Home Alone: Widows' Well-Being and Time

Maja Adena, Daniel S. Hamermesh (), Michal Myck and Monika Oczkowska ()
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Daniel S. Hamermesh: University of Texas at Austin

No 14881, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Losing a partner is a life-changing experience. We draw on numerous datasets to examine differences between widowed and partnered older women and to provide a comprehensive picture of well-being in widowhood. Most importantly, our analysis accounts for time use in widowhood, an aspect which has not been studied previously. Based on data from several European countries we trace the evolution of well-being of women who become widowed by comparing them with their matched non-widowed 'statistical twins' and examine the role of an exceptionally broad set of potential moderators of widowhood's impact on well-being. We confirm a dramatic decrease in mental health and life satisfaction after the loss of partner, followed by a slow recovery. An extensive set of controls recorded prior to widowhood, including detailed family ties and social networks, provides little help in explaining the deterioration in well-being. Unique data from time-diaries kept by older women from several European countries and the U.S. tell us why: the key factor behind widows' reduced well-being is increased time spent alone.

Keywords: time use; well-being; social networks; widowhood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I19 I31 J14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2021-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-dem, nep-eur, nep-hap, nep-hea, nep-ltv and nep-soc
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Published - revised version published in: Journal of Happiness Studies , 2023, 24, 813 - 838

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Related works:
Journal Article: Home Alone: Widows’ Well-Being and Time (2023)
Journal Article: Home Alone: Widows’ Well-Being and Time (2023)
Working Paper: Home alone: Widows' Well-Being and Time (2023)
Working Paper: Home alone: Widows' well-being and time (2021)
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