Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This paper elaborates on relational processes of social support after widowhood in mid-life. It extends knowledge in effective support by examining themes of friendship communication between widows and their friends rather than widows’ individual perceptions, and co-construction of support communication. Findings indicate that when social support is constructed between individuals with a focus on the specific relationship, support is highly valued. General support that does not consider the individual or relationship between widow and other is seen as unhelpful. It concludes by suggesting future research on social support take a dyadic approach.

Keywords

social support widowhood grief friendship

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Afifi

T. D.

Basinger

E. D.

Kam

J. A.

(2020). The extended theoretical model of communal coping: Understanding the properties and functionality of communal coping. Journal of Communication, 70(3), 424–446. https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqaa006

Afifi

T. D.

Hutchinson

Krouse

(2006). Toward a theoretical model of communal coping in post-divorce families and other naturally occurring groups. Communication Theory, 16(3), 378–409. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2006.00275.x

United States Census Bureau (2020). Marriages ending in widowhood in the last year by sex and marital status for the population. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=widowhood&tid=ACSDT1Y2018.B12502&hidePreview=false

Bahr

H. M.

Harvey

C. D.

(1980). Correlates of morale among the newly widowed. The Journal of Social Psychology, 110(2), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1980.9924249

Bankoff

E. A.

(1983). Social support and adaptation to widowhood. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45(4), 827–839. https://doi.org/10.2307/351795

Baxter, L. A. (2009). Voicing relationships: A dialogic perspective. Sage.

Beem

E. E.

Schut

H. A.

Maes

Cleiren

Garssen

(2000). Psychological functioning of recently bereaved, middle-aged women: The first 13 months. Psychological Reports, 87(1), 243–254. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2000.87.1.243

Braun

Clarke

(2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Duck, S. (1994). Meaningful relationships: Talking, sense, and relating. Sage.

10.

Elwert

Christakis

N. A.

(2006). Widowhood and race. American Sociological Review, 71(1), 16–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100102

11.

Goldsmith

(2004). Communicating social support. Cambridge University Press.

12.

J. H.

(2008). Changes in support from confidants, children, and friends following widowhood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70(2), 306–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00483.x

13.

Herkert

B. M.

(2000). Communicating grief. Omega—Journal of Death and Dying, 41(2), 93–115. https://doi.org/10.2190/M7G5-XQGN-K3NN-U8AQ

14.

Kalish

(1982). Death and survivorship: The final transition. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 464(1), 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716282464001015

15.

Kowalski

S. D.

Bondmass

M. D.

(2008). Physiological and psychological symptoms of grief in widows. Research in Nursing & Health, 31(1), 23–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20228

16.

Lopata

H. Z.

(1996). Current widowhood: Myths & realities. SAGE Publications.

17.

Morgan

Carder

Neal

(1997). Are some relationships more useful than others? The value of similar others in the networks of recent widows. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 14(6), 745–759. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407597146002

18.

Murray Parkes

C. M.

Prigerson

H. G.

(2013). Bereavement: Studies of grief in adult life. Routledge.

19.

Niemeyer

R. A.

(2004). Research on grief and bereavement: Evolution and revolution. Death Studies, 28, 489–490. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180490461179

20.

Ott

C. H.

Lueger

R. J.

(2002). Patterns of change in mental health status during the first two years of spousal bereavement. Death Studies, 26(5), 387–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180290087375

21.

Parkes

C. M.

Brown

R. J.

(1972). Health after bereavement: A controlled study of young Boston widows and widowers. Psychosomatic Medicine, 34(5), 449–461. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197209000-00008

22.

Pederson

J. R.

Faw

M. H.

(2019). Communal coping following relational transgressions: Perspectives of third-party personal network members. Communication Reports, 32(3), 112–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2019.1608281

23.

Servaty-Seib

H. L.

(2004). Connections between counseling theories and current theories of grief and mourning. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(2), 125–145.

24.

Ungar

Florian

(2004). What helps middle-aged widows with their psychological and social adaptation several years after their loss? Death Studies, 28(7), 621–642. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180490476434

25.

26.

Utz

R. L.

Carr

Nesse

Wortman

C. B.

(2002). The effect of widowhood on older adults’ social participation: An evaluation of activity, disengagement, and continuity theories. The Gerontologist, 42(4), 522–533. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/42.4.522

27.

Utz

R. L.

Caserta

Lund

(2012). Grief, depressive symptoms, and physical health among recently bereaved spouses. The Gerontologist, 52(4), 460–471. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnr110

I Am This Widow: Social Support in Friendship After the Loss of a Spouse in Mid-Life

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References