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Sonia L. Salari, PhD

Sonia Salari, PhD FGSA is Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Studies University of Utah and Fellow, Gerontology Society of America. Her focus includes abuse in interpersonal relationships across the life course, formal service use, public policy and aging in underrepressented communities. Known as an advocate for victims of IPV, child and elder abuse, she is involved in the community as Chair of the Board of Directors - Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (UDVC) and co-founder of Utah Gender Based Violence Consortium. She is Co-PI of the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) Campus Grant on domestic/dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Her research focuses on family violence, elder abuse, and interpersonal violence, including fatalities. She has a number of publications in journals, chapters and two books Family Violence Across the Life Course: Research, policy and prevention (2021 2nd Ed.) and Family Violence and Abuse: An encyclopedia of trends, issues, and solutions (forthcoming 2022). Dr. Salari has taught over two decades at the University of Utah including courses FCS5370 Family Violence (CW) and FCS 5343/6343 Family Policy and Advocacy where students partner with non-profit organizations to lobby the Utah State Legislature. Her teaching has won awards, including the University Distinguished Teaching Award.


Research Statement

As a family sociologist and gerontologist, I am interested in quality of life (QOL) in the home and formal settings across the life course. Public health and family well-being are intertwined. My research examines gender-based violence, mental/physical health, abilities, race/ethnic/immigrant diversity and elder mistreatment. QOL can be enhanced in formal aging services and long-term-care by giving adult participants safety, autonomy and age appropriate status. Due to the hidden nature of family violence, I study the more visible lethal outcomes such as homicide and suicide among young, middle aged and elder adults. Femicide in the home is a consistent theme across ages, but the patterns differ. There are implications for domestic violence policy and prevention which take into account the pandemic, racial and income inequalities, along with the aging of the population.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Sonia Salari (10/2013). Sonia Salari (2013) “Salari’s Response to ‘Is Infantilization Ethical? An Ethical Question for Gerontologists.’ 10(1)2013” Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, p.8-13.
  2. Jaqueline Eato (2005). Environments for Lifelong Learning in Senior Centers. Educational gerontology,
  3. Glenna Spitz (1992). Gender differences in adult child contact among Black elderly parents. The Gerontologist, 32(2), 213-218.
  4. Salari, Soni (2012).
  5. Sonia Salar (2007). Patterns of Intimate Partner Homicide Suicide in Later Life: Strategies for prevention. Clinical interventions in aging,
  6. Salari, S (2020). USA Violent Cause Mortality: Analysis of Trends and the Political Controversies of Prevention. 7(4), 227-246.
  7. Sonia Mine (1997). Intragenerational Proximity and the Social Role of Sibling Neighbors after Midlife. Family relations, 46, 145-153.
  8. Sonia Salar (2002). Verbal, Physical and Injurious Aggression Among Intimate Couples Over Time. Journal of family issues,
  9. Sonia Mine (1995). Racial Differences in Family Support and Formal Service Utilization Among Older Persons: A Non-recursive Model. 50B:3, S143-S153.
  10. Sonia Mine (1993). Predicting the frequency of senior center attendance. The Gerontologist, 33(5), 650-657.
  11. Allen, Terr (2020). Homicide Illustrated Across the Ages: Graphic depictions of victim and offender age, sex and relationship. Journal of aging and health, 32(3), 162-174.
  12. Sonia Salar (2016).
  13. Sonia Salar (2016). Lethal Intimate Partner Violence in Later Life: Understanding measurements, strengths, and limitations of research. 28, 235-262.
  14. Sillito, Carri (2011). Child Outcomes and Risk Factors in US Homicide-suicide cases 1999-2004. Journal of family violence,
  15. (2004).
  16. Sonia Salar (2001). Social and Environmental Infantilization of Elderly Persons: Observations in Two Adult Day Care Centers. 52(2), 115-134.
  17. Sonia Salar (2002). Invisible in Aging Research: Arab Americans, Middle Eastern Immigrants, and Muslims in the United States. The Gerontologist,
  18. Sonia Salar (2006). Conflicts, Friendship Cliques and Territorial Displays in Senior Center Environments. 20(3), 237-252.
  19. Sonia Salar (2006). Infantilization as Elder Mistreatment: Evidence from five adult day centers.
  20. Sonia Salar (2006). Kin Keepers and Good Providers: Influence of gender socialization on well-being among USA birth cohorts.
  21. Sonia Mine (1998). Barriers to Voluntary Organization Membership: An Examination of Race and Cohort Differences in Participation. 53B(5), 241-248.
  22. Sonia Salar (2016). Intimate Partner Homicide Suicide: Perpetrator primary intent across young, middle and elder adult age categories. Aggression and violent behavior, 26, 26-34.
  23. Shin Sook Le (2005).
  24. Salari, Soni (2002). Intergenerational Partnerships in Adult Day Centers: Importance of age-appropriate environments and behaviors. The Gerontologist,
  25. Salari, Soni (2013).

Review

  1. (2001).

Book

  1. Salari, S (2021). Family Violence Across the Life Course: Research, policy and prevention, 2nd edition. 2, 456.
  2. Salari, Soni (2022). Salari, S. (Editor, 2 Volumes, 300 Entries) Family Violence and Abuse: An encyclopedia of trends, issues, and solutions, Government, Policy & Issues Division, Reference.
  3. Sonia Salar (2015). Family Violence Across the Life Course: Research, policy and prevention. 252.

Book Chapter

  1. (2001). Sonia Salari (2001). Reproductive Technologies. In Honig, Alice, Hiram Fitzgerald & Holly Brophy-Herb, Infancy in America: An Encyclopedia, Volume 2: Pp. 565-569. ABC Clio.
  2. (2001). Sonia Salari (2001). Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. In Honig, Alice, Hiram Fitzgerald & Holly Brophy-Herb (Eds.) Infancy In America: An Encyclopedia, Volume 2: Pp. 626-630. ABC Clio Publishing
  3. Peter Uhlenber (1996). Life Course and Aging: A Cohort Perspective. 208-228.
  4. (2006).
  5. (2001).
  6. Salari, Soni (2021). Arab American Older Adults. 3,
  7. Salari, Soni (2016). Aging and Later Life: Barriers and Adaptations Based on Immigration and Nativity Status. 130-144.
  8. (2006).
  9. Salari, S (2020). Homicide-suicide by men against female intimate partners.
  10. Salari, Soni (2011). Elder Mistreatment. 415-430.
  11. Sonia Salar (2007). Women, Gender and Aging Across the Life Course: United States. 4,

Conference Proceedings

  1. (2010).

Other

  1. Miner Soni (1993).
  2. Sonia Salar (2013).
  3. Salari, Soni (2013).
  4. Salari, Soni (2013).