Ling Xu

Education

PhD, Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California
MSW, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong
MLaw, School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University (Shanghai, China)
BA, Department of Education, Henan Normal University (Xinxiang, China)

Research Interests

• Dementia caregiving
• Aging & mental health
• Psychosocial interventions
• Community-engaged research
• Intergenerational relationships
• Immigrant or Asian American older adults

Selected Publications

Chen, Y., Xu, L., Jang, W., Fields, N. L. (2026). Qualified social worker staffing and nursing home quality. JAMA Network Open, 9(2):e260074. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0074

Zhao, L., & Xu, L. (2025). Using elderly privilege program and positive attitudes toward aging among Chinese older adults: the mediating role of support from adult children. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1-8. doi:10.1057/s41599-025-05514-3

Xu, L., Fields, N. L., Highfill, C. M., & Troutman, B. A. (2023). Remembering the past with today’s technology: A scoping review of reminiscence-based digital storytelling with older adults. Behavioral Sciences, 13(12), 998. doi:10.3390/bs13120998

Xu, L., Fields, N. L., Daniel K. M., Cipher, D. J. & Troutman, B. A. (2023). Reminiscence and digital storytelling to improve social and emotional well-being of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Protocol for a mixed methods study design and a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 12, e49752. doi:10.2196/49752.PMID: 37676706

Xu, L., Hadgedorn, A., & Chi, I. (2023). Intergenerational reminiscence approach in improving emotional well-being of older Asian Americans in early-stage dementia using virtual reality: Protocol for an explanatory sequential mixed methods study. JMIR Research Protocols, 12, e48927. doi:10.2196/48927. PMID: 37358895

Xu, L., Li, L., Tang, F., Chen, Y., & Dong, X. (2023). Acculturation and depressive symptoms among old Chinese immigrants in the United States: The roles of positive and negative social interactions. Aging and Mental Health, 27(3), 604-611. doi:10.1080/13607863.2022.2032592

Xu, L., Fields, N. L., Greer, J. A., Tamplain, P. M., Bricout, J. C., ^*Sharma, B., & ^*Doelling, K. L. (2022). Socially assistive robotics and older family caregivers of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD): A pilot study exploring respite, acceptance, and usefulness. PLoS One, 17(9), e0273479. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0273479

Xu, L., Li, J., Mao, W., & Chi, I. (2023). Exploration of social exclusion among older Chinese immigrants in the USA. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2539. doi:10.3390/ijerph20032539

Background

Dr. Ling Xu is a gerontologist, social worker, and sociologist whose scholarship focuses on aging, dementia, family caregiving, and health outcomes in later life. Her research examines how family caregiving dynamics influence the well-being of older adults with dementia and their caregivers, as well as the social, structural, and intervention-based factors that can improve care quality and health outcomes for aging populations. 

Dr. Xu's recent work develops and evaluates innovative interventions for dementia families, including volunteer-delivered support programs and technology-enhanced approaches designed to improve access to care and support. Her research has been supported by major funding agencies, including the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the RRF Foundation for Aging, and the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR). 

A nationally and internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Xu has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and numerous book chapters and conference publications. She has received several prestigious honors, including election as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, selection as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, and participation in the Advanced Research Institute in Mental Health and Aging. 

Dr. Xu is also deeply committed to teaching, mentoring, and community engagement. She values collaborative partnerships that advance research, enrich student learning, and improve the lives of older adults and their families.