Changes in Family Interaction following Widowhood

Interaction with kin is thought to be criticalfor aging men and women who have lost their spouses, but longitudinal research on family reactions to this loss is scarce. Using data from the Longitudinal Retirement History Study, this research finds that average frequency of interaction with available kin increases for both married and widowed persons over time, with the greatest increase among women who become widowed. The total number of contacts, in contrast, decreases for both widows and widowers. Regression analyses show that these changes do not result from differences in age, race, health, or income.