2026/02/18 by Jianji Chen, Zachary Van Winkle, Sergi Vidal +1 · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Family Dynamics and Relationships #Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health #Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving
paper · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbag025
openalex publication_date 2026/02/18 · openalex created_date 2026/02/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
OBJECTIVES: Previous research on the economic outcomes of widowhood for older adults has often treated spousal death as a single event rather than a process, thereby neglecting the temporal dynamics of economic well-being. This study investigates changes in economic well-being before, during, and after spousal death among Chinese adults aged 65 or older. It also examines how these changes are influenced by coresidence with adult children and vary by gender and occupational background. METHODS: A sample of 5,451 individuals aged 65+ from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS 2002-2018) and fixed-effects regressions were used to assess changes in the likelihood of income adequacy around spousal death. RESULTS: Contrary to expectations, the likelihood of income adequacy increases across the process of widowhood. These gains are heterogeneous and contingent on coresidence with adult children. Men and individuals with agricultural backgrounds see larger improvements on average. For women and individuals with agricultural backgrounds, the improvement is far more dependent on coresiding with adult children. DISCUSSION: The observed improvement in economic well-being reflects how older adults, who often have limited personal income, depend on their adult children in a familistic welfare system lacking sufficient public support for older adult care. Women and those with agricultural occupational backgrounds emerge as particularly vulnerable and dependent within these economic well-being dynamics.