Publications

*indicates student or postdoctoral fellow authors  

Notable Publications 

Fingerman, K. L., Richards, N. & Charles, S.T. (in press). Close ties, weak ties, and social integration across adulthood. In A. Lachman and S. T. Charles (Eds.), Handbook of aging. Washington DC: American Psychological Association Press.  

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, Ng, Y. T.*, & Zarit, S. H., (2020). Social relationships and cognitive development across adulthood. In A. K. Thomas & A. Gutchess (Ed.), Handbook of cognitive aging: A life course perspective (pp. 350-366). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. 

Heid, A. R.*, Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018).    Relationship tensions and mood: Adult children’s daily experience of aging parents’ stubbornness. Personal Relationships, 25, 87-102. doi: 10.1111/pere.12229 

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2017). Coresident and noncoresident young adults’ daily experiences with parents. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 337–350. doi:10.1177/2167696816676583 

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y.-P.*, Kim, K.*, Fung, H. H., Han, G., Lang, F. R., Lee, W.*, & Wagner, J. (2016). Parental involvement with college students in Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, and the United States. Journal of Family Issues, 37, 1384-1411. doi: 10.1177/0192513X14541444 

Fingerman, K. L., Kim, K.*, Tennant, P. S.*, Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. H. (2016). Intergenerational support in a daily context. The Gerontologist, 56, 896-908. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv035 PMCID: PMC5019045 

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y.-P.*, Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. H. (2012). Only as happy as the least happy child: Multiple grown children’s problems and successes and middle-aged parents’ well-being. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 67, 184-193. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr086. PMCID: 3410695 

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y.-P.*, Wesselmann, E. D.*, Zarit, S., Furstenberg, F.F, & Birditt, K. S. (2012). Helicopter parents and landing pad kids: Intense parental support of grown children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74, 880-896. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00987.x PMCID: 4553417 

Birditt, K. S., Tighe, L.A.*, Fingerman, K. L., & Zarit, S. H. (2012). Intergenerational relationship quality across three generations. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 67, 627–638, doi:10.1093/geronb/gbs050.  PMCID:  3536553 

Fingerman, K. L., Gilligan, M.*, VanderDrift, L.*, & Pitzer, L. M. (2012). In-law relationships before and after marriage:  Husbands, wives, and their mothers-in-law. Research on Human Development, 9, 106-125. PMCID: 3686301 

Fingerman, K. L., Vanderdrift, L. E.*, Dotterer, A., Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. (2011). Support to aging parents and grown children in Black and White families. The Gerontologist, 51, 441-452. doi:10.1093/geront/gnq114 PMCID: 3202703 

Fingerman, K. L., Pitzer, L. M.*, Chan, W.*, Birditt, K. S., Franks, M. M., & Zarit, S. (2011). Who gets what and why: Help middle-aged adults provide to parents and grown children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 66, 87-98. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbq009 PMCID: 3031309 

Fingerman, K. L. & Charles, S. T. (2010). It takes two to tango: Why older people have the best relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19, 172-176. doi: 10.1177/0963721410370297  

Fingerman, K. L., Miller, L. M.*, Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. (2009). Giving to the good and the needy: Parental support of grown children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71, 1220-1233. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00665.x. PMCID: 2811272 

Fingerman, K. L. (2009). Consequential strangers and peripheral ties: The importance of unimportant relationships. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 1, 69-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1756-2589.2009.00010.x 

Hay, E. L., Fingerman, K. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2008). The worries adult children and their parents experience for one another. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 67, 101-127. doi: 10.2190/AG.67.2.a 

Birditt, K. S.*, & Fingerman, K. L. (2005). Do we get better at picking our battles?  Age differences in descriptions of behavioral reactions to interpersonal tensions. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 60B, 121-128.  

Fingerman, K. L., Hay, E. L.*, & Birditt, K. S.* (2004). The best of ties, the worst of ties: Close, problematic, and ambivalent social relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 792-808. doi: 10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00053.x 

Fingerman, K. L. (2004). The role of offspring and in-law’s in grandparents’ ties to their grandchildren. Journal of Family Issues, 25, 1026-1049. doi: 10.1177/0192513X04265941  

Fingerman, K. L., & Bermann, E. (2000). Applications of family systems theory to the study of adulthood. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 51, 5-29. doi:10.2190/7TF8-WB3F-TMWG-TT3K 

Fingerman, K. L. (1996). Sources of tension in the aging mother and adult daughter relationship. Psychology and Aging, 11, 591-606. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.11.4.591 

 

Recent Publications 

2024 

Fingerman, K. L., Zhou, Z.*, Huo, M., Luong, G., & Birditt, K. S. (2024). Enduring bonds: Duration and contact in close relationships in late life. The Gerontologist, 64(4), gnad091. 

