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The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Advance Access originally published online on February 12, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 2009 64B(4):497-506; doi:10.1093/geronb/gbn043
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Quality of Marriages in Later Life and Emotional and Social Loneliness

Jenny de Jong Gierveld1,2, Marjolein Broese van Groenou2, Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn3 and Johannes H. Smit3

1 Department of Sociology, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, The Hague
2 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
3 Department of Psychiatry, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Address correspondence to Jenny de Jong Gierveld, PhD, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, P.O. Box 11650, 2502 AR The Hague, The Netherlands. Email: gierveld{at}nidi.nl


  Abstract

Objectives: We examine the extent of emotional and social loneliness among older people and how the evaluation of the functioning and quality of marriages plays a role.

Methods: Data on 755 respondents aged 64–92 are taken from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (Wave 2001–2002). Hierarchical negative binomial regression analysis is used.

Results: Between 1 in 4 and 5 older adults who are married exhibit moderate or strong emotional or social loneliness. Stronger emotional and social loneliness is observed in adults whose spouse has health problems, who do not often receive emotional support from the spouse, who have nonfrequent conversations or are in disagreement, or who evaluate their current sex life as not (very) pleasant or not applicable. Emotional loneliness is stronger among women in second marriages, whereas marked social loneliness is especially characteristic of older men with disabled spouses. Moreover, smaller social networks and less contact with children also increase emotional and social loneliness in later life.

Discussion: Differentiating marital quality and gender provides greater insight into emotional and social loneliness in married older people.

Key Words: Loneliness • Emotional loneliness • Social loneliness • Marriage • Marriage quality

Received February 4, 2008; Accepted December 12, 2008

Decision Editor: Kenneth F. Ferraro, PhD


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