The Role of Anticipatory Bereavement in Older Women's Adjustment to Widowhood

Older widows (n = 95) were evaluated at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year following the death of their spouse. Hypothesized was that widows who expected the death of their spouse would adjust better to bereavement than those who did not expect the death. Results revealed, however, that expectancy of death was not related to adjustment to bereavement. Widows who had rehearsed for the role of widowhood fared no better in their adjustment to bereavement than widows who did not rehearse.