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Romantic Relationships and Well-being in Later Life

Year: 2018
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Romantic relationships are one of the most central familial ties shaping well-being across the life course. This symposium contributes to our understanding of the complex ways in which romantic partners impact the psychological well-being, physical health, and health behaviors of older adults. The first set of papers use dyadic data to highlight the unique effects romantic partners have on each other’s health and well-being during later life. Kim and colleagues use data from the Korean Baby Boomer Panel Study (KBBPS) (2014) to identify profiles of health behaviors among Korean baby boomer couples based on the couples’ reports of risk and preventive health behaviors. Liu, Shen, and Hsieh use data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) (2010–11) to examine how giving and receiving oral sex is related to relationship quality and mental health during older adulthood. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), Jasper and Gilligan investigate how older spousal partners’ chronic stress and perceived relationship quality are related to risk for multiple chronic diseases. Franks, Thomas, Rector and Friedman use data from the Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) to examine the moderating effects of marital status on the mediated pathway linking multimorbidity to mortality through mobility limitations. A discussion will follow to summarize and integrate the papers to highlight the processes through which romantic relationships are linked to health and well-being in later life. Special attention will given to gender differences in the associations between romantic relationships and well-being.
DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy023.2158
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2899647061
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Cited by: 1
Related to: 10