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Death of a child and parental wellbeing in old age: Evidence from Taiwan

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  • Lee, Chioun
  • Glei, Dana A.
  • Weinstein, Maxine
  • Goldman, Noreen

Abstract

The death of a child is one of the most traumatic events that a parent can experience. The psychological and physical consequences of bereavement are well established, and the consequences are more severe for mothers than fathers. However, little is known about how the death of an adult child affects parental wellbeing in old age or how the deceased child's sex may moderate the association. We use data from the Taiwanese Longitudinal Study of Aging (TLSA) to investigate how the death of a son or a daughter differentially affects the wellbeing of older parents, measured by depressive symptoms and self-rated health. We find that for mothers, a son's death is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms and a decline in self-rated health, but fathers' health is not adversely affected by a son's death. There is little evidence that a daughter's death has a negative effect on either maternal or paternal wellbeing. We situate these findings within their social and cultural contexts and discuss social policies that would reduce gender and health inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Lee, Chioun & Glei, Dana A. & Weinstein, Maxine & Goldman, Noreen, 2014. "Death of a child and parental wellbeing in old age: Evidence from Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 166-173.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:101:y:2014:i:c:p:166-173
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.08.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Alburez-Gutierrez, Diego & Kolk, Martin & Zagheni, Emilio, 2019. "Women's experience of child death over the life course: A global demographic perspective," SocArXiv s69fz, Center for Open Science.
    2. Dan Chen & Yuying Tong, 2021. "Do Social Timing and Gender Matter to Parental Depression Aroused by Traumatic Experience of Child Bereavement? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    3. Park, Sujeong & Kim, Jinho, 2024. "The death of an adult child and trajectories of parental depressive symptoms: A gender-based longitudinal analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).

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