Current & Past Projects
The UM Sound Project
Advancing the Characterization and Assessment of Misophonia
Background & Aims: Misophonia is characterized by intense negative affective and autonomic arousal in response to particular sounds (e.g., chewing, slurping); yet, little is known about factors contributing to misophonia distress and disability. Although clinical misophonia is thought to affect 20% of college students, there is a lack of research examining the impact and prevalence of misophonia in the general population. Unfortunately, this research is further limited by the lack of validated diagnostic tools. Taken together, these significant gaps in the literature impede understanding and treatment of misophonia. To this end, this project seeks to advance misophonia research by using a translational approach to 1) establish validated diagnostic tools, 2) comprehensively examine characteristics of misophonia, and 3) investigate the epidemiology of misophonia through laboratory and population-based research.
To get more information and see if you qualify: Call us at (662) 915-1981, email us at hartlab@olemiss.edu, or complete this brief form.
Status: Data collection ongoing
Funding Agency: Misophonia Research Fund
PI: Laura Dixon
Thoughts and Emotions on Game Performance
Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine thought processes and emotional experiences in the context of decision-making.
Status: Data collection ongoing
PI: Heather Clark
Investigation of Emotion Regulation in an Uncertain Context
Aim: This study empirically tests how those with and without Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms emotionally respond to behavior in an uncertain context, and how they attempt to regulate those emotions and experiences.
Status: Data collection ongoing
PI: Molly Schadegg, dissertation project
Positive Health Behaviors and Anxiety
Aim: This study empirically investigates how individuals both with and without anxiety symptoms engage in health behaviors over the course of a two week period.
Status: Data collection ongoing
PI: Molly Schadegg; Co-PI: Sara Witcraft
Examination of Social Anxiety Symptoms and Externalizing Behaviors
Aim: This is a multi-method lab study that examines psychological and physiological mechanisms associated with social anxiety, decision making, and behavior.
Status: Data Cleaning
PI: Laura Dixon
Emotional Processing and Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Aim: This study empirically investigates how individuals with functional gastrointestinal symptoms experience emotions, and whether their emotional experience differs from those without such problems.
Status: Completed
PI: Sara Witcraft, dissertation project
An Exploration of Factors that Facilitate Treatment for Anxiety Sensitivity
Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of specific intervention methods that help people manage their discomfort with anxiety-related body sensations.
Status: Completed
PI: Gina Boullion, dissertation project
Understanding Social Anxiety Symptoms through Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Strategies
Aim: The purpose of the current study was to examine interpersonal ER difficulties, as defined by excessive reassurance seeking and venting, in relation to social anxiety symptoms among socially anxious college students.
Status: Completed
PI: Megan Perry, master’s thesis project
Examining Stress, Social Media, and Social Interaction
Aim: This study aims to increase our understanding of the influences that peer relationships can have on (1) loneliness, (2) social media use, and (3) social anxiety symptoms.
Status: Completed; Honor’s thesis defended on 4/29/2020
PI: Lindsay Sappington, honors thesis project
Eating, Digestion, and Wellbeing
Aim: To better understand the relation between mental (including anxiety and depression) and physical health symptoms (including digestion).
Status: Completed
PI: Sara Witcraft
Responses to Interpersonal and Personal Stress
Aim: To better understand the stressors that are faced by college students and how students commonly respond to stressors.
Status: Completed
PI: Laura Dixon
Examination of Psychological Factors Association with Dental Fear and Anxiety
Aim: To examine correlates of dental fear and anxiety, such as sex, history of traumatic dental experiences, pain sensitivity, disgust sensitivity, and anxiety sensitivity.
Status: Completed. This project was initially developed as part of Sydney Olson’s honors thesis, which resulted in additional follow up data collection yielding a presentation and publication.
Assessment of Anxiety and Related Vulnerability Factors
Aim: To better understand certain vulnerability factors that contribute to the exacerbation and maintenance of anxiety and prescription drug abuse.
Status: Completed; Master’s thesis defended by Sara Witcraft on 9/14/2018
PI: Sara Witcraft, master’s thesis project
Online Assessment of Mental Health Symptoms and Dermatology (Skin) Conditions
Aim: To assess the prevalence rates and severity of a variety of mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, among individuals with different types of dermatological conditions.
Status: Completed; see Dixon, Witcraft, McCowan, & Brodell, 2018; Dixon, Witcraft, & Perry, 2019
PI: Laura Dixon