About

Toni Antonucci is the Elizabeth M. Douvan Collegiate Professor of Psychology and a Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Social Research. His research focuses on social relations and health across the lifespan, including multigenerational studies of the family and comparative studies of social relations in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He is involved in collecting data on the Social Relations and Health across the Life Span study. Antonucci has held leadership roles such as Past-President of the Division of Adult Development and Aging (Division 20) of the American Psychological Association and Past-President of the Gerontological Society of America. He has received the 2001 Master Mentor Award from APA Division 20 and serves as a Council Member of the International Association of Gerontology. His work includes contributions to the understanding of life-course perspectives on health inequalities and social network research.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Political Science
• Social psychology
• Sociology
• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Law
• Developmental psychology

Selected publications

• The association of adverse childhood experiences and life course relationship quality with late-life cognitive health: Moderation by race/ethnicity and gender

  Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · 2026-05-05

  article

  BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may increase Alzheimer's disease risk. How particular ACEs differentially relate to cognition and what role life course relationship quality (LCRQ) plays are unclear.ObjectiveAssess how ACEs subgroups relate to cognition and whether associations are impacted by LCRQ.MethodsAdults (ages 50-64 at baseline) from the Health and Retirement Study participated (n = 3225; 2006/2008 = baseline; 2018/2020 = follow-up). Latent class and profile analyses identified ACEs and LCRQ subgroups, respectively. Linear and multinomial logistic regressions related ACEs and LCRQ subgroups to global cognition, cognitive impairment, not dementia (CIND), and dementia at follow-up.ResultsWe identified 4 ACEs (High Adversity, Family Disruptions, Elevated Household Trauma, Low Adversity) and 3 LCRQ ("Strong", "Mixed", "Weak" Ties) classes. Racially/ethnically minoritized adults were more likely to belong to Family Disruptions and Weak Ties classes than White adults. Participants with Family Disruptions (versus Low Adversity) had worse cognition (global: b = -0.78, 95% CI [-1.19;-0.37]; CIND: RRR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.13;1.99]); controlling for LCRQ and sociodemographics attenuated associations. Participants with Weak Ties (versus Strong) had worse cognition (global: b = -2.90, 95% CI [-3.53;-2.26]; CIND: RRR = 3.16, 95% CI [2.12;4.70]; dementia: RRR = 3.64, 95% CI [1.92;6.90]); associations were not explained by covariates.ConclusionsFamily Disruptions negatively impacted cognition, but associations were attenuated by sociodemographics. Assessing life course resources as contributors to resilience may help explain the untenable ACEs-cognition association. However, negative LCRQ was consistently harmful to cognition. Targeting life course social relationships may benefit cognition.

  PublisherDOI

• Social Relations Across Race/Ethnic Groups and Links to Cognitive Health

  Journal of Aging and Health · 2026-02-20 · 1 citations

  article

  Objective Social relations are considered a critical protective factor for cognitive health yet may differ in form and function across race and ethnic groups. Method Using a representative metro-Detroit sample ( N = 606), we compared group means to (1) test whether Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans social relations are distinct from other groups and (2) examine links between social relations and cognitive health using structural equation models. Results MENA Americans’ social relations differed from White and Black Americans. Larger networks and more positive relationship quality were associated with better cognitive health across all groups but particularly among MENA Americans. A lower proportion of women in networks was associated with better cognitive health for White Americans. Conclusions Findings suggest that the form and function of social relations vary across racial and ethnic groups. Such knowledge is critical in clarifying how social networks may be leveraged to promote cognitive health across groups.

  PublisherDOI

• Information and Communication Technology Use Among Social Ties of Varying Strength: Who Benefits and How?

