Sarah A. Bilsky

Sarah A. Bilsky is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Mississippi. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas (2019), an M.A. from the University of Arkansas (2016), and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University (2011). She directs the PANDAA Lab, focusing on familial processes influencing parent and adolescent psychopathology and substance use. Her research integrates clinical and developmental science to address anxiety disorders, substance misuse (e.g., cigarette smoking, alcohol use), and parent-adolescent relationships. Courses taught include Statistics for Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Practicum, and Theories of Psychotherapy. She plans to accept a graduate student for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Research interests span anxiety development, substance use vulnerabilities, and familial interactions. Ongoing projects examine laboratory-based stress responses, sleep-anxiety relationships, and validation effects on anxiety. Dr. Bilsky collaborates with graduate students (e.g., Hannah Friedman, Kayce Hopper) on projects involving adolescent and parental mental health. The PANDAA Lab is located in Peabody Hall, supporting both undergraduate and graduate research opportunities.

Advising includes mentoring six current graduate students pursuing clinical psychology. Her work emphasizes translational research to inform interventions for anxiety and comorbid conditions. Recent publications (2021–2025) highlight CBD’s effects on anxiety, adolescent sleep-substance use links, and parenting stress-alcohol use associations.