Biography

An-Pyng Sun is a social work professor who specializes in addiction treatments, including substance use disorder (SUD) and behavioral addictions. In addition to clinical experiences working with clients with SUD, Sun has conducted extensive research on topics including co-occurring disorders, relapse risk factors and prevention, factors contributing to effective treatment, vulnerable populations with SUD (e.g., pregnant women, homeless populations), trauma and heroin use disorder, and internet gaming disorder.

A UNLV faculty member since 1997, Sun's course roster includes Treatment of Addictions and Social Work Research Methods. She has presented her own research at several leading professional conferences, and published her findings in major, peer-reviewed professional journals, including Social Work, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Use and Misuse, Families in Society, and Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions.

Sun is also the author of multiple books. They include Helping Substance-Abusing Women of Vulnerable Populations (sole author, Columbia University Press, 2009), Behavioral Addiction: Screening, Assessment, and Treatment (lead author, Central Recovery Press, 2013), and Treating Addictions: The Four Components (sole author, Routledge Publishing, 2018).