Kate Walsh

Position title: Professor of Gender & Women's Studies and Psychology, H.I. Romnes Faculty Fellow

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Curriculum Vitae
Joint Appointment: Psychology

My interdisciplinary research program focuses on risk factors and outcomes of sexual violence. One line of research has examined population prevalence and correlates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization rates in adolescent, adult, college, military, and treatment-seeking samples. A second area of research has explicated biopsychosocial pathways from sexual violence to associated mental health and behavioral sequelae [e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, risk behaviors]. A third line of research has addressed the intergenerational transmission of trauma exposure and associated sequelae, including stress responsivity. A fourth area of research has focused on translating findings from epidemiological, clinical, and lab-based findings into primary and secondary prevention programs for sexual violence.

Course (Spring 2021):
Gen&WS/PSY 522: Psychology of Women

Select Publications:

Walsh, K., Schipani-McLaughlin, A. M., Stappenbeck, C., Khan, S., Woodworth, A., Panwalkar, S., Acierno, R., & Gilmore, A. K. (2025). Refining a Video and Text Message Intervention (STAR, Skills Training in Active Recovery) to Prevent the Onset or Escalation of Posttraumatic Stress and Opioid Misuse Among Recent Sexual Assault Survivors: Community Engaged Study. JMIR Formative Research, 9, e72095.

Walsh, K., (2025). A mixed-methods study examining survivor support services and institutional betrayal after sexual assault: Findings from a population-representative sample of college students. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

Walsh, K., Klein, L.B., Luebke, J., Moore, K.M., Ruiz, A.M., Curran, K., & Melnik, J. (2025). Sexual assault nurse examiner’s confidence to care for Black, Indigenous, and trans survivors using newly developed and validated practice vignettes. Journal of Emergency Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2024.12.005

Walsh, K., Gilmore, A. K., Jaffe, A. E., Frazier, P., Ledray, L., Acierno, R., … & Resnick, H. S. (2023). A preliminary examination of sexual and physical victimization 6 months after recent rape. Archives of Women’s mental Health, 1-7.

Walsh, K., Gilmore, A.K., Frazier, P., Ledray, L., Acierno, R., Ruggiero, K.J., Kilpatrick, D.G., & Resnick, H.S. (2017). A randomized clinical trial examining the effect of video-based prevention of alcohol and marijuana use among recent sexual assault victims. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41, 2163-2172.

Walsh, K., Zinzow, H., Badour, C., Ruggiero, K.J., Kilpatrick, D., & Resnick, H.S. (2016). Understanding disparities in service seeking following forcible versus drug or alcohol facilitated/incapacitated rape. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31, 2475-2491.

Walsh, K., Galea, S., Cerda, M., Richards, C., Liberzon, I., Tamburrino, M., Calabrese, J., & Koenen, K. (2014). Unit support protects against sexual harassment and assault among National Guard soldiers. Women’s Health Issues, 24, 600-604.

Walsh, K., Nugent, N.R., Kotte, A., Amstadter, A.B., Wang, S., Guille, C., Acierno, R., Kilpatrick, D.G., & Resnick, H.S. (2013). Cortisol at the emergency room rape visit as a predictor of PTSD and depression symptoms over time. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 38, 2520-8.

Walsh, K., Danielson, C.K., McCauley, J., Saunders, B.E., Kilpatrick, D.G., & Resnick, H.S. (2012). National prevalence of PTSD among sexually revictimized adolescent, college, and adult women. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69, 935-942.