Connie Sung
Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
Connie Sung's research lies in biopsychosocial factors associated with successful transition, psychosocial and employment outcomes.
Biography
Connie Sung is an associate professor of rehabilitation counseling and co- director of Spartan Project SEARCH. Her educational background includes rehabilitation counseling psychology, neuropsychology and occupational science. Her research interests focus on biopsychosocial factors associated with successful transition, psychosocial and employment outcomes as well as quality of life of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Sung is also a Mary Switzer Fellow awarded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). She has published over 50 refereed journal articles and book chapters. She is a principal investigator of several community-based participatory research projects, including evaluation of intervention strategies to improve career development and employment outcomes of transition-aged individuals with autism and/or epilepsy. As the co- director of Spartan Project SEARCH, Sung and her students provide support to students with intellectual/developmental disabilities who participate in internship experiences across the MSU campus. She also conducts research to examine the impact of the program on transition outcomes of participating students and campus climate/attitudes toward individuals with disabilities.
Areas of Expertise (4)
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
Neuropsychology
Rehabilitation Counseling
Occupational Science
Accomplishments (5)
American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) Research Award
1st Place, 2017 for article Social-cognitive predictors of vocational outcomes in transition youth with epilepsy: Application of social cognitive career theory (Sung & Connor) 1st Place, 2015 for article Vocational rehabilitation services patterns and outcomes among individuals with autism of different ages (Chen, Sung, & Pi)
Excellence in Diversity Award [Category of Teams – Emerging Progress]
2017 Michigan State University
New Career in Rehabilitation Education Award
2016 National Council on Rehabilitation Education
Presidential Citation Award
2015, 2017 American Psychological Association Division 22
Training in Grantsmanship for Rehabilitation Research (TIGRR) Workshop Travel Scholarship
2015 North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Charleston, SC
Education (3)
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Ph.D., Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education 2012
Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education: M.Phil., Rehabilitation Sciences 2008
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: B.Sc., Rehabilitation Sciences 2003
Affiliations (8)
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- American Counseling Association (ACA)
- American Epilepsy Society
- American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
- National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE)
- National Rehabilitation Association (NRA)
- International Society for Autism Research (INSAR)
- International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD)
Links (4)
News (4)
Why the new ‘Peppa Pig’ character gives me hope
The Washington Post
2019-05-07
This is the natural next step toward real inclusion and reducing the stigma surrounding people with disabilities. For some children, watching “Peppa Pig” may be the first time they see someone in a wheelchair. And positive attitudes around disabilities such as hers will teach kids to be “more open and accepting of individual differences and perceive disability as a diversity,” said Connie Sung, associate professor in the Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at Michigan State University’s College of Education...
Working to employ young adults with autism
MSU Today
2019-04-01
Then he met Connie Sung, who’s published two papers on the topic. Sung, associate professor of rehabilitation counseling at MSU’s College of Education, has developed the first empirical-based, work-related social skills training program for youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD...
MSU receives $1M grant to build work-related skills for youth with autism
MSU Today
2017-05-03
While efforts are growing to help youth with autism improve social skills, few programs focus specifically on teaching the skills needed to get and keep jobs. A pilot program created by MSU researcher Connie Sung has shown promising results for the population when they most need help preparing for the workplace: the transition from high school to adulthood...
MSU launches school-to-work program for youth with disabilities
MSU Today
2016-09-30
Seventy to 80 percent of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as autism or Down syndrome, are unemployed. Most rely heavily on caregivers after completing K-12 education and can become isolated and anxious or depressed, say program co-directors Marisa Fisher and Connie Sung...
