Annie Robitaille

Annie Robitaille, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and holds the Research Chair in Frailty-Informed Care at the Centre of Excellence at The Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre. Annie completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa’s School of Psychology in 2010. Her dissertation examined the role of social support on psychological distress among older Canadian using the National Population Health Survey. Following her PhD, Annie completed a postdoctoral research position in the Department of Psychology and Centre on Aging at the University of Victoria and the Integrative Analysis of Longitudinal Studies on Aging and Dementia (IALSA) research network. Her research focused on the analysis of longitudinal studies in order to answer questions about between-person and within-person change in aging-related processes. She also completed a postdoctoral research associate position with the Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care at the Bruyère Research Institute and the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Her postdoctoral research focused on better understanding responsive behaviours for people living with dementia throughout the continuum of care. 

Annie’s current research focuses on better understanding the biopsychosocial factors related to the aging process with much of her research focusing specifically on those living with frailty in the community and in long-term care homes. Her research also aims to improve the quality of life and reduce social isolation of older adults living with frailty across the continuum of care and their caregivers. 

• Aging
• Frailty
• Dementia
• Caregivers of people with dementia
• Lifespan development
• Long-term care
• Research methods for longitudinal studies

• Hoogendijk E, Rijnhart JJM, Skoog J, Robitaille A, Van den Hout A, Ferruccie L, Huisman M, Skoog I, Piccinin AM, Hofer SM, Muniz Terrera G (2020). Gait speed as predictor of transition into cognitive impairment: Findings from three longitudinal studies on aging. Experimental Gerontology 129.
• Zammit, A.R.; Piccinin, A.M.; Duggan, E.; Koval,A.; Clouston, S.; Robitaille, A., Brown, C.L.; Handshuh, P.; Wu, C.; Jarry, V.; Finkel, D.; Graham, R.B.; Muniz-Terrera, G.;  Praetorius Björk, M.; Bennett, D.;  Deeg, D.J.; Johansson, B.; Katz, M.J.;  Kaye, J.; Lipton, R.B.; Martin, M.; Pederson, N.;  Spiro, A.; Zimprich, D.; Hofer, S.M. (2019). Coordinated multi-study analysis of the longitudinal association between handgrip strength and cognitive function in older adults. The Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences.
• Duggan, E. C., Piccinin, A. M., Clouston, S., Koval, A. V., Robitalle, A., Zammit, A. R., Wu, C., Brown, C. L., Lee, L. O., Finkel, D., Beasley, W. H., Kaye, J., Muniz Terrera, G., Katz, M., Lipton, R. B., Deeg, D., Bennett, D. A., Praetorius Björk, M., Johansson, B., Spiro III, A., Weuve, J., & Hofer, S. M. (2019). A multi-study coordinated meta-analysis of pulmonary function and cognition in aging. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Medical Sciences.
• Robitaille, A., Piccinin, A.M., Johansson, B., Hofer, S.H. Muniz, G. (2018). An examination of the heterogeneity in the pattern and association between rates of change in grip strength and global cognition in late life. A multivariate growth mixture modeling approach. Age and Ageing, 47(5):692-697. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afy048.
• Zammit, A.Z. Robitaille, A., Piccinin, A.M., Muniz, G., Hofer, S.H. (2018). Associations between aging-related changes in grip strength and cognitive function in older adults: A systematic review. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. doi: 10.1093/gerona/gly046.
• Robitaille, A., Van den Hout A., Machado, R.J.M., Bennett, D.A., Čukić, I., Deary, I.J., Hofer, S.M., Hoogendijke, E.O., Huisman, M., Johansson, B., Koval, A.V., Van der Noordt, M., Piccinin, A.M., Rijnhart, J.J.M., Singh-Manoux, A., Skoog, J., Skoog, I., Starr, J., Vermunt, L., Clouston, S. Muniz-Terrera, G. (2018). Transitions across cognitive states and death among older adults in relation to education: a multi-state survival model using data from six longitudinal studies. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 14(4):462-472.
• Muniz-Terrera, G., Massa, F. Robitaille, A. Benaglia, T., Johansson, B., Piccinin, A.M. (2018). Visuospatial reasoning trajectories and death in a study of the oldest old: a formal evaluation of their association. Journal of Aging and Health. doi: 10.1177/0898264317753878.
• Cadar D., Robitaille A., Clouston S., Hofer S.M., Piccinin A.M., Muniz-Terrera G. (2017). An International Evaluation of Cognitive Reserve and Memory Changes in Early Old Age in 10 European Countries. Neuroepidemiology, 48(1-2):9-20. doi: 10.1159/000452276
• Blais, S., McCleary, L., Garcia, L., Robitaille, A. (2017). Examining the benefits of intergenerational volunteering in long-term care: A review of the literature. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 15(3): 258-272.
• Muniz-Terrera, G., Robitaille, A., Kelly, A., Johansson, B., Hofer, S., Piccinin, A. (2016). Latent growth models matched to research questions to answer questions about dynamics of change in multiple processes. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 82:158-166. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.09.001
