CMER Fall Webinar w/ Tana Carson, PhD, OT

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 at 12-1pm ET (9am PT; 11am CT)

Link to register: https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/cdD6rcSSSdKvajiFnKNQnA 

Dr. Tana Carson, an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Florida International University (FIU) in the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, will present on her development of the Pediatric Misophonia and Hyperacusis Questionnaire (PMHQ-4). 
 

Dr. Tana Carson is an Associate Professor whose research focuses on improving the health, safety, and quality of life of children with autism and their families. Her work centers on two critical yet understudied areas: decreased sound tolerance (DST) and drowning prevention. Through multidisciplinary collaborations spanning audiology, psychology, rehabilitation sciences, and aquatics, she has developed innovative assessment tools, interventions, and training programs that address significant gaps in clinical practice.

Dr. Carson has made significant contributions to DST research in autism. Her studies have established the high prevalence of auditory sensory over-responsivity in autistic children and led to the development of pioneering assessment tools, including the Pediatric Hyperacusis Questionnaire (PHQ) and the Pediatric Misophonia and Hyperacusis Questionnaire (PMHQ), which are being adopted and studied worldwide. She has also created a novel occupational therapy intervention integrating sensory regulation, cognitive behavioral strategies, and behavioral management techniques.

In drowning prevention, Dr. Carson leads efforts to increase access to safe and effective aquatic programming for children with disabilities. She has secured competitive funding, including a Department of Defense Autism Research Program Idea Award, to evaluate interdisciplinary training models that prepare rehabilitation professionals to deliver evidence-based drowning prevention services to autistic children. She has also co-developed an interdisciplinary continuing education service, ECHO Autism Water Safety, for professionals and students seeking evidence-based water safety strategies for practice. 

Dr. Carson has presented her work at international conferences and publications, and she has received multiple recognitions for the impact of her research and service efforts.