, her program of research focuses on identifying factors that promote resilience during and in the aftermath of adversity. Relatedly, she aims to uncover key psychological strengths that foster a sense of wellbeing among trauma survivors.
Shaina earned her Bachelor of Science (2013) and Master of Arts (2015) degrees in Psychology from Towson University. Following graduation, Shaina served as an adjunct faculty member at Towson University where she taught undergraduate-level courses and mentored students. Outside of academia, Shaina enjoys spending time with her Pomeranian, Pumpkin.
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RESEARCH FUNDING
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31HD101271)
Source: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Title: Resilience to Adult Revictimization Among Survivors of Child and Adolescent Sexual Assault
Role: Principal Investigator
Amount: $109,018 (Total Direct Costs)
Funding Period: 05/2020 – 07/2022
Belfer-Aptman Scholarship Award for Dissertation Research
Source: The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment
Amount: $3,500
PUBLICATIONS
24. Vogt, D., Kumar, S. A., Lee, L. O. (2023). Examining functioning and well-being outcomes in PTSD treatment. PTSD Research Quarterly, 34, 1-9. ISSN: 1050-1835
23. +Brock, R. L., +Calkins, F. C., +Hamburger, E. R., +Kumar, S. A., +Laifer, L. M., +Phillips, E., & +Ramsdell, E. L. (2022). Learning from adversity: What the COVID-19 pandemic can teach us about family resiliency. Family Process. Advance online publication. http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12849
+All authors contributed equally and are listed in alphabetical order.
22. Layous, K., Kumar, S. A., Arendtson, M., & Najera, A. (2022). The effects of rumination, distraction, and gratitude on positive and negative affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 124, 1053-1078.
https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000440
21. Kumar, S. A., Franz, M. R., DiLillo, D. & Brock, R. L. (2022). Promoting resilience to depression among couples during pregnancy: The protective functions of intimate relationship satisfaction and self-compassion. Family Process, 62, 387-405. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12788
20. Brockdorf, A. N., Holland, K. J., Kumar, S. A., Jaffe, A. E., & DiLillo, D. (2022). Alcohol use before sexual violence and cognitive appraisals: Differential associations with barriers to help-seeking. Violence Against Women, 29, 777-799. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221097144
19. Kumar, S. A., Edwards, M. E., Grandgenett, H. M., Scherer, L. L., DiLillo, D., & Jaffe, A. E. (2022). Does gratitude promote resilience during a pandemic? An examination of mental health and positivity at the onset of COVID-19. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 3463-3483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00554-x
18. Otto, E. A., Kumar, S. A., & DiLillo, D. (2022). Music’s impact on the sexualization of Black bodies: Examining links between hip-hop and sexualization of Black women. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 27, 145-153. https://doi.org/10.24839/2325-7342.JN27.2.145
17. Kumar, S. A., Brockdorf, A. N., Jaffe, A. E., Church, H. R., Messman, T. L., & DiLillo, D. (2022). Mindful awareness promotes resilience: Buffered links among childhood sexual abuse severity, goal-directed emotion dysregulation, and psychopathology. Mindfulness, 13, 993-1006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01854-2
16. Jaffe, A. E., Kumar, S. A., Hultgren, B. A., Smith-LeCeavalier, K. N., Garcia, T. A., Canning, J. R., & Larimer, M. E. (2022). Meaning in life and stress-related drinking: A multicohort study of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Addictive Behaviors, 129, 107281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107281
15. Nester, M. S., Brand, B. L., Schielke, H. J., & Kumar, S. A. (2022). An examination of the relations between emotion dysregulation, dissociation, and non-suicidal self-injury among dissociative disorder patients. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 13, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2031592
14. +Kumar, S. A., +Hein, C. L., DiLillo, D., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2021). Resilience to suicidal ideation among U.S. military veterans with posttraumatic stress: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Military Behavioral Health, 10, 328-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2021.2015019
+The first two authors contributed equally to this work.
13. Kumar, S. A., Brock, R. L., & DiLillo, D. (2021). Partner support and connection protect couples during pregnancy: A daily diary investigation. Journal of Marriage and Family, 84, 494-514. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12798
12. Kumar, S. A., Jaffe, A. E., Brock, R. L., & DiLillo, D. (2021). Resilience to suicidal ideation among college sexual assault survivors: The protective role of optimism and gratitude in the context of posttraumatic stress. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(S1), S91-S100. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001141
11. Franz, M. R., Kumar, S. A., Brock, R. L., Calvi, J. L., & DiLillo, D. (2021). Parenting behaviors of mothers with posttraumatic stress: The roles of cortisol reactivity and negative emotion. Journal of Family Psychology, 36, 130-139. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000865
10. Jaffe, A. E., Kumar, S. A., Ramirez, J., & DiLillo, D. (2021). Is the COVID-19 pandemic a high-risk period for college student alcohol use? A comparison of three spring semesters. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 45, 854-863. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14572
9. Kumar, S. A., Franz, M. R., Brock, R. L., & DiLillo, D. (2020). Posttraumatic stress and parenting behaviors: The mediating role of emotion regulation. Journal of Family Violence, 35, 417-426. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00124-5
8. Kumar, S. A., Brand, B. L., & Courtois, C. A. (2019). The need for trauma training: Clinicians’ reactions to training on complex trauma. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14, 1387-1394. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000515
7. Brand, B. L., Kumar, S. A., & McEwen, L. E. (2019). Coverage of child maltreatment and adult trauma in graduate psychopathology textbooks. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 11, 919-926. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000454
6. Kumar, S. A., & Mattanah, J. F. (2018). Interparental conflict, parental intrusiveness, and interpersonal functioning in emerging adulthood. Personal Relationships, 25, 120-133. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12231
5. Webermann, A., Brand, B. L., & Kumar, S. A. (2017). Intimate partner violence among patients with dissociative disorders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36, 1441-1462. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517746943
4. Kumar, S. A. (2017). From student to professional: Thoughts on roadblocks and keys to success. In J. D. Sinnott (Ed.), Identity flexibility during adulthood: Perspectives on adult development (pp. 197-209). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55658-1_13
3. Webermann, A., Brand, B. L., Schielke, H., Kumar, S. A., & Myrick, A. (2017). Depression and culture in the TOP DD Network Study: Assessing depressive symptoms, self-harm, and hospitalization among dissociative patients across four cultures. Acta Psychopathologica, 3, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.4172/2469-6676.100111
2. Davila, J., Mattanah, J. F., Bhatia, V., Latack, J. A., Feinstein, B. A., Eaton, N. R., Daks, J., Kumar, S. A., Lomash, E., McCormick, M., & Zhou, J. (2017). Romantic competence, healthy relationship functioning, and well-being in emerging adults. Personal Relationships, 24, 162-184. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12175
1. Kumar, S. A., & Mattanah, J. F. (2016). Parental attachment, romantic competence, relationship satisfaction, and psychosocial adjustment in emerging adulthood. Personal Relationships, 23, 801-817. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12161