This qualitative study of nine women examined the changes in their everyday lives as they cared for their terminally-ill husbands and after their husbands died. It also studied how the women coped with these changes, and how their coping contributed to their identity change from wife to widow. Symbolic interaction was utilized to study the changes…

Examined how narcissistic intrusion during early childhood may develop into narcissistic difficulties which manifest themselves later in life in feelings of loneliness in elderly women (N=207). Results indicated loneliness in old age was greater among an intruded group in comparison to those whose parental influence was not intrusive. (Author/ABL)

Applies Erikson's life cycle conception of ego integrity versus despair in old age to three octogenarian women: Augusta Turnley (fiction), Florida Scott-Maxwell, and Arie Carpenter. Both dialectical struggle in Erikson's model of old age and specific components of ego integrity, despair, and wisdom are made concrete in theoretical exploration of…

Investigated contention that differences in styles of reminiscence of older persons could be explained by their levels of ego development in women (n=75) residing in long-term care facilities. Found women with affirming styles of reminiscence had higher levels of ego development than women with negating and despairing styles. (Author/ABL)

Studied elderly religious women (n=30) using a phenomenological interview technique. Discusses women's "call to vocation," the remembered life events that influenced their decisions to enter the convent as young girls. Participants described motivations and spiritual direction. Uses remembrances of three women to demonstrate circumstances and…

The impact of early life events that take place under specific historical and societal circumstances on adult development have rarely been investigated in old age. We examined whether having started a family in young adulthood was related to the contents of possible selves generated by women aged 85 to 100+ in the Berlin Aging Study (N = 129; M…

Life histories of 27 white, middle-aged, middle class, American mothers were analyzed for career-like components. Motherhood dominates these women but is only one of several careers in their lives. The career set acts as a social and personal resource, providing consistent and continuous meaning throughout major periods of time. (Author)