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@article{ Adena2023, title = {Home Alone: Widows' Well-Being and Time}, author = {Adena, Maja and Hamermesh, Daniel and Myck, Michał and Oczkowska, Monika}, journal = {Journal of Happiness Studies}, pages = {813-838}, volume = {24}, year = {2023}, issn = {1573-7780}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00622-w}, urn = {https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-95234-7}, abstract = {Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2004-17) and time diaries from Poland (2013), the U.S. (2006-16), the U.K. (2014-15) and France (2009-10), we examine differences between widowed and partnered older women in well-being and its development in widowhood. Most importantly, our analysis accounts for time use, an aspect which has not been studied previously. We trace the evolution of well-being of women who become widowed by comparing them with their matched non-widowed 'statistical twins' and examine the role of an exceptionally broad set of potential moderators of widowhood's impact on well-being. We confirm a dramatic decrease in mental health and life satisfaction after the loss of partner, followed by a slow partial recovery over a 5-year period. An extensive set of controls recorded prior to widowhood, including detailed family ties and social networks, provides little help in explaining the deterioration in well-being. Unique data from time-diaries kept by older women in several European countries and the U.S. tell us why: the key factor behind widows' reduced well-being is increased time spent alone.}, keywords = {soziales Netzwerk; social network; Wohlbefinden; well-being; Witwe; widow; Alleinstehender; single; Frau; woman; alter Mensch; elderly; Partnerverlust; loss of partner; psychische Gesundheit; mental health; Lebenszufriedenheit; satisfaction with life}}