  The Gerontologist · 2025-01-28 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Information and communication technology (ICT) use has been associated with well-being among older adults. This link is often attributed to the fact that ICT use facilitates connecting with others. The purpose of this study is to assess how contact frequency and social tie strength impact the relationship between ICT use and depressive symptoms among older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using data from the Detroit-based Social Relations Study collected in 2015, we use Bayesian analyses to examine the extent to which contact frequency with social network members moderates and the strength of these social tie (strong, moderate, and weak) mediate the link between ICT use and depressive symptoms among adults age 60 + (n = 483). RESULTS: ICT use was found to be associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Furthermore, ICT use was associated with more moderate and weak ties which were, in turn, associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Finally, a moderating effect was also found as ICT use was associated with fewer depressive symptoms only among those with lower contact frequency. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that for older adults who communicate with others less frequently, ICT use can prove beneficial to mental health (i.e., fewer depressive symptoms). Furthermore ICT use may be especially meaningful to connect with weaker social ties. These findings may be due in part to ICTs capabilities which enable older adults to maintain connection to a diverse array of social ties and bridge social and physical distance.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Gender differences in work expectations and psychological distress: insights from the United States and South Korea

  The Journals of Gerontology Series B · 2025-12-30

  article

  OBJECTIVES: Over the past 50 years, the roles of women, particularly those from the "Baby Boom" cohort, have shifted from primarily domestic responsibilities to active participation in the labor force. Moreover, differences in gender norms and sociocultural contexts across countries influence women's labor force participation. This study examined gender differences in the association between work expectations and psychological distress among Baby Boomers in the United States (1946-1964) and South Korea (1955-1963). METHODS: Data came from the 2006-2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 14,005) and the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 2,362). Perceived expectations of working in the next 5 years were reported on a probability scale (0-100%). Psychological distress was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multivariate mixed-effects logistic regressions were used to examine the longitudinal association between work expectations and psychological distress for men and women. RESULTS: In both countries, women had higher CES-D scores and lower expectations of working in the next 5 years than men. Higher work expectations were robustly associated with lower odds of psychological distress among both men and women in Korea; however, this inverse association was more modest in the United States. The association between expectations and distress was stronger among Korean men (ORmen = 0.83 [0.79, 0.87]) compared to Korean women (ORwomen = 0.89 [0.84, 0.94]); there were no gender differences among U.S. respondents (ORmen = 0.98 [0.94, 1.02]; ORwomen = 0.98 [0.96, 1.00]). DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the complex interplay between biological sex and social contexts in shaping expectations regarding work in later life.

  PublisherDOI

• Bilingualism as a Unique Resource for Cognitive Aging

  Alzheimer s & Dementia · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: While the act of immigration can involve stress for first and later generation immigrants, it might also be cognitively stimulating as it makes people experience new physical environments, new social conditions, new languages and new habits. Becoming fluent in the host country language yet retaining fluency in the language of origin may provide cognitive benefits, including buffering the negative impact of educational disadvantage. This study examines associations between education, bilingualism, and multiple domains of cognitive health among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) older adults in the United States. METHOD: Data were drawn from the Detroit-Aging and Memory Project, which included 375 MENA adults aged 65 years and above in the metro-Detroit area who completed social, cultural and cognitive assessments. Structural Equation Modeling is used to test links between education level, bilingualism and five latent cognitive factors, adjusting for age, gender and language of interview. RESULT: The mean age is 73 years old. Forty-seven percent (47%) are female and 59% have a high school education or more. More than half of the sample reported being able to speak both Arabic and English well or very well (58%) and 35% completed the assessment in English. Being bilingual was associated with better executive functioning, visuo-spatial and orientation, but not language or episodic memory. Further, bilingualism attenuated associations between education level and cognitive health. Among those with less than a high school education, those who were bilingual exhibited higher executive function, language, visuo-spatial and orientation scores than those with less than a high school education and not bilingual. Notably, bilingual participants with less than high school education exhibited orientation scores on par with their counterparts with high school education or more. CONCLUSION: Bilingualism may represent a unique resource that stimulates brain activity in lieu of lower educational experiences for minoritized ethnic and immigrant populations. Future studies should investigate whether simultaneously retaining aspects of the home culture while acquiring advantageous aspects of the host culture leads to better cognitive outcomes. Study of cognitive activities as a protective factor for cognitive health would benefit from investigations of bi-cultural experiences.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Innovating Communication With Social Ties: Diversity in Older Adult Information and Communication Technology Use