Kim, Y.*, Ang, S., & Fingerman, K. L.  (2024). Older adults’ and family caregivers’ technological arrangements and risk of institutionalization. Work, Aging, & Retirementm 10(1), 51-56. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waad005 

Ng, Y. T.*, Han, S. H., Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K.S. (2024). Do friends get under the skin?. Everyday social encounters and cardiovascular functioning among Black and White adults in the United States. Health Psychology, 43(2), 142-153. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001341 

Zhou, Z.*, Birditt, K. S., Leger, K. A., & Fingerman, K. L. (2024). Daily worry, rumination, and sleep in late life. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 179, 111622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111622 

Freedman, V., Agree, E., Seltzer, J., Birditt, K., Fingerman, K. L., Friedman, E., Lin, I.F., Margolis, R., Park, S., Patterson, S., Polenick, C., Reczek, C., Reyes, A., Truskinovsky, Y., Wiemers, E., Wolf, D., Wolff, J., Wu, H., Zarit, S. (2024). The changing demography of late-life family caregiving: A research agenda to understand future care networks for an aging U.S. population The Gerontologist, 64(2), doi: 10.1093/geront/gnad036 

Zhou, Z.*, Zhang, S.*, Kim, Y. K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2024). Need to belong, daily social engagement, and transient loneliness in late life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 41(1), 115–136. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231211617 

Fingerman, K. L., Zhou, Z*., & Gao, S.* (2024). Intergeneratonal ties in later life. Current Opinion in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101743 

2023 

Lee, S., Ng, Y. T.*, Charles, S. T., Almeida, D. M., & Fingerman, K. L. (2023). Who has active lifestyles? Sociodemographic and personality correlates of activity diversity in two samples of adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 78(4), 659-669. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac192 

Ng, Y. T.*, Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2023). Friendships and emotional well-being in the context of race and aging. The Gerontologist, 63(7), 1129-1139. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad007 

Brown, C. J.*, Jeon, S., Ng, Y. T.*, Lee, S., Fingerman, K. L., & Charles, S. T. (2023). Switching it up: Activity diversity and cognitive functioning in later life. Psychology and Aging, 38(6), 483–493. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000770 (Editor’s choice) 

Zhang, S.*, Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2023). Detecting narcissism from older adults’ daily language use: A machine learning approach. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Science, 78(9), 1493-1500. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad061 

Leger, K. A., Charles, S. T., Brown, C. J.,* & Fingerman K. L. (2023). Physical activity and daily stress processes in older adulthood. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Science, 78(1), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac113 

Wang, H.*, Kim, K., Burr, J. A., & Fingerman, K. L. (2023). Financial problems in established adulthood: Implications for depressive symptoms and relationship quality with parents. Journal of Adult Development, 30, 167-177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-022-09409-4 

2022 

Wood, K. A.*, Kim, Y. K.*, Ng, Y. T*., Huo, M., Fingerman, K. L. (2022).  Black and White young adults’ support to midlife parents. The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Science [Special issue], 77(11), 20722-2077. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbab205 

Zhang, S.*, Kim, Y. K.*, Fingerman, K. L., Birditt, K. S., & Charles, S. T. (2022). Narcissism, social experiences, and mood in late life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Science, 77(8), 1442-1453. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac019 

Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K.*, Zhang, S.* Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M. M., & Birditt, K.S. (2022). Television viewing, physical activity, and loneliness in late life. The Gerontologist, 62(7) 1006-1017. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab120 

Bui, C. N.*, Kim, K., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Support now care later: intergenerational support exchanges and older parents’ care expectations. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 77(7), 1315–1324. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac059 

Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Han, S. H., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Older adult’s marital status, conversation frequency, and well-being in everyday life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(3), 499-512. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab112 

Kim, Y. K.* & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Daily social media use, social ties, and emotional well-being in later life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(6), 1794-1813. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075211067254  

Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K.*, Zhang, S.*, Ng, Y. T.*, Birditt, K.S. (2022). Late life in the living room: Room decor, functional limitations, and personality. The Gerontologist, 62(4), 519-529. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab093  (Editor’s choice article) 

