Resilient Widowed Older Adults and their Family and Friend Relations

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of family and friends to the resiliency of older widows. Data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) survey (Waite et al., 2007), which sampled persons 57-85 years of age (n = 3005), was used. It was hypothesized that older widows have greater breadth and depth of family and friend relationships than older married adults. Multiple regression analysis results revealed that older widows engaged more frequently in family and friend relations compared to older married adults, possibly enabling greater resilience to widowhood.