  Innovation in Aging · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract When it comes to understanding information and communication technology (ICT) use among older adults, context matters. This symposium will explore such varied contexts with diverse methodologies and samples all centered around the theme of ICT-facilitated social engagement among older adults. First, Suh and colleagues analyzed the Health and Retirement Study and identified four distinct ICT user profiles; they found that user profile membership served as a moderator between social support and future wellbeing. Next, Francis-Levin and Dogari, employ a mixed-methods approach to explore the motivations for social media use among LGBTQ+ older adults (55+) and younger (18-54) adults. Their findings indicate a difference in motivation as older adults are significantly more motivated than younger adults to use social media for social bonding and in responses to family request. Qualitative findings will also be discussed. Third, Ajrouch and Francis-Levin will present findings from their online survey of older Facebook users (65+) who live alone. Findings from their analysis of the different modes of Facebook communication and the impact on perceived social support indicate a significant and positive association with the frequency of direct communication on Facebook and perceived social support. Finally, Choi and colleagues will present their findings from a scoping review on the use of technology for access to social programs and care during the Covid-19 pandemic among older adults with cognitive impairments. Their findings illuminate benefits and challenges, as well as contextual factors impacted by the increased exposure to technology use to access both social and health support.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The role of ISSBD in developmental science: Views of Past Presidents

  International Journal of Behavioral Development · 2025-05-20

  articleOpen access

  The International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development (ISSBD) emphasizes multidisciplinarity and contextuality in studying human development across the lifespan. This article reports the oral histories of seven Past-Presidents about their accomplishments in leading ISSBD to promote these aspects using a developmental science framework. The narratives include information about motivations for activities and insights that shaped their presidency. Prominent among about a dozen such instances were endeavors to increase the worldwide representation of ISSBD, and to gain insights to improve the strengths of ISSBD. Some Past Presidents have explicitly addressed the pursuit of developmental science in ISSBD publications, and all have promoted it through programs such as regional workshops that are particularly appropriate for the next generation of developmental scientists from countries around the world living under different cultural conditions (e.g., dealing with socio-political changes, military conflicts and health risks such as COVID). All Past Presidents have worked to increase financial support from scientific foundations; additional revenue was gained by negotiating more favorable contracts with publishers and by establishing investment funds. Developmental science with its emphasis on multidisciplinary and international orientations was further promoted at the Biennial Meetings and by publications such as the International Journal of Behavioral Development .

  PublisherDOI

• Work expectations, employment patterns, and psychological distress during the Great Recession among older Americans and South Koreans

  The Gerontologist · 2025-09-10 · 1 citations

  article

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Perceived uncertainty about future employment and employment paths during economic crises can negatively affect the mental health of workers. This study examined the association between work expectations and psychological distress among Baby Boomers (born 1948-1965) in the United States and South Korea and explored how employment patterns moderated this association before, during, and after the Great Recession. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data came from 2006 to 2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 2,647) and Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 1,454). Perceived expectations of working in the next 5 years were reported on a probability scale (0%-100%). Psychological distress was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Six mutually exclusive employment patterns during the Recession were constructed: entrance to full-time employment, precarious employment, stable full-time employment, self-employment, exit from the labor force, and consistently out of the labor force. Multivariate mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess the association between work expectations, employment patterns, and psychological distress. RESULTS: Higher work expectations were associated with lower odds of psychological distress; this association was most robustly observed during the Recession (ORUS = 0.93 [0.89, 0.98], ORKorea = 0.92 [0.84, 1.01]), and recovery (ORUS = 0.95 [0.92, 0.98], ORKorea = 0.84 [0.80, 0.89]). The relationship between expectations and distress was pronounced among respondents who were self-employed or transitioning into self-employment. Findings were broadly similar comparing two countries. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Expectations regarding, and patterns in, employment impact psychological distress. Findings emphasize the need to support the mental health of older adults nearing retirement during periods of economic crisis.