Research Grants (5)
Project SEARCH Supplemental Programs for Enhancing Transition Students’ Success
Michigan Rehabilitation Services, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services $80,000
The goal of this study is to offer intervention programs and conduct vocational evaluation for state vocational rehabilitation agencies in the State of Michigan to inform services provision and delivery for people with disability. Role: PI; Funding Period: 6/15/17- 6/14/18
Implementation and Evaluation of School-based Pre-Employment Training Program
Michigan Rehabilitation Services, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with Disability Network Capital Area $101,063
The goal of this study is to adapt and modify the ASSET-EPASS programs into a one-year school-based pre-employment training program and evaluate the student transition outcomes. Role: PI; Funding Period: 10/1/17- 9/30/18
MSU-MRS Careers Collaborative
Resource Center for Persons with Disability, Michigan State University $337,965
The goal of this study is to improve access to vocational rehabilitation services that promote post-graduation employment outcomes for students with disabilities. Role: Co-I (PI: Michael Hudson); Funding Period: 8/15/14-8/14/19
Evaluating a Work-Related Social Skills Program for Transition-Age Youth with Autism (The ASSET Program): A Randomized Controlled Trial Study
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Health Program – Autism Research Program Clinical Trial Award $1,385,833
The goal of this study is to evaluate a 10-week employment related social skills training program for transition-age youth with autism using a randomized controlled trial. Role: Co-PI (PI: Gloria Lee); Funding Period: 7/30/17 – 7/29/21
Development of a Service Model in Promoting Life Planning for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Evaluation of its Effectiveness
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals & Hong Kong Social Welfare Department $44,989
The goal of this study is (1) to construct a service model in life planning for persons with ASD for promoting adaptive life in the family and in the community; (2) to develop training protocol and evaluate the applicability of the training protocol for ASD in different service settings. Role: Co-PI (PI: Cynthia Lai); Funding Period: 10/1/16-9/31/18
Journal Articles (5)
Brief report: A pilot study of the use of a virtual reality headset in autism populations
Journal of Autism And Developmental DisordersN Newbutt, C Sung, HJ Kuo, MJ Leahy, CC Lin, B Tong
2016 The application of virtual reality technologies (VRTs) for users with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been studied for decades. However, a gap remains in our understanding surrounding VRT head-mounted displays (HMDs). As newly designed HMDs have become commercially available (in this study the Oculus Rift™) the need to investigate newer devices is immediate. This study explored willingness, acceptance, sense of presence and immersion of ASD participants. Results revealed that all 29 participants (mean age = 32; 33 % with IQ < 70) were willing to wear the HMD. The majority of the participants reported an enjoyable experience, high levels of ‘presence’, and were likely to use HMDs again. IQ was found to be independent of the willingness to use HMDs and related VRT immersion experience.
Trends in employment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A review of the research literature
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental DisordersJL Chen, G Leader, C Sung, M Leahy
2015 Employment is fundamental to the well-being of individuals including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purposes of this review are to provide an overview of employment-related research in individuals with ASD and increase our understanding of the factors that affect the employment situation of this population. Topics explored are employment outcomes revealed from adult outcome studies and national datasets as well as internal and external challenges that people with ASD may face in finding and maintaining employment. Social difficulties, comorbidity, education level, family support, employers’ attitudes, access to services, and disability incentives have been implicated as factors that play an important role in predicting employment. Existing research evidence for specific employment training programs and strategies to successful employment are also introduced in regards to supported employment, transition services, assistive technology, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Finally, implications from both clinical practice and research perspective are provided.
Neuroscience of child and adolescent health development
Journal of Counseling PsychologyJG Fine, C Sung
2014 Recent advances in technology and neuroscience have increased our understanding of human neurodevelopment. In particular, research on neuroplasticity and psychosocial genomics lends compelling support to a biopsychosocial perspective by elucidating mechanisms through which psychosocial forces and environments shape neurobiology. This article summarizes selected results from recent investigations of neuroplasticity and psychosocial genomics, which demonstrate complex interaction between genes, epigenetic processes, and environmental experience that confers neural growth into adulthood. Counseling psychologists working with children and adolescents need to be familiar with recent literature to be more effective in their work so that they can provide developmentally appropriate counseling services. Social cognitive theory and resilience theory are introduced to illustrate how counseling psychologists can incorporate neuroscience research findings in a counseling context and hypotheses are proposed for future counseling psychology research.
Computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for children with epilepsy and anxiety: A pilot study
Epilepsy & BehaviorJB Blocher, M Fujikawa, C Sung, DC Jackson, JE Jones
2013 Anxiety disorders are prevalent in children with epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, adaptability, and feasibility of a manual-based, computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for anxiety disorders in children with epilepsy. Fifteen anxious youth (aged 8–13 years) with epilepsy completed 12 weeks of manualized computer-assisted CBT. The children and parents completed a semi-structured interview at baseline, and questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and behavior problems were completed prior to treatment, at treatment midpoint, after treatment completion, and at three months posttreatment. There were significant reductions in the symptoms of anxiety and depression reported by the children at completion of the intervention and at the three-month follow-up. Similarly, the parents reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and a reduction in behavior problems. No adverse events were reported. This CBT intervention for children with epilepsy and anxiety disorders appears to be safe, effective, and feasible and should be incorporated into future intervention studies.
Development and validation of the Caregiver Empowerment Scale: A resource for working with family caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury
Rehabilitation PsychologyCE Degeneffe, F Chan, L Dunlap, D Man, C Sung
2011 To use multitrait analysis to determine the measurement structure of the Caregiver Empowerment Scale (CES).
