Waite's current research interests include social demography, aging, the family, health, working families, the link between biology, psychology and the social world.

Waite's current research focuses on the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a study which has at its core a national survey of older adults first interviewed in 2005 and 2006. In 2010 and 2011, a second interview was conducted with the Wave 1 Respondents, Wave 1 Non-Interviewed Respondents, and their spouses or cohabiting romantic partners. A third interview is planned for NSHAP respondents and their partners.

Selected Publications

Waite, Linda J. and Thomas Plewes (Editors). 2013. Perspectives on the Future of the Sociology of Aging. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Luo, Ye and Linda J. Waite. Forthcoming. "Loneliness and Mortality in China." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Galinsky, Adena and Linda J. Waite. Forthcoming. "Sexual Activity and Psychological Health as Mediators of the Relationship Between Physical Health and Marital Quality." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Kim, Juyeon and Linda J. Waite. Forthcoming. "Relationship Quality and Shared Activity in Marital and Cohabiting Dyads in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, Wave 2." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Galinsky, Adena, Linda J. Waite and Martha K. McClintock. Forthcoming, "Sexual Interest and Motivation, Sexual Behavior and Physical Contact in NSHAP Wave 2." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Iveniuk, James, Edward O. Laumann, Linda, J. Waite, Martha K. McClintock and Andrew Tiedt. Forthcoming, "Personality measures in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Lauderdale, Diane S., L. Philip Schumm, Lianne M. Kurina, Martha K. McClintock, Ronald A. Thisted, Jen-Hao Chen and Linda Waite. Forthcoming. "Assessment of Sleep in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Vasilopoulos, Terrie, Ashwin Kotwal, Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, Linda Waite, Martha K. McClintock and William Dale. Forthcoming. "Comorbidity and Chronic Conditions in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), Wave 2." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Shega, Joseph W., Priya D. Sunkara, Ashwin Kotwal, David W. Kern, Sara L. Henning, Martha K. McClintock, L. Philip Schumm, Linda J. Waite and William Dale. Forthcoming. "Measuring Cognition: The Chicago Cognitive Function Measure (CCFM) in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), Wave 2." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Huisingh-Scheetz, Megan, Masha Kocherginsky, L. Philip Schumm, Michal Engelman, Martha McClintock, William Dale, Elizabeth Magett, Pat Rush and Linda Waite. Forthcoming. "Measuring Functional Status in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP): Rationale, Measurement, and Preliminary Findings." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Waite, L. J., Iveniuk, J., & Laumann, E. O. (in press). Social connectedness at older ages and implications for health and well-being. In Agnew, C. R. & South, S. C.(Eds.), Interpersonal relationships and health: Social and clinical psychological mechanisms. New York: Oxford University Press.

Waite, Linda J. and Jennifer Hanis-Martin. Forthcoming. "Midlife" in William Cockerham and Robert Dingwall (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, Wiley-Blackwell.

Iveniuk, James, Linda J. Waite, Edward O. Laumann, Martha McClintock, and Andrew Tiedt. 2014. "Marital Conflict in Older Couples: Positivity, Personality, and Health." Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(1): 130-144.

Kim, Juyeon and Linda J. Waite. 2013. "Family Structure and Financial Well-Being: Evidence from the Great Recession." Pp. 178-201 in K. Couch, M.Daly, and J. Zissimopoulos, (Eds.), Lifecycle Events and Their Consequences: Job Loss, Family Change, and Declines in Health.Palo Alto, Ca.: Stanford University Press. Kurina.

Lianne Marie, Martha K. McClintock. Jen-Hao Chen, Linda J. Waite, Ronald A. Thisted, and Diane S. Lauderdale. 2013. "Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a critical review of measurement and associations." Annals of Epidemiology 23(6):361 370.

York Cornwell, Erin and Linda J. Waite. 2012. "Social Network Resources and Management of Hypertension." Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 53:215-231.

Luo, Ye, Louise Hawkley, Linda J. Waite, and John Cacioppo. 2012. "Loneliness, Health, and Mortality in Old Age: A National Longitudinal Study." Social Science and Medicine. 74:907-917.

Luo, Ye, Tracey A. LaPierre, Mary Elizabeth Hughes, and Linda J. Waite. 2012. Grandparents Providing Care to Grandchildren: A Population-Based Study of Continuity and Change. Journal of Family Issues. 33(6).

Luo, Ye and Linda J. Waite. 2011. "Mistreatment and Psychological Well-Being among the Elderly: Exploring the Role of Psychosocial Resources and Deficits." Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 66B(2):217-229. PMID: 21239415.

Das, Aniruddha, Edward O. Laumann, and Linda J. Waite. 2011. "Sexual Expression over the Life Course: Results from Three Landmark Surveys." In J. Delamater and L. Carpenter (Eds.) Sex for Life: From Virginity to Viagra, How Sexuality Changes Throughout our Lives. New York: New York University Press.

Waite, Linda J. 2010. "One Thing I Know: Sexuality Has No Expiration Date." Contexts. Summer. http://contexts.org/articles/summer-2010/sexuality-has-no-expiration-date/

Waite, Linda J. and Aniruddha Das. 2010. "Families, Social Life and Well-Being at Older Ages." Demography, 47(Supplement): S87-S109. PMID: 21302422.

Lee, Yun Suk and Linda J. Waite. 2010. "How Appreciated do Wives Feel for the Housework They Do?" Social Science Quarterly, 91(2): 476-492.

Waite, Linda J. and Alisa C. Lewin. 2010. "Religious Intermarriage and Conversion in the United States: Patterns and Changes over Time." Pp. 148-163 in Ellison, C., and R. Hummer (Co-editors). Religion, Families, and Health in the United States: New Directions in Population-Based Research. New Brunswick, NJ:Rutgers University Press.

Hughes, Mary Elizabeth and Linda J. Waite. 2009. "Marital Biography and Health at Midlife." Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 50(3): 344-358. PMCID: PMC19711810.

Waite, Linda J., Edward O. Laumann, Aniruddha Das, L. Philip Schumm. 2009. "Sexuality: Measures of Partnerships, Practices, Attitudes, and Problems in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Study." Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences. 64B(S1): i56-i66. PMCID: PMC2763521.