Amy L. Ai, Ph.D., Professor in Florida State University’s College of Social Work and a Faculty Affiliate with the Institute for Successful Longevity, was honored by the International Association of Applied Psychology for her long and distinguished history of scientific contributions to health psychology.

IAAP’s Division 8: Health Psychology gave Ai its Distinguished Health Psychology Contribution Award for 2018.

As noted by Urte Scholz, president of Division 8, "It was an extremely competitive field this year, as the applications were of such a high standard." The selection criterion included contributions to health psychological science/ health psychology practice, peer-reviewed publications, international recognition and research leadership.

“Dr. Ai’s seminal study on psychosocial recovery of open-heart surgery patients has set a new bar for interdisciplinary medical research in these patients…,” said one letter in support of her nomination for the award. “Their findings from this and other mental health oriented projects have shed new light on the scientific investigation of an important aspect in human consciousness and traumatic experiences. That is one with meanings and value systems that are important for individuals to cope with adversity, crises, trauma, and illness but has been ignored in psychological studies on health and medicine.” Ai’s other studies including her recent publications demonstrating the positive influence of cultural strengths on the mental, physical, and behavioral health of Latino and Asian Americans nationwide, as well as her extensive studies on the role of character strengths in coping with collective trauma (e.g., war,  9/11, natural disasters).

Ai said she was grateful for the recognition from IAAP, the oldest international association of psychologists with members in more than 80 nations. “The award credits our patient-centered research in an ongoing interdisciplinary effort to examine impacts of human strengths and other psychosocial factors on health outcomes.,” she said. “This is a gift offered by my colleagues around the globe, which gives great encouragement to my entire research team over the past decade, involving members from social sciences, cardiology, psychiatry, public health, and immunology. Among them, I want to especially acknowledge my early mentor and Co-Investigator, Christopher Peterson, Ph.D., a founder of positive psychology.” 

“Dr. Ai is considered one of the world’s leading scholars working at the interface of spirituality, aging, and trauma-related growth and mental health,” Dr. Norman Anderson, a research professor of social work and nursing and Assistant Vice President for Research and Academic Affairs at FSU, said in his nomination letter. “Her research is viewed as an exemplar of interdisciplinary research that brings theoretical originality and methodological sophistication to a complex, multifaceted topic.” Anderson also noted in his letter supporting Dr. Ai’s nomination for this award that her utilization of a multidisciplinary and multi-method approach has made her a prolifically productive and award-winning scholar.

Jim Clark, dean of the College of Social Work, said the award reflects the high regard other scientists hold for Ai and her research. “Since her years as a doctoral student at Michigan, Dr. Ai has seen positive psychology and spirituality as potentially powerful tools for enhancing post-surgical recovery,” Clark said. “Her gifts as a quantitative model-builder has created new opportunities to develop and test interventions in this important domain of health and medicine.”

Ai, who received her joint doctorate in Psychology and Social Work from the University of Michigan, is also affiliated with FSU’s Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, the departments of Psychology and Social Medicine and Behavioral Science, as well as with the College of Nursing.

She will receive the award from IAAP’s Division 8 meeting in Montreal on June 27.