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T: 778-782-7834
E: theresa_pauly@sfu.ca
Office: Harbour Centre, Room 2800
Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Lab

 

Theresa Pauly

Assistant Professor | Canada Research Chair in Social Relationships, Health, and Aging

Dr. Theresa Pauly, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair, studies how psychosocial factors shape health and wellbeing across the adult lifespan. She completed her PhD in daily stress hormone secretion in older couples at the University of British Columbia, Canada, in 2020 and worked as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, from 2020 to 2022. Her work is interdisciplinary – in psychology, gerontology, physiology – and as such she has expertise in health and aging from a biopsychosocial perspective, including interconnections between biomarkers of health (e.g., cortisol levels), psychological aspects of well-being (e.g., affective states), and daily social contexts (e.g., solitude). As Canada Research Chair in Social Relationships, Health, and Aging, Dr. Pauly combines the analysis of longer-term health and wellbeing trajectories (based on longitudinal data collected over many years) with short-term self-report data (experiential results collected over a period of days/weeks) to identify: pivotal social resources that support older adults’ health; risk and protective factors to address the pervasive challenge of loneliness in old age; and social risks and resources for health in older adults who belong to equity-seeking groups.

Dr. Pauly has received a number of awards throughout her career to date. Her graduate work was recognized by the Gerontological Society of America (Predissertation Research Award, 2019), the University of British Columbia (Excellence in Health Psychology PhD Research Award, 2020), and the American Psychological Association (Division 20 Dissertation Award in Psychology of Aging, 2021). Most recently, in 2021 Dr. Pauly received the Vontobel Award for Research on Ageing, a prestigious award that honors distinguished empirical or theoretical contributions to aging research. Her postdoctoral research was supported by the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (2020-2021) and the Forschungskredit grant from the University of Zurich for promising early-career researchers to launch an independent research project (2021-2022).

Education

  • PhD (Health Psychology) University of British Columbia
  • Dipl (equiv MA, Psychology) Philipps University Marburg

Research

Healthy aging; wellbeing; social relationships; daily social contexts; health behaviors; objective health markers; ambulatory assessment; quantitative research methods

Current/Selected Grants 

Contract/Grant: Grant  Awarded: 2024    Period: 2024 - 2028

Project Title: A comprehensive investigation of daily social events and health in older adults
Funding: CIHR Project Grant Program  Type: Grant    Total: $455,176
Involvement: Principal Investigator (Co-Is: Frances Chen, Patrick Klaiber, Dawn Mackey, Collaborator: Susan T. Charles)

Contract/Grant: Research Award   Awarded: 2023    Period: 2023 - 2025

Project Title: Psychological processes, quality of life, and self-management in midlife and old age
Funding: SSHRC Small Explore Research Grant   Type: Award    Total: $6,977
Involvement: Principal Investigator

Contract/Grant: Research Award   Awarded: 2023    Period: 2023 - 2024

Project Title: Longitudinal associations between social relationships, psychological distress, and health in middle-aged and older adults identifying as a sexual minority
Funding: National Institutes of Health   Type: Award    Total: $10,000 USD (~$13,580 CAD)
Involvement: Principal Investigator

Contract/Grant: Grant   Awarded: 2021    Period: 2021 - 2022

Project Title: In it together: Life transitions and couple concordance 
Funding: University of Zurich   Type: Grant    Total: $88,307 CHF (~$128,000 CAD)
Involvement: Principle Investigator (Co-I's: U. Scholz, C. Hoppmann, D. Gerstorf)

Selected Publications

Book Chapters

  • Hoppmann, C. A., Lay, J. C., Pauly, T., & Zambrano, E. (2021). Social isolation, loneliness, and solitude in older adulthood. In R. J. Coplan, J. C. Bowker, & L. J. Nelson (Eds.), The handbook of solitude: Psychological perspectives on social isolation, social withdrawal, and being alone (pp. 178-189). Wiley-Blackwell Press. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119576457.ch13
  • Hoppmann, C. A., Pauly, T., Michalowski, V. I., & Nater, U. M. (2018). Everyday salivary cortisol as a biomarker method in lifespan developmental methodology. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.353

