Social Support Coverage and the Well-Being of Elderly Widows and Married Women

Abstract

The relationship between social support coverage and well-being was examined in four subgroups from a national sample of women ages 50 and older: first married ( N = 151), widows ( N = 144), widows within the last five years ( n = 60), and widows for longer than five years ( n = 84). The index of support coverage represented how many of six functions were carried out by at least one supporter. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) that support coverage is associated with well-being in all subgroups, and (2) that social support is more strongly associated with well-being in the subgroups experiencing higher stress, that is, widows more than married women and recent widows more than long-term ones. The hypotheses were not supported. Instead, the relationships between social support and well-being were positive in some groups and negative in others. The importance of considering the causal directions of links between social support and well-being and the possible negative consequences of receiving social support are discussed.