2026 Karen A. Roberto: Social Sciences and Humanities Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Social Sciences and Humanities	41	5071	4704	2393	2179	310	6844

Research.com Recognitions

2015 - Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA)

Overview

Karen A. Roberto is affiliated with Virginia Tech in the United States and focuses research primarily within social sciences, health professions, and medicine. Their work spans numerous subfields, including general health professions, sociology and political science, psychiatry and mental health, clinical psychology, and health.

The main topics explored by Roberto encompass geriatric care and nursing homes, intergenerational family dynamics and caregiving, dementia and cognitive impairment research, health disparities and outcomes, elder abuse and neglect, grief, bereavement, and mental health, as well as family caregiving in mental illness.

Roberto has contributed to academic literature with several recent papers, including the following:

"Dementia Caregiving During the "Stay-at-Home" Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic" (2020) published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B
"Child Maltreatment, Youth Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, and Elder Mistreatment: A Review and Theoretical Analysis of Research on Violence Across the Life Course" (2020) published in Trauma Violence & Abuse
"Perturbation-based balance training targeting both slip- and trip-induced falls among older adults: a randomized controlled trial" (2020) published in BMC Geriatrics
"Prediction of fall risk among community-dwelling older adults using a wearable system" (2021) published in Scientific Reports
"Dementia Family Caregiving in Rural Appalachia: A Sociocultural Model of Care Decisions and Service Use" (2021) published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B

Frequent coauthors with whom Roberto has collaborated include Jyoti Savla, Rosemary Blieszner, Brandy Renee McCann, Emily Hoyt, and Aubrey L. Knight. Their research has appeared often in publication venues such as Innovation in Aging, The Gerontologist, Journal of Applied Gerontology, The Journals of Gerontology Series B, and Trauma Violence & Abuse.

Roberto's scholarly output involves extensive contributions to topics related to aging populations, caregiving dynamics, and health outcomes among older adults and families. The research also intersects with areas of violence prevention and balance-related fall risk, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach.

Recognition for Roberto's work includes being named a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2015.

Best Publications

Grandchildren and grandparents : roles, influences, and relationships

Karen A. Roberto;Johanna Stroes

345
Citations
Families in the Middle and Later Years: A Review and Critique of Research in the 1990s

Katherine R. Allen;Rosemary Blieszner;Karen A. Roberto

342
Citations
Community Resources for Older Adults: Programs and Services in an Era of Change

Robbyn R. Wacker;Karen A. Roberto

297
Citations
Families of Alzheimer's victims. Family support to the caregivers.

Jean Pearson Scott;Karen A. Roberto;J. Thomas Hutton

187
Citations
Older Adults' Responses to Hurricane Katrina Daily Hassles and Coping Strategies

Tammy L. Henderson;Karen A. Roberto;Yoshinori Kamo

146
Citations
Sexual Abuse of Older Adults: APS Cases and Outcomes

Pamela B. Teaster;Karen A. Roberto

144
Citations
Family Caregivers of Older Adults: A Life Span Perspective

Karen A. Roberto;Shannon E. Jarrott

136
Citations
Dementia Caregiving During the "Stay-at-Home" Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Jyoti Savla;Karen A Roberto;Rosemary Blieszner;Brandy Renee McCann

135
Citations
Dimensions of Ambiguous Loss in Couples Coping With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Rosemary Blieszner;Karen A. Roberto;Karen L. Wilcox;Elizabeth J. Barham

134
Citations
Grandfathers' Perceptions and Expectations of Relationships With Their Adult Grandchildren

Karen A. Roberto;Katherine R. Allen;Rosemary Blieszner

129
Citations
Intimate Partner Violence of Rural Aging Women

Pamela B. Teaster;Karen A. Roberto;Tyler A. Dugar

127
Citations
Care Partner Responses to the Onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Rosemary Blieszner;Karen A. Roberto

124
Citations
Use of Informal and Formal Support Networks by Rural Elderly Poor

Jean Pearson Scott;Karen A. Roberto

121
Citations
Equity Considerations in the Friendships of Older Adults

Karen A. Roberto;Jean Pearson Scott

115
Citations
The complexities of elder abuse.

Karen A. Roberto

113
Citations
Perspectives on Extended Family and Fictive Kin in the Later Years Strategies and Meanings of Kin Reinterpretation

Katherine R. Allen;Rosemary Blieszner;Karen A. Roberto

113
Citations
Communicating with persons with Alzheimer's disease: experiences of family and formal caregivers.

Judith M. Richter;Karen A. Roberto;Donna J. Bottenberg

111
Citations
Friendship across the Life Span: Reciprocity in Individual and Relationship Development

Rosemary Blieszner;Karen A. Roberto

110
Citations
Childhood abuse affects emotional closeness with family in mid- and later life

J. Tina Savla;Karen A. Roberto;Ana L. Jaramillo-Sierra;Laura Eubanks Gambrel

110
Citations
Resilience in aging : concepts, research, and outcomes

Barbara Resnick;Lisa P. Gwyther;Karen A. Roberto

102
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Katherine R. Allen Virginia Tech

Nancy E. Schoenberg University of Kentucky

Laurie Buys Queensland University of Technology

John Lach George Washington University

Douglas A. Granger University of California, Irvine

Todd I. Herrenkohl University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Peter A. Lichtenberg Wayne State University

Steven H. Zarit Pennsylvania State University

Adam Davey University of Delaware

Paul C. Rosenblatt University of Minnesota

External Links

Personal website of Karen A. Roberto Google Scholar page

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Pursuing a degree in Social Sciences or Humanities opens the door to diverse career opportunities in counseling, therapy, psychology, and social work. Many students today prefer the flexibility and affordability of accredited online programs, especially those that support professional growth and job readiness.

If you are interested in counseling, cacrep online counseling programs offer accredited pathways to becoming a licensed counselor. For those drawn to family dynamics and relationships, explore online marriage and family therapy graduate programs that combine clinical skills with flexible learning options.

If you're seeking an affordable entry into the behavioral sciences, consider earning a cheap online psychology degree. Those aiming for a career in social work may want to look for msw programs with high acceptance rate—streamlining admission and advancing community impact.

These flexible and cost-effective online degrees help students gain relevant expertise while balancing work and life commitments, ultimately paving the way for meaningful and impactful careers.