Peer-Reviewed Articles

  • Broen, T., Choi, Y., Zambrano, E., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann. C. (in press). Time-varying associations between loneliness and physical activity: Evidence from repeated daily life assessments in an adult lifespan sample. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1021863. https://doi.org/ 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1021863
  • Pauly, T., Lüscher, J., Berli, C., Hoppmann, C. A., Ashe, M. C., Linden, W., Madden, K. M., Murphy, R., Gerstorf, D., & Scholz, U. (in press). Let’s enjoy an evening on the couch? A daily life investigation of shared problematic behaviors in three couple studies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672221143783
  • Pauly, T.*, Nicol, A.*, Lay, J., Ashe, M. C. , Gerstorf, D., Graf, P., Linden, W., Madden, K. M., Mahmood, A., Murphy, R., & Hoppmann, C.A. (in press). Everyday pain in mid and later life: Associations with daily and momentary present-moment awareness as one key facet of mindfulness. Canadian Journal on Aging.
  • Zambrano, E., Pauly, T., Choi, Y., Broen, T., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). Gratitude during times of distancing: Time-varying associations between gratitude and everyday affect quality in an adult lifespan sample. GeroPsych. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000304
  • Hoppmann, C. A., & Pauly, T. (2022). A lifespan psychological perspective on solitude. International Journal of Behavioral Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254221130279
  • Choi, Y., Pauly, T., Zambrano, E., Broen, T., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). Having time to oneself in times of extended togetherness: The role of living arrangements and relationship characteristics for solitude experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied Psychology: Health & Wellbeing. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12401
  • Kornadt, A.*, Pauly, T.*, Weiss, D., Lücke A., Katzorreck, M., Schilling, O., Gerstorf, D., Kunzmann, U., & Wahl, H.-W. (2022). Momentary subjective age is associated with perceived and physiological stress in the daily lives of old and very old adults. Psychology & Aging. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/ pag0000711
  • Lüscher, J., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Stadler, G., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). Having a good time together: The role of companionship in older couples’ everyday life. Gerontology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524089
  • Pauly, T., Lüscher, J., Berli, C., & Scholz, U. (2022). Dynamic associations between stress and relationship functioning in the wake of COVID-19: Longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (pairfam). Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(11), 3183-3203. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221092360
  • Lee, Y., Lay, J. C., Pauly, T., Graf, P., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). The differential roles of chronic and transient loneliness in daily prosocial behaviour. Psychology & Aging, 37(5), 614-625. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000681
  • Kolodziejczak, K., Drewelies, J., Pauly, T., Ram, N., Hoppmann, C. A., & Gerstorf, D. (2022). Physical intimacy in the daily life of older couples: Its frequency and links with affect and salivary cortisol. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(8), 1416-1430. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac037
  • Luo, M., Pauly, T., Röcke, C., & Hülür, G. (2022). Alternating time spent on social interactions and solitude in healthy older adults. British Journal of Psychology, 113, 978-1008. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12586
  • Zambrano, E., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Partner contributions to goal pursuit: Findings from repeated daily life assessments with older couples. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(1), 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab052
  • Lüscher, J., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Stadler, G., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). Having a good time together: The role of companionship in older couples’ everyday life. Gerontology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524089
  • Pauly, T., Lüscher, J., Berli, C., & Scholz, U. (2022). Dynamic associations between stress and relationship functioning in the wake of COVID-19: Longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (pairfam). Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(11), 3183-3203. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221092360
  • Lee, Y., Lay, J. C., Pauly, T., Graf, P., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). The differential roles of chronic and transient loneliness in daily prosocial behaviour. Psychology & Aging, 37(5), 614-625. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000681
  • Kolodziejczak, K., Drewelies, J., Pauly, T., Ram, N., Hoppmann, C. A., & Gerstorf, D. (2022). Physical intimacy in the daily life of older couples: Its frequency and links with affect and salivary cortisol. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(8), 1416-1430. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac037
  • Luo, M., Pauly, T., Röcke, C., & Hülür, G. (2022). Alternating time spent on social interactions and solitude in healthy older adults. British Journal of Psychology, 113, 978-1008. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12586
  • Zambrano, E., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Partner contributions to goal pursuit: Findings from repeated daily life assessments with older couples. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(1), 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab052
  • Pauly, T., Chu, L., Zambrano, E., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2022). COVID-19, time to oneself, and loneliness: Creativity as a resource. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(4), e30-e35. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab070
  • Puterman, E., Pauly, T., Ruissen, G., Nelson, B., & Faulkner, G. (2021). Move more, move better: A narrative review of wearable technologies and its application to precision health. Health Psychology, 40(11), 803-810. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001125
  • Keller, J., Kwasnicka, D., Wilhelm, L. O., Lorbeer, N., Pauly, T., Domke, A., Knoll, N., & Fleig, L. (2021). Hand washing and related cognitions following a brief behavior change intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic: A pre-post analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-10042-w
  • Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Wahl, H.-W., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). A developmental-contextual model of couple synchrony across adulthood and old age. Psychology and Aging, 36(8), 943-956. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000651
  • Pauly, T., Drewelies, J., Kolodziejczak, K., Katzorrek, M., Lücke, A. J., Schilling, O. K., Kunzmann, U., Wahl, H-W., Ditzen, B., Ram, N., Gerstorf, D., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Positive and negative affect are associated with salivary cortisol in the everyday life of older adults: A quantitative synthesis of four aging studies. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 133, Article 105403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105403
  • Pauly, T., Ashe, M. C., Murphy, R., Gerstorf, D., Linden, W., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Active with whom? Examining the social context of physical activity in individuals after stroke and their partners. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, Article 754046. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.754046
  • Michalowski, V. I., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M, & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Time-varying associations between everyday affect and cortisol in older couples. Health Psychology, 40(9), 597-605. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001103
  • Ungar, N., Michalowski, V. I., Baehring, S., Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Joint goals in older couples: Associations with goal progress, allostatic load, and relationship satisfaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 623037. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623037
  • Pauly, T., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). You’re under my skin: Long-term relationship and health correlates of cortisol synchrony in older couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 35(1), 69-79. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000809
  • Wilhelm, L. O., Pauly, T., Ashe, M. C., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Daily physical activity in old age: Within- and between-person associations with emotion-related barriers. GeroPsych. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000255
  • Pauly, T., Kolodziejczak, K., Drewelies, J., Gerstorf, D., Ram, N., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2021). Political context is associated with everyday physiological linkage in older couples. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 124, Article 105082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105082
  • Pauly, T., Michalowski, V. I., Drewelies, J., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2020). Cortisol synchrony in older couples: Daily socio-emotional correlates and interpersonal differences. Psychosomatic Medicine, 82(7), 669-677. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000838
  • Pauly, T.*, Keller, J.*, Michalowski, V. I., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Knoll, N., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2020). Moving in sync: Hourly physical activity and sedentary behaviour are synchronized in couples. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 54(1), 10-21. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaz019
  • Lay, J. C., Pauly, T., Graf, P., Mahmood, A., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2020). Choosing solitude: Age differences in situational and affective correlates of solitude-seeking in midlife and older adulthood. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75(3), 483-493. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gby044
  • Pauly, T., Michalowski, V. I., Nater, U. M., Gerstorf, D., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2019). Everyday associations between older adults’ physical activity, negative affect, and cortisol. Health Psychology, 38(6), 494-501. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000743
  • Pauly, T.*, Lay, J. C.*, Kozik, P., Graf, P., Mahmood, A., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2019). Technology, physical activity, loneliness, and cognitive functioning in old age. GeroPsych, 32(3), 111-123. https://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000208
  • Lay, J. C., Pauly, T., Graf, P., Biesanz, J. C., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2019). By myself and liking it? Predictors of distinct types of solitude experiences in daily life. Journal of Personality, 87(3), 633-647. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12421
  • Pauly, T., Lay, J. C., Scott, S. B., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2018). Social relationship quality buffers negative affective correlates of everyday solitude in an adult lifespan and an older adult sample. Psychology and Aging, 33(5), 728-738. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000278
  • Pauly, T., Lay, J. C., Nater, U. M., Scott, S. B., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2017). How we experience being alone: Age differences in affective and biological correlates of everyday solitude. Gerontology, 63(1), 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1159/000450608
  • Lay, J. C., Gerstorf, D., Scott, S. B., Pauly, T., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2017). Neuroticism and extraversion magnify discrepancies between retrospective and concurrent affect reports. Journal of Personality, 85(6), 817-829. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12290

