Marital Dissolution and Cognitive Function in Mid- and Late Adulthood
Author Information
Author(s): Tucker Julia, Farina Mateo, Han Sae Hwang
Primary Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Hypothesis
How do cognitive function changes within individuals as they experience widowhood and divorce transitions, and do these changes vary depending on the timing of the marital dissolution?
Conclusion
The study found that widowhood transitions affect cognitive function differently for women depending on the timing, while divorce transitions do not significantly impact cognitive function for either gender.
Supporting Evidence
- Cognitive function changes for women after widowhood depend on when the loss occurs.
- Midlife widowhood is linked to worse cognitive function, while late-life widowhood is linked to better cognitive function.
- Divorce does not significantly affect cognitive function for either men or women.
Takeaway
When people lose their spouse, it can change how well they think, but this change can be different depending on when it happens in their life.
Methodology
The study used 11 waves of longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study and multilevel models to analyze cognitive function changes.
Limitations
The study may not account for all factors influencing cognitive function changes during marital transitions.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 20,114 individuals from the Health and Retirement Study, with observations spanning from 1998 to 2018.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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