Meet Dr. Janice Phung, Guest of EP 3

Dr. Janice N. Phung is a developmental psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Psychology department at CSU San Marcos. Her research primarily involves examining social-emotional and cognitive factors that affect children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as they relate to individual and family outcomes. Her most recent project examined the effects of a community-based martial arts intervention to help improve executive functioning and social skills in children with ASD. The ultimate goal of her program of research is to help build inclusive communities so that families affected by autism can lead happy and healthy lives. During her free time, Janice enjoys training Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing), traveling, watching reruns of Law & Order SVU, and taking photos of her cats (see below).

Podcast host’s note:

To my great dismay, I failed to ask Janice about Victory Squad. This is a research-driven adaptive mixed martial arts program. It’s designed to help children living with autism to lead happier and healthier lives. This program comes directly out of Dr. Phung’s thesis work, and she currently helps run it!

The school is located right by the beautiful California Coast in Corona Del Mar. Find out more about Victory Squad here!

Pictured: Chairman Meow, Dr. Phung’s feline companion. Chairman Meow is not a grad student, as evidenced by the air of royalty.