Adjustment to violent and natural deaths in later and earlier life for black and white widows

This study explored the role of mode and unexpectedness of death, age, race, and marital status on psychological symptoms for widows approximately 6 months after their husbands' deaths.

Midwestern samples were drawn from death/divorce records for 276 Black and White women aged 19-74 whose husbands had died from homicide, suicide, or accidental death; 276 matched natural death widows; 188 separated/divorced women.

Mode of death was not related to psychological symptoms. Contrary to expectation, widows of the men who had died from long-term natural illnesses exhibited more distress than widows of men who had died from violent and sudden, natural deaths combined. Indicative of their heightened overall symptoms, widows were more distressed than divorced women. Middle-aged and younger widows were more distressed than older ones. White widows reported more symptoms than Blacks in violent but not natural deaths. Black widows whose spouses had died from suicide had higher psychological distress on some indicators, supporting the greater stigma of suicide among Black persons.

Results of smaller studies on the minimal role of mode of death in bereavement are supported, but more research on age, race, and "off-time" deaths in short- and long-term adjustment is needed.