• Brown, C.L, Robitaille, A., Zelinski, E.M., Dixon, R.A., Hofer, S.M., Piccinin, A.M. (2016). Cognitive Activity Mediates the Association between Social Activity and Cognitive Performance: A Longitudinal Study. Psychology and Aging, 31(8): 831-846.
• Robitaille, A. Garcia, L., McIntosh, C.N. (2015). Joint trajectories of cognitive functioning and challenging behavior for persons living with dementia in long-term care. Psychology and Aging, 30(3): 712-26.  doi: 10.1037/a0039333
• McDonald L, Hitzig SL, Pillemer KA, Lachs MS, Beaulieu M, Brownell P, Burnes D, Caspi E, Du Mont J, Gadsby R, Goergen T, Gutman G, Hirst SP, Holmes C, Khattak S, Lowenstein A, McNeil S, Mirza RM, Moorhouse A, Podnieks E, Rideout R, Robitaille A, Rochon P, Rosenberg J, Sheppard C, Tamblyn Watts L, Thomas C.  (2015). Developing a research agenda on resident-to-resident aggression: Recommendations from a consensus conference.  Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 27:146–167.
• Robitaille, A., Muniz, G., Lindwall, M., Piccinin, A.M., Hoffman, L., Johansson, B., & Hofer, S.M. (2014). Physical activity and cognitive functioning among older adults: Within- and between-person cognitive and psychosocial mediators.  European Journal of Ageing. doi: 10.1007/s10433-014-0314-z
• Robitaille, A. Piccinin, A.M., Muniz, G., Hoffman, L. Johansson, B., Deeg, D. J.H. Aartsen M. J., Comijs H.C. & Hofer, S.H. (2013). Longitudinal Mediation of Processing Speed on Age-Related Change in Memory, Knowledge, and Fluid Intelligence. Psychology and Aging, 28(4), 887-901.
• Rowan, M., Mason, M. Robitaille, A., Labrecque, L., Tocchi, C.L. (2013). An innovative medical and dental hygiene clinic for street youth: Results of a process evaluation. Evaluation and Program Planning, 40, 10-16.
• Rowan, M., Rukholm, E., Bourque-Bearskin, L., Baker, C., Voyageur, E., Robitaille, A. (2013). Cultural competence and Cultural Safety in Canadian Schools of Nursing: A Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 43. doi: 10.1515/ijnes-2012-0043.
• Robitaille, A. Muniz, G., Piccinin, A.M., Johansson, B., Hofer, S.M. (2012). Multivariate Longitudinal Modeling of Cognitive Aging: Associations Among Change and Variation in Processing Speed and Visuospatial Ability. GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(1), 15-24.
• Robitaille, A., Orpana, H., McIntosh, C.N. (2012). Reciprocal relationship between social support and psychological distress among a national sample of older adults: An autoregressive cross-lagged model. Canadian Journal on Aging, 31(1), 13-24.
• Mitchell, M., Cimino, C.R.  Benitez, A., Brown, C.L., Gibbons, L.E., Kennison, R.F., Shirk, S.D., Atri, A., Robitaille, A. MacDonald, S., Lindwall, M., Zelinski, E.,.Willis, S.L., Schaie, K.W, Johansson, B., Dixon, R.A. Mungas, D.M., Hofer,S.M., Piccinin, A.M. (2012). Cognitively  stimulating activities: Effects on cognition across four studies with up to 21 years of longitudinal data. Journal of Aging Research. 2012, Article ID 461592, 12 pages.
• Brown, C.L., Gibbons, L.E., Kennison, R.F., Robitaille, A., Lindwall, M., Mitchell, M., Shirk, S.D., Atri, A., Cimino, C.R., Benitez, A., MacDonald, S., Zelinski, E.,.Willis, S.L., Schaie, K.W, Johansson, B., Dixon, R.A. Mungas, D.M., Hofer,S.M., Piccinin, A.M. (2012). Social Activity and Cognitive Functioning Over Time: A Coordinated Analysis of Four Longitudinal Studies Journal of Aging Research, 2012, Article ID 287438, 12 pages.
• Lindwall, M., Cimino, C.R., Gibbons, L.E., Mitchell, M., Benitez, A., Brown, C.L., Kennison, R.F., Shirk, S.D., Atri, A., Robitaille,A., MacDonald, S., Zelinski, E.,.Willis, S.L., Schaie, K.W, Johansson, B., Praetorius, M., Dixon, R.A. Mungas, D.M., Hofer,S.M., Piccinin, A.M. (2012). Dynamic associations of change in physical activity and change in cognitive function: Coordinated analyses of four longitudinal studies: Coordinated Analyses of Four Longitudinal Studies. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, Article ID 493598, 12 pages.
• Leck, J., Robitaille, A. (2011). Psychometric properties of the Behavioral Trust Inventory for measuring trust in mentoring relationships. The Journal of the American Academy of Business, 17(1), 119-124.
• Robitaille, A., Orpana, H., McIntosh, C.N. (2011). Psychometric properties, factorial structure, and measurement invariance of the English and French versions of the Medical Outcomes Study social support scale. Health Reports, 22(2), 33-40.
• Robitaille, A., Cappeliez, P., Coulombe, D., & Webster, J.D. (2010) Factorial structure and psychometric properties of the reminiscence functions scale. Aging & Mental Health. 14(2), 184-192.
• Cappeliez, P. & Robitaille, A. (2010). Coping Mediates the Relationships between Reminiscences and Well-Being among Older Adults. Aging & Mental Health, 14(7):807-18
• Cappeliez, P., Beaupré, M. & Robitaille, A. (2008). Characteristics and impact of life turning points for older adults. Ageing International, 32(1), 54-64.
• Cappeliez, P., Guindon, M., & Robitaille, A. (2008). Functions of reminiscence and emotional regulation among older adults.  Journal of Aging Studies, 22(3), 266-272.
• Cappeliez, P., Robitaille, A., McCusker, J., Cole, M.,Yaffe, M., Sewitch, M.,et al. (2007). Recovery from depression in older depressed patients in primary care: Relation with depression severity and social support. Clinical Gerontologist, 31(2), 17-32.