Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
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Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 5 S321-S329, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Loneliness among the never and formerly married: the importance of supportive friendships and a desire for independence

PA Dykstra
Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI), The Hague, The Netherlands.

Loneliness is an experience that is commonly associated with being old and without a partner. Results from a Dutch sample involving 131 unpartnered men and women between the ages of 65 and 75 indicate that the absence of friendship support rather than being single is an important determinant of loneliness. In accordance with the theory of mental incongruity, relationship standards and perceived opportunities of improving relationships are also shown to be significantly associated with loneliness. Older men and women without a partner are most vulnerable to loneliness when they have a high partner standard or a low singlehood standard, and see few opportunities to change their situation (for example, as a result of experienced health restrictions). A better understanding of loneliness is obtained if not only the quality of relationships is considered, but also the degree of congruity between relationships and relationship standards, and the favorability of perceived opportunities for bringing about improvements.


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