Black/White Differences in Psychological Adjustment to Spousal Loss Among Older Adults

Abstract

This study examines differences between Blacks and Whites in the effect of widowhood on depressive symptoms and anxiety; in grief symptoms six months after spousal loss; and the extent to which these differences are explained by marital quality, social support from children and friends, and religiosity. Analyses are based on the Changing Lives of Older Couples, a prospective study of 1,532 married individuals aged 65 and older. Widowhood is associated with elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms, yet these effects do not differ by race. Among widowed persons only, Blacks and Whites report similar levels of overall grief, yearning, intrusive thoughts, shock, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, whereas Blacks report significantly lower levels of anger and despair. The racial gap in anger is explained by Blacks’higher levels of religious participation and social support from children, whereas the difference in despair reflects Blacks’ higher levels of preloss marital conflict.

Keywords

African Americans bereavement grief psychological adjustment racial differences widowhood

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