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Women’s Romantic Relationships After Widowhood

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Alan Booth

The Pennsylvania State University

Karen L. Fingerman

Purdue University, West Lafayette

This study examines decisions women make about their romantic lives after widowhood. Participants were women from the Americans’ Changing Lives survey, a nationwide random sample of 3,617 Americans older than age 25 years who, in 1986, were widowed (n = 259) or had been widowed and were remarried (n = 49). Widowed participants provided information about their male companions and their interest in remarriage, as well as information about their social support, mental and physical health, age, and socioeconomic status. Logistic regressions revealed that younger age and greater unhappiness predicted interest in remarriage. Higher trait anxiety predicted having male companionship. Widows who had remarried had higher household incomes and worried less about finances than did widows who did not remarry. Widows appear to make choices about partners based on their individual needs and desires as well as the attributes and availability of partners.

Key Words: aging • human courtship • remarriage • social dating • widows

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