Abstract
This research examined dimensions of life satisfaction of rural lifelong single elders in comparison with their married and widowed counterparts. A random sample including 30 singles, 214 married, and 163 widowed adults aged 65 to 99 years was interviewed. Contrary to much of the literature, the data indicated that single adults lead relatively active lifestyles. Lifelong singles reported experiencing significantly more loneliness and unhappiness than the married, but less loneliness than the widowed. Taken as a whole, self-rated life satisfaction was not significantly different for singles, the married, or the widowed.
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Author's Note: This study (NCAES 13240) was supported by the Science and Education Administration/Cooperative Research, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250; The North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, N. C., 27607; and the School of Home Economics, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 27412. The author gratefully acknowledges the comments and criticism provided on earlier drafts of the manuscript by Dr. Vira R. Kivett, Max Learner, Judith Boyd, and the reviewers.
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Scott, J.P. Single rural elders. J Fam Econ Iss 2, 359–378 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01083714
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01083714