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Scott R. Beach, PhD Center for Social & Urban Research · Director (Interim) Survey Research Program · Program Director 3343 Forbes Ave Room 208 Pittsburgh, PA 15260 Phone:  412-624-7785 Email:  scottb@pitt.edu

Biography

Dr. Beach has been Director of the Survey Research Program at the University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR) since 1999, was UCSUR Associate Director between 2010 and 2016; and was named Interim UCSUR Director in 2016.  He received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993.  Dr. Beach has directed dozens of large-scale surveys covering a broad range of topics.  He has been involved in all phases of survey design, data collection, and statistical analysis.  He has also conducted and published several papers in survey methodology, focusing primarily on how various data collection technologies (e.g., mobile devices) impact the quality of survey data.  In addition to his work in survey methodology and research design, Dr. Beach has interests and has published in areas such as aging and caregiver stress, elder abuse, and technology and aging.  His work has appeared in some of the major medical, aging, and survey methods journals including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Psychology & Aging, The Gerontologist, and Journal of Official Statistics.  His recent work on elder abuse has focused on use of survey technology to improve self-reporting of elder abuse, caregiver health and risk for abuse, racial/ethnic disparities in abuse, abuse in assisted living facilities, and screening and detection methods.  He has been an invited participant in several National Institute of Health, National Institute of Justice, and Institute of Medicine workshops on elder abuse.

Research Interests

Survey methodology, research design, statistics, aging and caregiver stress, elder abuse, technology for aging and disabled populations, coping with victimization.

Selected Publications

• Beach, S.R., Schulz, S., Friedman, E.M., Rodakowski, J., Martsolf, G., & James, A.E. (2020). Adverse consequences of unmet needs for care in high-need/high-cost older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 75(2), 459-470. PMID: 29471360. doi:10.1093/geronb/gby021.

• Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Czaja, S.J., Martire, L.M., Monin, J.K. (in press). Family caregiving for older adults. Annual Review of PsychologySchulz, R., Beach, S.R., Czaja, S.J., Martire, L.M., Monin, J.K. (2020). Family caregiving for older adults. Annual Review of Psychology, 71, 635-659. PMID: 31905111. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-050754.

• Miller, E., Beach, S.R., & Thurston, R.C. (2018). Editorial: Addressing intimate partner violence and abuse of older or vulnerable adults in the health care setting – beyond screening. JAMA Internal Medicine, 178(12), 1583-1585. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6523.

• Beach, S.R., & Schulz, R. (2017). Family caregiver factors associated with unmet needs for care among older adult care recipients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(3), 560-566.

• Beach, S.R., Liu, P.J., DeLiema, M., Iris, M., Howe, M.J.K., & Conrad, K.J. (2017). Development of short form measures to assess four types of elder mistreatment: Findings from an evidence-based study of APS elder abuse substantiation decisions. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 29(4), 229-253. PMID: 28590799. PMCID: PMC5914517. doi: 10.1080/08946566.2017.1338171.

• Beach, S.R., Carpenter, C.R., Rosen, T., Sharps, P., & Gelles, R. (2016). Screening and detection of elder abuse: Research opportunities and lessons learned from emergency geriatric care, intimate partner violence, and child abuse. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 28(4-5), 185-216.PMID: 27593945.

• Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K., De Vitto Dabs, A., & Person Mecca, L. (2016).   Caregivers’ willingness to pay for technologies to support caregiving. The Gerontologist, 56(5), 817-829. PMID: 26035899.  PMCID: PMC5019044.

• Schulz, R., Wahl, H., Matthews, J.T., De Vito Dabbs, A., Beach, S.R., & Czaja, S.J. (2015). Advancing the aging and technology agenda in gerontology. The Gerontologist, 55(5), 724-734. PMID: 25165042. PMCID: PMC4592332.

• Beach, S.R. (2013).  Assessing needs, preferences, and attitudes using survey methods.  In R. Schulz (Ed.), Quality of Life Technology, pp. 65-86.  CRC / Taylor & Francis Group.

• Schulz, R., Beach, S.R., Matthews, J.T., Courtney, K.L., & De Vito Dabbs, A.J. (2012). Designing and evaluating quality of life technologies: An interdisciplinary approach. Proceedings of the IEEE, 100(8), 2397-2409.

• Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., Castle, N.G., & Rosen, J. (2010). Financial exploitation and psychological mistreatment among older adults: Differences between African Americans and non-African Americans in a population-based survey. The Gerontologist, 50, 744-757.

• Beach, S.R.,Schulz, R., Degenholtz, H.B., Castle, N.G., Rosen, J., Fox, A.R., & Morycz, R.K. (2010). Using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing and Interactive Voice Response to Measure Elder Mistreatment in Older Adults: Feasibility and Effects on Prevalence Estimates. Journal of Official Statistics, 26, 481-506.

• Beach, S.R., Schulz, R., Williamson, G.M., Miller, L.S., Weiner, M.F., & Lance, C.E. (2005). Risk factors for potentially harmful caregiver behavior. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53, 255-261.

• Beach, S. R., Schulz, R., Yee, J. L., & Jackson, S. (2000). Negative and positive health effects of caring for a disabled spouse: Longitudinal findings from the Caregiver Health Effects Study. Psychology and Aging, 15, 259-271.

• Schulz, R., & Beach, S. (1999). Caregiving as a risk factor for mortality: The caregiver health effects study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282, 2215-2219.