Ashley Clawson

Ashley Clawson, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health. Her research focuses on pediatric health psychology, emphasizing the reduction of nicotine exposure in children and families, intergenerational tobacco use patterns, and behavioral health in youth with medical conditions. She also investigates the mental health impacts of pandemics like COVID-19 on marginalized families.

Education:

• 2016: NIH T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
• 2014: PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis (emphasis on pediatric health psychology)
• 2014: Clinical Predoctoral Internship, Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University
• 2009: MS in Psychology, University of Memphis
• 2007: BA in Psychology, Christian Brothers University

Research Interests: Dr. Clawson employs a social ecological framework to address health disparities, particularly in tobacco/nicotine use and cardiometabolic risk. Her work highlights interventions to disrupt intergenerational smoking patterns and assesses pandemic effects on vulnerable populations, including families of color and those with asthma.

Selected Awards:

• 2021 Diane J. Willis Award for Outstanding Article in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology

Advising & Grants: She mentors students like C. Nwankwo, N. M. Ruppe, and A. L. Blair. Her research has been published in journals such as Health Psychology and Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, focusing on topics like cardiovascular risk in African Americans and mental health during the pandemic.