title: Personal strength and finding meaning in conjugally bereaved older adults: a four-year prospective analysis.
abstract: This study was performed to identify the patterns and mechanisms of the development of personal strength of bereaved older adults over a 4-year period after spousal death. The findings showed that while bereaved older adults, on average, experienced a moderate level of personal strength at 6 months post-spousal death with a slight increase over a 4-year period, there was a significant individual difference in the level of personal strength at 6 months post-spousal death. Finding meaning was a crucial factor influencing interindividual differences in personal strength at 6 months post-spousal death, mediating between social support and personal strength as well as caregiving strain and personal strength. Having higher religiosity was directly associated with a higher level of personal strength.
authors: The Institute of Nursing Science, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea. suhyun_kim@knu.ac.kr
authors: Su Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Kjervik
authors: College of Nursing, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Belyea
authors: The Institute of Nursing Science, College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
authors: Eun Sook
authors: ES
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D017805:Widowhood / Q000523:psychology*