Duration of Widowhood and Perceived Social Support as Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing among the Widowed

Abstract

The study examined duration of widowhood and perceived social support as predictors of psychological wellbeing among the widowed. A sample of 425 participants drawn for the study with 147 males and 278 females with ages ranging from 20 to 85 years using purposive sampling technique. In the course of this study, three (3) hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance. Finding of hypothesis one (1) indicated that duration of widowhood did not significantly predicts the psychological wellbeing of the widowed, means, 13.78 (SE = .29), 14.32 (SE = .90), 17.10 (SE = 1.73), F(2, 413) = 1.912, p = .149. η2 = .009. It means the psychological wellbeing of the widowed cannot be predicted by duration of widowhood. Result of hypothesis two (2) revealed that perceived social support did not significantly predicts the psychological wellbeing of participants, means, 13.88 (SE = 1.10), 16.26 (SE = .73), F(1, 413) = 3.277, p = .071. η2 = .008. Meaning that the psychological wellbeing of the widowed cannot be predicted by perceived social support. Finding of hypothesis three (3) showed a significant interaction effect of widowhood duration and perceived social support on psychological wellbeing of the widowed, means, 13.92 (SE = .45), 13.63 (SE = .37), 11.96 (SE = 1.56), 16.68 (SE = .91), 15.75 (SE = 2.86), 18.46 (SE = 1.95), F(2, 413) = 3.743, p = .024. η2 = .018. This means the psychological wellbeing of the widowed can be predicted by the interaction of widowhood duration and perceived social support. Keywords: Duration of Widowhood, Perceived Social Support, Predictors, Psychological Wellbeing, Widowed.