The Effects of Late-Life Spousal Bereavement Over a 30-Month Interval

Abstract

Self-report measures o f grief, depression, and general psychopathology were studied in widows and widowers over a 2.5-year period following death o f their partner. A com parison sample o f m en and wom en was also followed for the sam e period. Differences in severity o f depression and psychopathology previously reported at 2 m onths postloss (Gallagher, Breckenridge, Thom pson, & Peterson, 1983) dim inished to nonsignificant levels at 12 and 30 months. However, significant differences between bereaved and com parison subjects on m easures o f grief were still apparent 30 m onths after spousal loss. A m ain effect o f gender for depression and psychopathology (but not for grief) was found at 2 and 12 months: Women reported more distress than m en regardless o f bereavem ent status. Results indicate that the experience o f grief persists for at least 30 m onths in both older m en and wom en who have lost their spouse.