Christina Simmons

Christina Simmons, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology within Rowan University's College of Science & Mathematics. Her academic credentials include a Ph.D. and M.A. in School Psychology from the University of Georgia, a Post-Doctoral fellowship in Severe Behavior at the Munroe-Meyer Institute (University of Nebraska Medical Center), and a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish Language, Literature, & Culture from Syracuse University.

Dr. Simmons' research centers on autism spectrum disorder, specializing in behavioral assessment and treatment of severe behavior, caregiver training methodologies, and technology-driven interventions. She prioritizes socially valid outcomes through integrating autistic individuals' preferences and optimizing caregiver involvement across assessment, treatment implementation, and long-term maintenance phases. Current initiatives focus on developing virtual reality training systems for parents and healthcare professionals, remote parental well-being programs, and mobile healthcare support applications.

Her publication record reveals strong interdisciplinary collaboration between behavioral psychology, human factors engineering, and healthcare technology, with recent work emphasizing user-centered design of digital tools for autism support across multiple settings.

Research funding and recognition include:

• 2024 NIH R15 Grant ($426,234) for virtual reality parent training
• 2024 Rowan University Innovation in Teaching Using Technology grant
• 2023 NJ Department of Health Grant ($300,000) for virtual reality healthcare professional training
• 2020 top 10% most downloaded article in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
• 2016 Certificate in Interdisciplinary Care in Developmental Disabilities
• 2012 Del Jones Memorial Award (University of Georgia)
• 2010-2011 Fulbright Fellowship (Spain)

As a doctoral supervisor, Dr. Simmons mentors psychology graduate students in technology-enhanced behavioral interventions, with demonstrated interest in supervision methodology as evidenced by her 2023 research on virtual supervision during the pandemic. Her work connects to Rowan University's Center for Behavior Analysis, Research, & Services, providing students with opportunities to contribute to NIH-funded projects and develop expertise in both behavioral science and technology implementation.