Friendship Patterns among Older Women

Abstract

This study examined the friendship patterns of older women. The participants in the study were white, middle-class, urban women, sixty-five years of age or older. Results indicated the older widowed women received more help from their friends than did married older women. In addition, significant differences in the morale of the older women were found according to the equity of helping behaviors with friends. Specifically, those equitably benefited women had a higher mean morale score than over benefited women. The under benefited women also had a higher mean morale score than the over benefited women. Discussion centered on the importance of friends in the lives of older women as well as on implications for friendship support systems in late life.