Survey of sampling techniques in widowhood research, 1973-1983

This study focused on the use and reporting of sampling procedures found in research on widowhood. The population of all empirical studies on widowhood listed in the Psychological Abstracts and the Sociological Abstracts from 1973 through 1983 was examined with regard to the nature of the sampling procedures used. The results suggest a less-than-desirable state of affairs in such research. Thirty-three percent of the studies did not even contain information on the sampling procedures used. Most investigators who did specify the sampling procedure did not acknowledge awareness of the limitations of generalizations of the results in concordance with the sampling procedures used. Such lack of attention to matters of scientific methodology does not bode well for the advancement of knowledge in this area.