Shane W. Kraus

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, UNLV Behavioral Addictions Lab
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, UNLV School of Medicine
Expertise: Addiction, Substance Use, Gambling, Veteran Mental Health, Compulsive Sexual Behavior, Psychopathology

Biography

Shane W. Kraus is a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in psychopathology (the study of mental or behavioral disorders), sexual trauma, substance use disorders, gambling disorders, addictions, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). 

An associate professor of psychology, Kraus uses behavioral, epidemiological, and neurobiological methods to assess factors that contribute to the development of addictive behaviors and other co-occurring psychiatric disorders among at-risk groups. 

He has published extensively on sexual behavior and was part of the World Health Organization working group who put forth the diagnostic criteria for CSBD for ICD-11. His gambling research is also exploring effective screening approaches for identifying individuals with problem gambling.

 

Education

  • B.S. Criminology, California State University, Fresno (2003)
  • M.A. Forensic Psychology, Castleton University (2007)
  • PHD Clinical Psychology, Bowling Green State University (2013)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry (2016)

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Shane W. Kraus In The News

WIRED
Sellers on TikTok used pricey items to lure bidders to “Surprise Sets” livestreams, but most of the auctions yielded only cheap prizes. Gambling experts are concerned about the potential for harm.
Senior Planet from AARP
Younger adults tend to be more impulsive and digitally fluent, making them statistically higher-risk for problem gambling. But Kraus cautions that older adults face their own vulnerabilities and concerns.
Shoeleather Magazine
The men were lined up for X3 Expo, the largest adult content convention in the world. The two-day event features hundreds of adult content creators ready to meet and greet their fans, sex toy stands, and live screenings of adult films.
PsyPost
Understanding how people develop habits around viewing adult content can help identify potential psychological risks later in life. Researchers identified three distinct patterns of how adults start viewing sexually explicit material, revealing that establishing a regular habit at a young age is linked to higher rates of mental health struggles. The findings were published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.

Articles Featuring Shane W. Kraus

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Campus News | April 1, 2026

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