Living alone and psychological health in mid-life: The role of partnership history and parenthood status

Abstract

This study investigates how the psychological health of British men and women living alone in mid-life is related to partnership history and parenthood status. Although living alone in mid-life is known to be associated with poor health, and despite the substantial rise in living alone in mid-life over time, little attention has been paid to the relationship between living alone and health in mid-life. Previous research has mainly focussed on health outcomes by marital status and partnership history, but has failed to take into account that those who are either single or living without a partner could be living in very different living arrangements. This study stresses that partnership and parenthood trajectories into living alone in mid-life are diverse and that these life course trajectories are in turn related to health. It uses data from Understanding Society to examine how psychological health in mid-life of those living alone in the United Kingdom is related to several partnership characteristics and the presence of non-residential children. Preliminary findings show that several aspects of partnership history matter for psychological health in mid-life and that the relation between parenthood status and psychological health is gender-specific.

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ORCID for Ann Berrington: orcid.org/0000-0002-1683-6668

ORCID for Maria Evandrou: orcid.org/0000-0002-2115-9358

ORCID for Jane Falkingham: orcid.org/0000-0002-7135-5875

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