UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

Xiaoling
Xiang, PhD

Associate Professor

Advancing mental health care for older adults through digital innovation, implementation science, and community partnerships.

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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Xiaoling Xiang, PhD — Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work
2025 GSA Fellow
Gerontological Society of America
3,400+
Citations
95+
Peer-reviewed Publications
25
h-index (Google Scholar)
2
Major Federal Grants (2024–25)
BACKGROUND

A researcher bridging science, technology, and real-world care for aging populations.

Xiaoling Xiang is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Her work focuses on improving the mental health and well-being of older adults, particularly those who are homebound or living with chronic conditions and disabilities.

She is the principal investigator of Empower@Home, a highly accessible internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program designed specifically for older adults experiencing depression. Developed through extensive community-engaged research, the program is now being scaled through major federal funding to aging service agencies across the country.

EDUCATION & APPOINTMENTS
Associate Professor
University of Michigan School of Social Work • 2023–present
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan School of Social Work • 2017–2023
PhD, Social Work
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign • 2015
RESEARCH

Core Areas of Inquiry

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Late-Life Depression & Mental Health
Epidemiology, trajectories, and psychosocial risk factors of depression among older adults receiving home and community-based services.
Digital Mental Health Interventions
Design, adaptation, and evaluation of technology-delivered cognitive behavioral therapies tailored for older adults with limited mobility and technology access.
Implementation Science
Strategies to embed evidence-based psychosocial interventions into real-world aging service settings using non-specialist providers.
Aging, Disability & Chronic Illness
Intersection of physical health conditions, disability, social participation, and mental health in later life.
Home & Community-Based Services
Integration of health and social services; improving access, quality, and equity of community care systems for vulnerable older adults.
Ageism, Social Connection & Resilience
Social determinants of mental health, including age discrimination, loneliness, volunteering, and social participation.
SIGNATURE PROJECT

Empower@Home

A 9-session, user-centered internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program created specifically for homebound older adults with depression.

9 sessions
Community-partnered design
Non-specialist delivery
Current Scale-Up (2024–2029): NIH/NIMH R01 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial training aging service agency staff to deliver and supervise the program in real-world settings.
Expanding Reach (2024–2027): Three-year grant from ACL/NIDILRR to adapt and evaluate Empower@Home for older adults with disabilities, with a focus on social participation and broader quality-of-life outcomes.
Visit Empower@Home
SCHOLARSHIP

Selected Publications

Longitudinal associations of self-reported vision impairment with symptoms of anxiety and depression among older adults in the United States
JAMA Ophthalmology • 2019 • 195 citations
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Major depression and subthreshold depression among older adults receiving home care
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry • 2018 • 95 citations
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Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapies for late-life depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis
2020 • 81 citations
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Digital mental health interventions for depression: A review of the evidence and future directions
2022 • 78 citations
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The role of ageism and age stereotypes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
2020 • Highly cited
View on Scholar
Explore all 95+ publications on Google Scholar
RECOGNITION & MEDIA

Recent Impact & News

2025
Gerontological Society of America Fellow
Named a 2025 GSA Fellow in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology and commitment to advancing the well-being of older adults.
— University of Michigan School of Social Work
2024
NIH R01 Grant — National Institute of Mental Health
Five-year award to conduct a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of Empower@Home in partnership with aging service providers across multiple states.
Read announcement →
2024–25
ACL/NIDILRR Research Grant
Three-year award to expand Empower@Home for older adults with disabilities and examine outcomes beyond depression, including social participation and quality of life.
Read announcement →
FEATURED RESEARCH
New York Times coverage of volunteering, loneliness, and mental health in later life
Collaborative work with PhD student Joonyoung Cho examining how volunteering may buffer against loneliness and depression among older adults.
LET'S CONNECT

Get in Touch

I welcome inquiries about research collaborations, student mentorship, and partnerships with aging service organizations.

OFFICE
3735 SSWB
1080 S. University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
QUICK LINKS
UMich Faculty Profile Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID Empower@Home Program
Download Full CV
AFFILIATIONS
University of Michigan Depression Center Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation (IHPI) Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS)