Published on: Jul 30, 2025
A new study from Florida State University’s Claude Pepper Center and Pepper Institute on Aging & Public Policy highlights the critical role of psychological resilience (PR) in helping older adults navigate widowhood — with notable gender differences in recovery outcomes.
Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the three-year project investigates how stressful life events interact with resilience in later life. Directed by Dawn Carr (Claude Pepper Center) and Miles Taylor (Pepper Institute), with Shekhar Chauhan (FSU Postdoctoral Fellow) as lead author, the research focuses specifically on how pre-widowhood resilience influences mental health after spousal loss.
Widowhood is one of the most devastating social events in life,” Carr explained. “If you’re married later in life, you have a 50/50 chance of experiencing it — and how well you prepare can make a big difference.
Key Findings
Depressive symptoms spike immediately after spousal loss for both men and women, regardless of PR.
Men with moderate to high PR and women with high PR were more likely to return to pre-loss depression levels within two years.
High PR was also linked to fewer depressive symptoms over time among continuously married individuals.
For women, high PR not only enabled full recovery, but in some cases led to better mental health than before widowhood.
Women with low PR did not fully recover, while men generally returned to baseline regardless of PR level.
While resilience didn’t prevent the initial emotional impact, it significantly shaped recovery trajectories. Chauhan notes that enhancing resilience earlier in life may better equip older adults for challenges like widowhood.
The study underscores the public health potential of resilience-building interventions, which could improve not only mental health but also physical outcomes. For example, Carr points out that higher resilience is associated with lower risk of repeated falls — making it a cornerstone of healthy aging.
Researchers are continuing to explore how PR supports independence, well-being, and adaptive coping strategies across the lifespan, with the goal of integrating resilience training into broader aging and health programs.
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