Dr. Schulz is a social psychologist who has spent most of his career doing research and writing on adult development and aging. His work has focused on the application of social psychological theories and perspectives to adult development and aging, including the impact of disabling late life disease on patients and their families.

Representative Publications

Beach, S.R., Schulz, S., Friedman, E.M., Rodakowski, J., Martsolf, G., & James, E.A. (in press). Adverse consequences of unmet needs for care in high-need/high-cost older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Czaja, S.J., Martire, L.M., Monin, J.K. (in press). Family caregiving for older adults. Annual Review of Psychology.

Heckhausen, J., Wrosch, C., & Schulz, R. (2019). Agency and motivation in adulthood and old age. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 191-217.

Schulz, R. (2019). Commentary on “Influence of positive and negative dimensions of dementia caregiving on caregiver well- being and satisfaction with life: Findings from the IDEAL study”. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(8), 849-850.

Schulz, R. (2019). The future of caregiver efficacy research: Commentary on “long-term outcomes of the benefit–finding group intervention for Alzheimer caregivers.” American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(9), 995-997.

Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., & Sneed, R.  (2018). Associations between social support, social networks and financial exploitation in older adults.  Journal of Applied Gerontology, 37(8), 990-1011.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Friedman, E.M., Martsolf, G.R., Rodakowski, J., & James, A.E.  (2018). Changing structures and processes to support family caregivers of seriously ill patients. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 21(S2), S36-42.

Schulz, R., & Czaja, S.J. (2018). Family caregiving: A vision for the future. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(3), 358-363.

Beach, S.R., & Schulz, R.  (2017). Family caregiver factors associated with unmet needs for care of older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(3), 560-566.

Schulz, R.  (2017). My life in research: From theory to policy in 40 years.  American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(4), 440-444. PMID: 28153575.

Schulz, R., Savla, J., Czaja, S.J., Monin, J. (2017).  The role of compassion, suffering and intrusive thoughts in dementia caregiver depression. Aging and Mental Health, 21(9), 997-1004.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K., De Vito Dabbs, A., & Person Mecca, L.  (2016). Caregivers’ willingness to pay for technologies to support caregiving.  The Gerontologist, 56(5), 817-829.

Wolff, J.L., Feder, J., & Schulz, R.  (2016). Supporting family caregivers of older Americans. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(26), 2513-2515.

Schulz, R., Boerner, K., Klinger, J., & Rosen, J.  (2015). Preparedness for death and adjustment to bereavement among caregivers of recently placed nursing home residents. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 18(2), 127-133.

Schulz, R., Wahl, H., Matthews, J.T., De Vito Dabbs, A., Beach, S.R., & Czaja, S.J.  (2015). Advancing the aging and technology agenda in gerontology.  The Gerontologist, 55(5), 724-734.

Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K., & DeVito Dabbs, A. (2014).  Preferences for technology versus human assistance and control over technology in the performance of kitchen and personal care tasks in baby boomers and older adults.  Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 9, 474-486. 

Rodakowski, J., Schulz, R., Gentry, A., Garand, L., & Lingler, J.H.  (2014). Attribution of mild cognitive impairment etiology in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and their care-partners.  International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 29(5), 464-469.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K., Devito Dabbs, A., Person Mecca, L., & Sankey, S.  (2014). Willingness to pay for quality of life technologies to enhance independent functioning among baby boomers and the elderly.  The Gerontologist, 54(3), 363-374.

Schulz, R., Rosen, J., Klinger, J., Musa, D., Castle, N.G., Kane, A.L., & Lustig, A.  (2014). Effects of a psychosocial intervention on caregivers of recently placed nursing home residents: A randomized controlled trial.  Clinical Gerontologist, 37(4), 347-367.

Heckhausen, J., Wrosch, C., & Schulz, R.  (2013). A lines of defense model for managing health threats.  Gerontology, 59(5), 438-447.

Schulz, R., Cook, T.B., Beach, S.R., Lingler, J.H., Martire, L.M., Monin, J.K., & Czaja, S.J.  (2013). Magnitude and causes of bias among family caregivers rating Alzheimer’s Disease patients.  American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(1), 14-25.

Schulz, R. (Editor, 2012). Quality of Life Technology Handbook. New York: Taylor and Francis.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Cook, T.B., Martire, L.M., Tomlinson, J.M., & Monin, J.K. (2012). Predictors and consequences of perceived lack of choice in becoming an informal caregiver. Journal of Aging and Mental Health, 16(6), 712-721. PMID: 22360296. PMCID: PMC3371285.

Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K.L., & De Vito Dabbs, A.J. (2012). Designing and evaluating quality of life technologies: An interdisciplinary approach. Proceedings of the IEEE, 100(8), 2397-2409.

Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., Castle, N.G., & Rosen, J. (2010). Financial exploitation and psychological mistreatment among older adults: Differences between African Americans and non-African Americans in a population-based survey. The Gerontologist, 50, 744-757.

Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., Degenholtz, H.B., Castle, N.G., Rosen, J., Fox, A.R., & Morycz, R.K. (2010). Using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing and Interactive Voice Response to Measure Elder Mistreatment in Older Adults: Feasibility and Effects on Prevalence Estimates. Journal of Official Statistics, 26, 481-506.

Heckhausen, J., Wrosch, C., & Schulz, R. (2010). A motivational theory of lifespan development. Psychological Review, 117(1), 32-60. PMID: 20063963. PMCID: PMC2820305

Martire, L.M., Schulz, R., Helgeson, V.S., Small, B.J., & Saghafi, E. (2010). Review and meta-analysis of couple-oriented interventions for chronic illness. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40, 325-342. PMID: 20697859.

Monin, J.K., Schulz, R., Martire, L.M., Jennings, J.R., Lingler, J.H., & Greenberg, M.S. (2010) Spouses cardiovascular reactivity to their partners suffering. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 10,1-7.

Schulz, R., Czaja, S.J., McKay, J.R., Ory, M.G., & Belle, S.H.  (2010). Intervention Taxonomy (ITAX): Describing Essential Features of Interventions.  American Journal of Health Behavior, Nov-Dec 34(6), 811-821.

Schulz, R., Monin, J.K., Czaja, S.J., Lingler, J., Beach, S.R., Martire, L.M., Dodds, A., Hebert, R., Zdaniuk, B., & Cook, T.B. (2010). Measuring the experience and perception of suffering. The Gerontologist, 50(6), 774-784. PMID: 20478899. PMCID: PMC3003549.

Schulz, R., Beach S.R., Hebert, R., Martire, L.M., Monin, J.K, Tompkins, C.A., & Albert, S.M. (2009). Spousal suffering and partner's depression and cardiovascular disease: The Cardiovascular Health Study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17(3), 246-254.

Schulz, R., Czaja, S.J., Lustig, A., Zdaniuk, B., Martire, L.M., & Perdomo, D. (2009). Improving the quality of life of caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial. Rehabilitation Psychology, 54(1), 1-15.

Schulz, R. (Editor in Chief). (2006). Encyclopedia of Aging, 4th Edition. NY: Springer Publishing.