Director

Laura J. Dixon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
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Publications
CV

Bio

Dr. Dixon completed her B.A. in Psychology at the University of Arkansas and earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wyoming in 2014. Her predoctoral psychology internship/residency was at the University of Mississippi Medical Center & G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Consortium in Jackson, MS. Dr. Dixon continued at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship where she specialized in childhood and adult anxiety and conducted studies to examine anxiety vulnerability factors in relevant health populations, including perinatal women and dermatology patients. Dr. Dixon joined the University of Mississippi’s Psychology Department in Oxford, MS as an assistant professor in 2016 and is a licensed clinical psychologist in Mississippi. When not at work, Dr. Dixon enjoys spending time with her husband and their son, being outside, and baking.

Research

Broadly speaking, Dr. Dixon’s research aims to identify cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors that exacerbate anxiety disorders, misophonia, and related health conditions (e.g., dermatological disorders). Her research emphasizes the use of experimental psychopathology approaches to: (1) examine emotional responses to feared stimuli (e.g., bodily sensations, public speaking) and misophonia triggers, (2) investigate transdiagnostic mechanisms (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, emotion regulation) underlying anxiety and related pathology, and (3) evaluate specific components of science-based interventions (e.g., interoceptive exposure). The goal of this research is to inform the development and implementation of targeted, science-based interventions for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders, misophonia, and emotional distress resulting from co-occurring health and mental health conditions. Dr. Dixon serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Anxiety Disorders and Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. Her research has been funded by the Ream Foundation/Misophonia Research Fund (2020).