2021 

Xie, B., Shiroma, K.*, De Main, A. S., Davis, N. W., Fingerman, K. L, Danesh, V. (2021). Living through the COVID-19 pandemic: Community-dwelling older adults’ experiences. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 33(4-5), 380-397. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2021.1962174 

Birditt,  K. S., Turkelson, A.*, Fingerman,  K. L., Polenick, C., & Oya,  A.* (2021). Age differences in COVID-19 related stress, life changes, and social ties during the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for psychological well-being. The Gerontologist, 61(2), 205-216. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa204 

Fingerman, K. L., Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Birditt, K.S., Charles, S. T., & Zarit, S. (2021). Functional limitations, social integration, and daily activities in late life. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 76(10), 1937-1947. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab014 

Wang, H.*, Kim, K., Burr, J. A., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Adult children’s daily experiences with parental advice: The importance of life problems and relationship quality. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 76(9), 1745–1755. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa169 PMCID: PMC8557851 

Stokes, J. E., Kim, Y. K.*, Kim, K., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Grieving a grandparent: The importance of gender and multigenerational relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 83(3), 754–768. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12750 

Napolitano, L., Furstenberg, F., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). How families give and receive: A cross-class qualitative study of familial exchange. Journal of Family Issues, 42(9), 2159–2180. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20968608 

Kim, Y. K.*, Kim, K., Fingerman, K. L., & Umberson, D. J. (2021). Racial differences in early parental death, midlife life problems, and relationship strain with adult children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 76(8), 1617–1628. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa232 

Huo, M., Ng, Y. T.*, Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Empathy and coping: Older adults’ interpersonal tensions and mood throughout the day. Gerontology. 67, 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1159/000511418 

Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Gleason, M. E., Neff, L.A., Charles, S. T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Friendships in old age: Daily encounters and emotional well-being. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Science, 76(3), 551-562. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa007 

Fingerman, K. L., & Pillemer, K. (2021). Continuity and changes in attitudes, health care and caregiving for older adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Science, 76(4), e187-e198. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa231 

Fingerman, K. L., Ng, Y. T.*, Zhang, S.*, Britt, K.*, Colera, G.*, Birditt, K. S., & Charles, S. T. (2021). Living alone during COVID-19: Social contact and emotional well-being among older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Science. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa200 

2020 

Chai, H. W.*, Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Revisiting intergenerational contact and relationship qualityin later life: Parental characteristics matter, Research on Aging, 42(5-6)139–149. DOI:10.1177/0164027519899576  

Xie, B., Charness, N., Fingerman, K. L., Kaye, J., Kim, M. T., & Khurshid, A. (2020). When going digital becomes a necessity: Ensuring older adults’ needs for information, services, and social inclusion during COVID-19. Journal of Aging & Social Policy. doi: 10.1080/08959420.2020.1771237 

Fuentecilla, J. L.*, Huo, M., Birditt, K. S., Charles, S. T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Interpersonal tensions and pain among older adults: The mediating role of negative mood. Research on Aging, 42(3–4), 105–114. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027519884765 

Polenick, C. A., Kim, Y., Depasquale, N.*, Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Midlife childrens and older mothers depressive symptoms: Empathic mother–child relationships as a key moderator. Family Relations, 69(5), 1073-1086. doi:10.1111/fare.12466 

Huo, M.*, Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Does empathy have a cost?: Older adults and social partners experiencing problems. The Gerontologist, 60(4), 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnz065 

Fingerman, K.L., Birditt, K. S., & Umberson, D. (2020). Mobile technologies and social connection in late life. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging (pp. 67-74). Committee for Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging. Washington DC: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.17226/25878 

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, & Birditt K. S. (2020). A decade of research on intergenerational ties: Technological, economic, political, and demographic changes. Journal of Marriage and Family: Decade Review, 82, 383-403.  

Xie, B., Charness, N., Fingerman, K. L., Kaye, J., Kim, M. T., & Khurshid, A. (2020). When going digital becomes a necessity: Ensuring older adults’ needs for information, services, and social inclusion during COVID-19. Journal of Aging & Social Policy. doi: 10.1080/08959420.2020.1771237 

Fuentecilla, J. L.*, Liu, Y., Huo, M.*, Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H. & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Midlife adults’ daily support to children and parents: Implications for diurnal cortisol. Journal of Aging and Health. doi: 10.1177/0898264319863994 

Huo, M.*, Fuentecilla, J. L.*, Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Empathy and close social ties in late life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75(8), 1648–1657. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz044 

Birditt, K.S., Polenick, C. A.*, Luong, G., Charles, S.T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Daily interpersonal tensions and well-being among older adults: The role of emotion regulation strategies. Psychology and Aging. 

