Ph.D. Student
School of Social Work
Audrey Hang Hai is a doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Her research primarily focuses on spirituality/religiosity’s effect on substance use and developing evidence-based spiritual/religious interventions for substance use and misuse. She is especially interested in substance use and misuse among youth and young adult populations and the Asian population.
Ms. Hai grew up in China and moved to the U.S. in 2012 to pursue her passion for social work. She obtained her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California with a concentration in mental health and a sub-concentration in school social work. She has clinical experience in working with a wide range of populations, including high school and elementary school students, elderly Asian immigrants, as well as hospice patients and their families from all cultural and social backgrounds. Through both practice and personal experience, Ms. Hai recognizes the fundamental role that spirituality/religion can play in everyone’s life. Ms. Hai is committed to bringing the healing power of spirituality/religion to support people in recovery from addiction and to prevent substance use among young people.
Ms. Hai has authored and co-authored several articles in the area of youth and young adult substance use including “Gender differences in the relationships among young adults’ religiosity, risk perception, and marijuana use: A moderated mediation model”, “Are there gender, racial, or denominational differences in religiosity’s effect on alcohol use and binge drinking among youth in the U.S.? A propensity score weighting approach” and “Family-based interventions on adolescent alcohol use outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis”.
Ms. Hai is currently working on several research projects including (a) a RCT to test the effectiveness of Two Way Prayer in supporting people in recovery from alcohol and drug dependence, (b) a systematic review on the effectiveness of spiritual/religious interventions for substance use, and (c) a secondary data analysis study on the mechanisms of religiosity’s effect on alcohol use and binge drinking among youth.