The Gerontologist, Vol 30, Issue 3 391-398, Copyright © 1990 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Recent widows' kin support and orientations to self-sufficiency

SL O'Bryant and LA Morgan
Department of Family Relations and Human Development, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.

This paper examines two issues: the role of the adult child network in task support to widows, and whether widows' attitudes toward independence result in lower levels of task support. Data on recently widowed women suggest that many are quite self-sufficient; however, in those areas where support is needed, they largely rely on children. Widows' past experiences and attitudes toward independence influence the amount of overall help they receive, whereas income, number of children, and perceived willingness of children to help affect the proportion of help that comes from children.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-H. Ha, D. Carr, R. L. Utz, and R. Nesse Older Adults' Perceptions of Intergenerational Support After Widowhood: How Do Men and Women Differ? Journal of Family Issues, January 1, 2006; 27(1): 3 - 30. [Abstract] [PDF]