Lay theories of successful aging after the death of a spouse: a network text analysis of bereavement advice

Abstract

Social theories of successful aging attempt to explain how individuals adapt to changes characteristically associated with aging and to predict whether older adults' adaptations will lead to successful aging. The death of a spouse and the accompanying bereavement process entail dramatic changes to personal networks and experience to which individuals must adapt to age successfully. Network text analysis (including word frequencies, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling) of advice for adjusting to, and coping with, the loss of a spouse given by a sample of 60 bereaved spouses (mean age = 68) at 6 points in time after the death of their marital partner (3-4 weeks to 24 months) reveal respondents' lay theories of successful aging. Thematic clusters address social positioning and qualifiers, activity, communication, time, and spousal characteristics. Results indicate respondents frame their advice as unique to their context of social relationships while providing support for activity theory and negatively addressing disengagement theory.