Psychological adjustment to divorce and widowhood in mid- and later life: do coping strategies and personality protect against psychological distress? (original) (raw)
Related papers
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2005
AimThe study examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally psychological wellbeing in the context of marital status, gender, and age.The study examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally psychological wellbeing in the context of marital status, gender, and age.MethodMeasures were taken eight years apart for three groups: married at both interviews; widowed at both interviews; and married at first interview but widowed at third. Data were analysed using multiple regression models: dependent variables were morale and social engagement; independent variables were marital status, gender and age.Measures were taken eight years apart for three groups: married at both interviews; widowed at both interviews; and married at first interview but widowed at third. Data were analysed using multiple regression models: dependent variables were morale and social engagement; independent variables were marital status, gender and age.ResultsCross-sectionally significant differences were found for marital status and age for both morale and social engagement. Both widowed and newly widowed participants reported lower morale and social engagement than their married counterparts. In the longitudinal model, when prior levels of morale were taken into account, only age and being newly widowed contributed significantly to the variance (R2). The same pattern of results was found for social engagement. Gender was never significant.Cross-sectionally significant differences were found for marital status and age for both morale and social engagement. Both widowed and newly widowed participants reported lower morale and social engagement than their married counterparts. In the longitudinal model, when prior levels of morale were taken into account, only age and being newly widowed contributed significantly to the variance (R2). The same pattern of results was found for social engagement. Gender was never significant.ConclusionThe results illustrate the value of modelling both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. The latter demonstrated that the size of the effect differed between those who had recently widowed and those who had been widowed for longer. The study shows that age needs to be taken into account when examining widowhood. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.The results illustrate the value of modelling both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. The latter demonstrated that the size of the effect differed between those who had recently widowed and those who had been widowed for longer. The study shows that age needs to be taken into account when examining widowhood. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Marriage and Family Review, 2017
This study assesses whether prior marital quality moderates the impact of divorce or widowhood on subsequent depression. Poor marital quality may buffer depression associated with divorce/ widowhood; conversely, the effect of divorce/widowhood on depression could be exacerbated by previous marital quality. Three waves from the National Survey of Families and Households based on respondents, ages 50 and older, (N = 2,570) included eight marital quality measures. We find limited evidence suggesting higher marital quality elevates, while lower marital quality decreases, depression after divorce. No moderating effects were found for widowhood. Additionally, health condition is more important than current marital status for elders' wellbeing after divorce or widowhood. Heterogeneity in the context of the marriage before divorce should be considered when examining marital termination effects on elders' depression. KEYWORDS depressive symptoms; divorce; marital quality; older adults; widowhood Although accumulated research has found a negative effect of marital termination on individuals' well-being (Das, 2013; Metsä-Simola & Martikainen, 2013; Utz, Caserta, & Lund, 2011), according to life course theories (Dannefer, 2008; Elder, 1994), the time and place of such transitional events (i.e., divorce or widowhood) can also affect their influence on individuals' well-being. As emphasized by Elder (1994, p. 12), "The developmental antecedents and consequences of life transitions, events, and behavioral patterns vary according to their timing in a person's life." Compared with the loss of a spouse by widowhood, divorce is more unexpected for older adults. Although divorce rate among older adults has been increasing in the last decades because of the baby boom generation enters older age, Brown and Lin (2012) pointed out that divorce is still more common among middle-aged people than older adults. Using an Irish longitudinal data, Kamiya, Doyle, Henretta, & Timonen (2013) pointed out that divorce in later life had a direct impact on depressive symptoms. According to national longitudinal data, Lin (2008) showed that divorced elderly fathers have less financial support from their adult children than bereaved fathers (Lin, 2008).
Cohort and Gender Differences in Psychosocial Adjustment to Later-Life Widowhood
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2015
Despite the large body of literature on bereavement, little is known about the impact of sociohistorical context on individual reactions to spousal loss. This study examines the effect of marital status, time period and gender on physical and mental health, and whether reported difficulties following spousal loss differ at 2 distinctive time periods. Two cohorts of older bereaved persons (n = 753) in Switzerland, surveyed in 1979 and 2011, were compared regarding their reports of difficulties related to marital loss. The bereaved spouses were also compared with a group of married contemporaries (n = 1,517) regarding subjective health and depressive symptoms. Marital status and gender each have independent effects on subjective health and depressive symptoms. The effects of widowhood on subjective health differed significantly at both time points. Widowed individuals in 2011, especially women, reported fewer social and financial difficulties than their counterparts in 1979. However, ...
