Biography
Amy Ai earned her PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan.
Ai’s research interests include the interdisciplinary study of aging, for which she won the Association for Gerontology in Social Work’s prestigious Leadership Award; the interdisciplinary study of health and related well-being; and the connection between post-traumatic stress disorders and post-traumatic growth following crisis or adversity. Her other areas of research interest include research methodology issues in clinical studies on psychosocial-behavioral and faith-related intervention and mind-body medicine; complementary and alternative medicine and that area’s implications for integrative medicine and health care policy; and health care disparity and its implications for research, practice, and policy.
Research Interests
Adult mental health, posttraumatic growth, positive psychology, and spirituality in coping with traumatic life experiences, chronic conditions, and aging
The interdisciplinary study of health and related well-being, including underlying psychosocial, biophysical, and spiritual pathways or mechanisms
The connection between posttraumatic stress disorders and posttraumatic growth following crisis or in adversity, including meaning making
Research methodology issues in clinical studies on psychosocio-behavioral and faith-related intervention and mind-body medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM) and its implications for integrative medicine and health care policy
Health care disparity and implications for research, practice, and policy Grants and Funded Projects
Grants and Funded Projects
2007– 2009 Principal Investigator (PI) – The
Biophysiological Mechanism of Faith Effects on Outcomes
Following Major Cardiac Surgery, funded by The John Templeton
Foundation (ID#12502) [06/07 – 06/09, $130,000]
2005 – 2007 International Scientific Advisor –
Differential Effects of Psychological Care and Health Care
Chaplaincy Attendance on Outcomes of Patients Undergoing
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (BY.PASS), implemented at
(1) Department of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Heart-Center-Brandenburg, Berlin/Bernau, and (2) Institute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital, Jena University, Germany, funded by (a) Deutsche Forschungs-gemenschaft (German Scientific Research Foundation) [10/06 – 10/08, $360,000, PI - Johannes Albes, M.D.]; (b) Fulbright Senior Specialists Program (SSP) grant in social work at the Heart Center Brandenburg, and Ludwig-Ma, Germany ($12,000+, PI – Amy L. Ai, for PI’s consultation, contributed by the SSP and the two German Programs)
2005 – 2007 PI – The Reaction to and Coping with Hurricanes Katrina & Rita: A Cross-Campus Survey, supported with Research Assistants by six Deans’ Offices, Schools of Social Work, Jackson State University, Louisiana State University, Southern University-Baton Rouge. University of Alabama, University of Houston, & University of Washington.
2002 – 2006 PI – The Long-Term Effect of Spirituality and Religious Coping on Cardiac Rehabilitation, funded by (a) The John Templeton Foundation (ID#1851), and (b) The Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar Program, Gerontology Society of America [10/01/02 – 08/31/06, $304,142]
2001 – 2003 PI – Positive Attitudes, Faith Factors, and Coping with the Terrorist Attack at New York City and Washington, DC: An Explorative Study, funded by (a) The Niwano Peace Foundation; and (b) Dean’s Office, School of Social Work, University of Washington [10/11/01 – 06/30/03, $18, 040]