  PublisherDOI

• Relation of income to trends in well-being by age: implications for the future older “forgotten” lower middle class

  Health Affairs Scholar · 2025-01-09

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The structure of social welfare policy has neglected a growing and increasingly economically marginalized segment of the American population—the lower middle class, a large group who are ineligible for many need-based social services. We examined 20-year time trends in physical well-being, mental well-being, and functional well-being by levels of household income. Our descriptive study used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and is representative of the population of the United States, ages 40 to 74, from 2003 to 2022 (n = 5 308 256). We found dramatic and consistent differences in trends in well-being by income category. While well-being generally got worse over the 20-year period for all ages, the declines were most pronounced for lower-middle-income households for individuals age 50 to 59. These differential trends by income were similar for all 3 of the measures of well-being we examined, but were most different by income level for physical well-being and functional well-being. No major trends or levels were explained by race, body mass index, or smoking. If the observed trends persist, the current age 50–59-year-old lower-middle-income population will enter retirement ages with substantially worse well-being than previous generations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Variability in prevalent and health relevant daily activities among US‐ and Foreign‐born older adults with normal and impaired cognitive function: results from the Health and Retirement Study

  Alzheimer s & Dementia · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Stimulating activities can enhance well-being across the lifespan as well as foster healthy physical and cognitive aging. Recommendations regarding changes to, or adoptions of, routine daily engagements can lead to low burden interventions to improve cognitive health and delay onset of cognitive impairment. Importantly, activity engagement can be influenced by sociocultural factors and as such any recommendations should be adapted to the effects of such influences. We examine patterns of daily activities engagement (based on responses to queries regarding 19 "prevalent and health relevant" activities that a respondent did the day before completing the questionnaire) among US-born and Foreign-born (immigrant) older adults (65+ years). We then test differences in these activities across immigrant groups in cognitively normal (CN) and cognitively impaired but not dementia (CIND) individuals. METHOD: We use data from n = 1,994 adults 65+ years with normal cognitive function in 2018 (mean age: 74-years; 56% female) who either maintained normal cognitive status or transitioned to CIND (Langa-Weir-Classification) by 2020 and completed a time use questionnaire through the leave behind psychosocial and lifestyle module. We fit a series of logistic regression to examine engagement in each activity (0=No; 1=Yes) as a function of immigrant status (0=US-born; 1=Foreign-born), cognitive status (0=CN, 1=CIND), and their interaction, and adjusted for age, sex/gender, and a count of comorbid conditions (range=0-8). RESULT: Both immigrant and cognitive status associated differently with how older adults engage in the considered activities (Figure 1). The difference between US-Born and Foreign-Born older adults was more evident in cognitively normal individuals but less so (with four exceptions) among those that transitioned to CIND (Figure 2). Differences were not influenced by covariate adjustment. CONCLUSION: US- and Foreign-born older adults with healthy cognition, on average, spend time doing different daily activities. These decisions are likely influenced by sociocultural factors. Yet, their differences are reduced due to cognitive impairment providing evidence for common constraining effects of declining cognitive health across groups. Follow-up research will validate these results with additional data (to overcome the potential confounding effects of COVID-19) and focus on identifying typologies of activities that predict distal cognitive outcomes such as cognitive decline and impairment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Racial/Ethnic Disparities in ADRD Risk: The Impact of Social Relations

  NIH · $9.6M · 2020–2026

• NIH Grant R01AG04542303

  NIH · $670k · 2016

• NIH Grant R01AG04542301

  NIH · $630k · 2018

• NIH Grant R01AG045423

  NIH · $2.0M · 2019

• NIH Grant R13AG025651

  NIH · $32k · 2007

Frequent coauthors

• Kristine J. Ajrouch

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  144 shared

• Noah Webster

  67 shared

• Kira S. Birditt

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  34 shared

• Hiroko Akiyama

  The University of Tokyo

  34 shared

• James S. Jackson

  University of Manchester

  32 shared

• Laura B. Zahodne

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  24 shared

• Rita Xiaochen Hu

  University of Chicago

  24 shared

• Rebecca Fuhrer

  McGill University

  22 shared

Labs

• Toni Antonucci LabPI

Awards & honors

• Past-President of Adult Development and Aging, Division 20 o…
• Past-President of the Gerontological Society of America
• 2001 Master Mentor Award from APA Division 20