Rita Xiaochen Hu, PhD
Chair-Elect, Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
Rita Xiaochen Hu’s research aims to combat ageism and foster an inclusive society for all ages. She examines how ageism is internalized and manifested across the lifespan, adversely impacting health, including cognitive decline. Her current work focuses on understanding the intersectionality between age and other identities, life experiences, and social and physical environments, as well as investigating the consequences of ageism on health and psychosocial well-being
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Kayser J., Kundu, A., Hu, R. X. (In press) “The Golden Bachelor: Age and Romance in Contemporary Reality Television”. Journal of Gerontological Social Work.
Hu, R. X., Kayser, J., Dunkle, R. E., & Tarr, J. (2024). Needs and Challenges for Volunteering in Rural Areas: Lessons Learned From a Survey of a Service Organization in Rural Michigan. The Gerontologist, 64(8), gnae080. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnae080
Neupert, S. D., Graham, E. K., Ogle, D., Ali, S., Zavala, D. V., Kincaid, R., Hughes, M. L., Hu, R. X.*, Antonucci, T., Suitor, J. J., Gilligan, M., Ajrouch, K. J., & Scott, S. B. (2024). A Coordinated Data Analysis of Four Studies Exploring Age Differences in Social Interactions and Loneliness During a Global Pandemic. The Journal of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 79(8), gbae086. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae086
Preregistration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JT4WF
*Equal contribution of graduate students conducting data analyses on each study.
Li, L. W., Hu, R. X., & Foulk, M. (2024). Feasibility of a Telephone-Delivered Group Meditation Intervention for Chronically Ill Socially Isolated Older Adults. Clinical Gerontologist, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2024.2351494
Connon, I. L. C., Crampton A., Dyer, C, Hu, R. X. (2024) Social disability as a disaster: Case studies of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with disabilities. Social Sciences. 2024; 13(4):203. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040203
Hu, R.X., Larkina, M., & Smith, J. (2023). The impact of caregiving across life on late-life self-perceptions of aging. Journal of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad103
Ajrouch, K.J., Hu, R. X., Webster, N.J., & Antonucci, T.C. (2023). Friendship trajectories and health across the lifespan. Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001589
Xiong, X., Hu, R. X., Chen, C., & Ning, W. (2023). Effects of risk exposure on emotional distress among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The moderating role of disruption of life and perceived controllability. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1147530
Li, L. W., Hu, R. X., Luo, M. S., & McLaughlin, S. J. (2023). Pre-pandemic social integration: Protection or risk for older adults in the time of COVID-19? The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 78(2), 330-340. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac177
Kayser, J., Hu, R. X., Rosenscruggs, D., Li, L., & Xiang, X. (2023). A systematic review of the impact of select mindfulness interventions on psychological outcomes among older adults with chronic health conditions. Clinical gerontologist, 46(3), 302–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2022.2076636
Hu, R. X., & Li, L. W. (2022). Social disconnectedness and loneliness: Do self-perceptions of aging play a role?. The Journal of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 77(5), 936–945. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac008
Hu, R. X., Luo, MS, Zhang, A, & Li, L.W. (2020). Understanding ageism in relation to older adults’ health: a systematic literature review. Research on Aging. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027520980130
Zhang, A., Hu, R. X., Wang, K., & Antalis, E. P. (2020). Age moderates the association between psychological distress and engagement in mindfulness among cancer patients and survivors: A population-based study. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 38(5), 513–526. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2020.1764158
Luo MS., Li., L.W., & Hu, R. X. (2020) Self-perceptions of aging and domain-specific health outcomes among midlife and later-life couples. Journal of Aging and Health. http://doi.org/10.1177/0898264320966263
Wang, K., Zhang, A., Sun, F., & Hu, R. X. (2020). Self-rated health among older Chinese Americans: The roles of acculturation and family cohesion. Journal of Applied Gerontology, https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464819898316
Xiang, X., Freedman, V. A., Shah, K., Hu, R. X., Stagg, B. C., & Ehrlich, J. R. (2020). Self-reported vision impairment and subjective well-being in older adults: A longitudinal mediation analysis. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 75(3), 589–595. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz148
Herrenkohl, T. I., Fedina, L., Roberto, K. A., Raquet, K. L., Hu, R. X., Rousson, A. N., & Mason, W. A. (2020). Child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, and elder mistreatment: A review and theoretical analysis of research on violence across the life course. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020939119
Under Review
Hu, R. X. & Li, L. W. (under review) Effects of self-perceptions of aging on memory: Mediating role of social disconnectedness and loneliness.
Hu, R.X. & Crampton, A. (under review) “We just need to get more comfortable with calling it like it is”: Learning from Lived Experiences of Ageism from Continuing Care Retirement Community Residents and Staff.
In Progress
Crampton, A. & Hu, R. X. (in progress) Failure as an option: Successful aging as post- traumatic growth amongst oldest-old adults.
Li, L.W. McLaughlin, S. J., Hu, R.X., & Luo, MS (in progress) Social isolation in older American men and women across the transition to widowhood.
Book Chapters
Ajrouch, K. J., Antonucci, T.C, Hu, R.X. (in press). Social Relations and Older Migrants. In S. Torres & A. Hunter (Eds.) Handbook on Migration & Aging, London: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Scharlach, AE, Graham, CL, Stark, B, Hu, R. X., Rodbro, E. (2017). Creating Age-Friendly Communities Through the Expansion of Villages: Summary of Longitudinal Member Outcomes. Year Four Evaluation Technical Report to The Archstone Foundation. Available at: http://socialwelfare.berkeley.edu/casas-recent-publications
Rita X. Hu is a developmental scientist and social worker. She had experiences developing and evaluating culturally responsive services for older immigrant clients of Meals on Wheels and interventions to reduce social isolation among homebound older adults.
Dr. Hu received her PhD in Social Work and Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan and her B.A. in Social Welfare and Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.