Longitudinal changes in mental and physical health among elderly, recently widowed men
Mortality, 1998
Mental and physical health, morale and social functioning were assessed in a sample of elderly men widowed during the course of a longitudinal study. Measures were taken before these men were widowed, and then re-measured four years later, after they had been widowed. They were compared with a sample of age-matched still-married controls. There were no significant differences as a result of either marital status or time for mental health, morale or social functioning. However, there were significant interactions between time and marital status for these variables. Those men who had recently become widowed showed declines in mental health, morale and social functioning. Physical health showed a significant difference for time alone, with both the widowed and still-married men showing declines in physical health over the four year period. The results confirm earlier findings which indicate that men's mental health and morale is affected by widowhood. They also show that men reduce their participation in social activities following bereavement. This is of particular interest since it is in marked contrast to the evidence of stability in this area of functioning among women. The implications of this finding, and the others, are examined.
Marital Biography and Health at Mid-Life
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2009
This article develops a series of hypotheses about the long-term effects of one's history of marriage, divorce, and widowhood on health, and it tests those hypotheses using data from the Health and Retirement Study. We examine four dimensions of health at mid-life: chronic conditions, mobility limitations, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms. We find that the experience of marital disruption damages health, with the effects still evident years later; among the currently married, those who have ever been divorced show worse health on all dimensions. Both the divorced and widowed who do not remarry show worse health than the currently married on all dimensions. Dimensions of health that seem to develop slowly, such as chronic conditions and mobility limitations, show strong effects of past marital disruption, whereas others, such as depressive symptoms, seem more sensitive to current marital status. Those who spent more years divorced or widowed show more chronic conditions...
Gender Differences in the Depressive Effect of Widowhood in Later Life
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2001
Objectives. This study documented the stronger adverse effect of widowhood on the psychological well-being of men than that of women and explained why this gender difference in the effect of widowhood exists. Methods. Data came from Wave 1 of the National Survey of Families and Households. Married and widowed people aged 65 and older were selected (n ϭ 1,686). The dependent variable was the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Results. Widowhood was indeed more depressing for men than women. However, this was due primarily to the fact that married men were much less depressed than married women; widowed men and women were comparably depressed. Other contributors to the stronger effect of widowhood for men included men's shorter average time since widowhood, lower frequency of church attendance, stronger dislike of domestic labor, and lessened ability to assist their children. Discussion. Although widowhood has a strong depressive effect for older men, its effect for women is nonsignificant, and it explains a small proportion of the variation in depressive symptomatology. This suggests that most people, particularly women, adapt relatively well in the long run.
The Short-Term and Decade-Long Effects of Divorce on Women's Midlife Health
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2006
We hypothesize that divorce immediately increases psychological distress and has long-term negative consequences for the physical health of divorced people. In addition, we hypothesize that divorce indirectly causes long-term increases in distress through stressful midlife events. The hypotheses are tested using data from 416 rural Iowa women who were interviewed repeatedly in the early 1990s when they were mothers of adolescent children; the women were interviewed again in 2001. The data support the hypotheses. In the years immediately after their divorce (1991–1994), divorced women reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress than married women but no differences in physical illness. A decade later (in 2001), the divorced women reported significantly higher levels of illness, even after controlling for age, remarriage, education, income, and prior health. Compared to their married counterparts, divorced women reported higher levels of stressful life events betwee...
Patterns of psychological adaptation to divorce after a long-term marriage
Despite the increase in divorces after a long relationship, this trend remains a neglected research topic. The present contribution seeks to identify patterns of psychological adaptation to divorce after a long-term marriage. Data from a questionnaire study with 308 persons aged 45–65 years, who divorced after having been married for an average of 25 years, are presented. Exploratory latent profile analysis with various well-being outcomes revealed five groups: one with average adapted, one with resilients, and three small groups with seriously affected individuals. Discriminant variables between the groups were personality, time since separation, a new relationship, and financial situation. Age, gender, and length of marriage played a marginal role; satisfaction with the former marriage and initiator status were not relevant.
Marital Quality and Psychological Adjustment to Widowhood Among Older Adults
Journals of Gerontology Series B-psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2000
Objectives. This study examined whether psychological adjustment to widowhood is affected by three aspects of marital quality-warmth, conflict, and instrumental dependence-assessed prior to the loss. Methods. The Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) is a prospective study of a two-stage area probability sample of 1,532 married individuals aged 65 and older. The CLOC includes baseline data on marital quality and mental health and data on grief, anxiety, and depression collected 6, 18, and 48 months after spousal loss. Results. Widowhood was associated with elevated anxiety among those who were highly dependent on their spouses and lower levels of anxiety among those who were not dependent on their spouses. Levels of yearning were lower for widowed persons whose relationships were conflicted at baseline and higher for those reporting high levels of marital closeness and dependence on their spouses. Women who relied on their husbands for instrumental support had significantly higher levels of yearning than men who depended on their wives. Discussion. The findings contradict the widespread belief that grief is more severe if the marriage was conflicted and suggest a more complex relationship between bereavement and characteristics of the marriage.