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, & Birditt K. S. (2020). Mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons: Gender differences in intergenerational ties. Journal of Family Issues, 4(9), 1597-1625. doi/10.1177/0192513X19894369 

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, Charles, S. T., & Umberson, D. J. (2020). Variety is the spice of late life: Social integration and activity in life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 75, 377-388.   doi:10.1093/geronb/gbz007 

Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Typology of parent-child ties within families: Associations with psychological well-being. Journal of Family Psychology, 34, 448–458. doi:10.1037/fam0000595 PMCID: PMC7145731 

Lee, H. J.*, Kim, K., Bangerter, L. R., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Aging parents’ and middle-aged children’s evaluations of parents’ disability and life problems. Journal of Adult Development, 27, 135–146. doi:10.1007/s10804-019-09336-x 

Wang, H.*, Kim, K., Burr, J. A., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Middle-aged adults’ daily sleep and worries about aging parents and adult children. Journal of Family Psychology, 34, 621–629. doi:10.1037/fam0000642 

Huo, M.*, Napolitano, L., Furstenberg, F. F. Jr., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Who initiates the help older parents give to midlife children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 75, 907–918. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbz098 

Wang, H.*, Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Middle-aged children’s coping strategies with tensions in the aging parent-child tie. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 90, 234–254. doi:10.1177/0091415018822079 

Lee, J. E., Kim, K., Cichy, K. E., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Middle-aged children’s support for parents-in-law and marital satisfaction. Gerontology, 66(4), 340–350. https://doi.org/10.1159/000505589 

2019

Kim, Y.,* Kim, K., Boerner, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Recent parental death and relationships between midlife adults and their own children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 81, 616–630. doi:10.1111/jomf.12549

2018

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, Graham, J. L.*, Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). A family affair: Family typologies of life problems and midlife well-being. The Gerontologist, 58, 1054-1064. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx131

Huo, M.*, Graham, J. L.,* Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Aging parents’ disabilities and daily support exchanges with middle-aged children. The Gerontologist, 58, 872–882. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx144

Heid, A. R., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018).    Relationship tensions and mood: Adult children’s daily experience of aging parents’ stubbornness. Personal Relationships, 25, 87-102. doi: 10.1111/pere.12229

Jensen, A. C., Whiteman, S. D., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). “Can’t live with or without them”: Transitions and young adults’ sibling relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 32, 385–395. doi:10.1037/fam0000361

Hartnett, C. S., Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). Without the ties that bind: Young adults who lack active parental relationships. Advances in Life Course Research, 35, 103-113.

2017

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2017). Coresident and noncoresident young adults’ daily experiences with parents. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 337–350. doi:10.1177/2167696816676583

Birditt, K. S., Manalel, J. A., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2017). Daily interactions with aging parents and adult children: Associations with negative affect and diurnal cortisol. Journal of Family Psychology, 31, 699–709. doi:10.1037/fam0000317 PMCID: PMC5608619

2016

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y.-P.*, Kim, K.*, Fung, H. H., Han, G., Lang, F. R., Lee, W.*, & Wagner, J. (2016). Parental involvement with college students in Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, and the United States. Journal of Family Issues, 37, 1384-1411.

2012

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y. P., Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. (2012). Only as happy as the least happy child: Multiple grown children’s problems and successes and middle-aged parents’ well-being. The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 67, 184-193. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr086 PMCID 3410695. PMCID: 3410695

Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y. P., Wesselmann, E. D., Zarit, S., Furstenberg, F., & Birditt, K. S. (2012). Helicopter parents and landing pad kids: Intense parental support of grown children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74, 880-896. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00987.x PMCID: Journal in Process

Fingerman, K. L., Gilligan, M., VanderDrift, L., & Pitzer, L. M. (2012). In-law relationships before and after marriage: Husbands, wives, and their mothers-in-law. Research on Human Development, 9, 106-125. PMCID: 3686301

2011

Fingerman, K. L., Pitzer, L. M., Chan, W., Birditt, K. S., Franks, M. M., & Zarit, S. (2011). Who gets what and why: Help middle-aged adults provide to parents and grown children. The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 66B, 87-98. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbq009 PMCID: 3031309

2010

Fingerman, K. L. & Charles, S. T. (2010). It takes two to tango: Why older people have the best relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19, 172-176. doi: 10.1177/0963721410370297