Midlife women's narratives of living alone

Women who live alone in the United States maintain connectedness in ways that are not fully understood. The purposes of this study were to (1) describe midlife women's definitions of themselves and how these are related to living alone; (2) identify the role of connections in relation to self; and (3) describe how self-definition is related to well-being. Van Manen's interpretive phenomenology and Riessmann's method of narrative analysis were used to examine the role of connections and well-being. Living alone was a core component of self. Outside connections supported the women's well-being. Women's future concerns included disability and financial viability. Directions for further study include examining the concepts of mattering and belonging in relation to women's emotional health.