Awards and Honours

Awards

2022 New Scholar Award, International Association for Relationship Research
2022 Carol Schutz Travel Award, Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization of the Gerontological Society of America
2021 Vontobel Award for Research on Age(ing), Center for Gerontology, University of Zurich
2021 APA Division 20 Dissertation Award in Psychology of Aging, American Psychological Association
2020 Excellence in Health Psychology PhD Research Award, University of British Columbia
2019 Predissertation Research Award, Behavioral and Social Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America
2019 Travel Award, Behavioral and Social Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America
2018 Poster Award, 2018 European Health Psychology Society Conference
2018 Arts Graduate Research Award, University of British Columbia
2018 Travel Award, University of British Columbia Physical Activity for Precision Health Cluster
2018 Travel Award, Behavioral and Social Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America
2017 Travel Award, International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics
2016-2020 International Tuition Award, University of British Columbia

Fellowships

2020-2021 Swiss Government Excellence Research Fellowship, Swiss Confederation
2019-2020 Four Year Doctoral Fellowship, University of British Columbia
2019-2020 Li Tze Fong Fellowship, University of British Columbia
2017-2019 Doctoral Fellowship, German Academic Scholarship Foundation
2017-2018 Arts Graduate Fellowship, University of British Columbia
2017 Quinn Exchange Fellowship for graduate students, University of British Columbia
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