Social work student wins award for tackling a Grand Challenge

By Geoff LoCicero
VCU School of Social Work

As a clinical social worker in Taiwan, Ya-Li Yang witnessed the challenges that enter family dynamics when a member is in recovery from substance use. While some families struggled to renegotiate roles, expectations and routines, others were more motivated, resilient and open to change as part of the recovery journey.

These observations in her homeland have formed the foundation of Yang's research at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the School of Social Work. This summer, Yang was one of 14 doctoral students nationwide to receive a fellowship award from the Grand Challenges for Social Work, an initiative that promotes science-driven social progress.

Grand Challenges, which is the flagship program of the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, highlights major categories that require engagement from social work researchers and practitioners. Yang's award, in the category "Eradicate Social Isolation," is for her dissertation, titled "How Families Develop Resilience Through Communication in the Context of Supporting a Loved One in Recovery: A Mixed-Methods Study."

"I am truly honored to be selected for this fellowship," Yang said. "Professionally, I am really excited to have the chance to amplify family voices in recovery research."

Yang is the second Ph.D. student from VCU's School of Social Work to receive a Grand Challenges award - Aaron Kemmerer, a 2024 graduate, earned a fellowship in 2023 for work tied to ending homelessness. For Yang, the award will allow her to provide compensation for participants in a study to gather more data, and "to connect with colleagues who are deeply committed to advancing social equity and addressing critical social issues through the field of social work," she said.

Yang said one challenge of substance use recovery, and its impact on families, is the evolving nature of the recovery process, and the differences in how families are equipped to handle it.

"It isn't a static stage but a dynamic, ongoing journey," she said. "Both individuals and families constantly face challenges, such as return to active [substance] use, shifts in motivation and other changing factors in their environment. To navigate these challenges, individuals and families often need to develop new norms and strategies that support continued progress."

Yang noted that while some families adjust, others resist change - even when they know it is necessary.

"Those contrasts really stayed with me and led me to ask: What makes these families different? Does family communication play a role in that difference?" she said.

"The social work training I received also helped me see how external factors like stigma, available services and access to resources may also affect how families cope and thrive. And more importantly, how can we better recognize and respond to each family's unique needs and use that understanding to inform more inclusive policies for this population?"

Yang's dissertation will explore the communication patterns of families with a loved one in recovery and those patterns' relationship to familial resilience; the impacts of stigma and isolation on communication; and the role of resource access to build resilience.

"I hope these findings can add a layer of knowledge that supports professionals working with these individuals and families, and help inform policy advocacy aimed at expanding family-centered services in the recovery field," she said.

Yang credits VCU social work professors Mer Francis, Ph.D.; Karen Chartier, Ph.D.; and McKenzie Green, Ph.D.; as well as Rosalie Corona, Ph.D., from the Department of Psychology, for their mentoring and support.

Francis called Yang's work innovative.

"Very little research has been done on family recovery at all, and even less on how communication patterns affect recovery," Francis said, adding that Yang's research will have "direct, positive and culturally relevant impacts for people in recovery" as well as on clinical practice and impacted communities.

Beyond lending their expertise in research, Yang said, her VCU colleagues have served her personal development as well.

"The faculty, staff and colleagues at the doctoral program have been incredibly supportive of me as an international student studying far from home. The program has provided not only professional training but also a sense of community that supports students throughout a journey that can often be mentally and emotionally demanding," Yang said.

"This sense of community has been an important anchor for me, allowing me to stay grounded and focused as I work toward my goals. I feel very fortunate to be part of this program and to continue growing both personally and professionally."