Koropeckyj-Cox T
Department of Population and Family Health Studies, Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health and Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1998 Nov;53(6):S303-12. doi: 10.1093/geronb/53b.6.s303.
This study tests whether childlessness is significantly related to greater loneliness or depression among older adults, both alone and in conjunction with marital status.
Using data from the 1988 National Survey of Families and Households, the relative circumstances of community-dwelling, permanently childless adults and biological parents (with at least one surviving child), 50-84 years old, are compared. Multivariate models are used to test the effects of parental status and combined marital-parental statuses on loneliness and depression, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.
Results of multivariate analyses show no significant, direct effect of childlessness, though a marginally significant effect appears for women. However, small but significant differences are observed within a typology combining marital and parental statuses. Widowed men and women report higher levels of loneliness and depression than married parents regardless of parental status. Divorced parents are also significantly more vulnerable. The subjective well-being of never married, childless men and women is indistinguishable from that of their married peers.
The results confirm earlier studies, indicating that childlessness is not necessarily linked with diminished subjective well-being among older adults. However, marital status represents an important context within which to understand and evaluate the experience of parental status.
本研究旨在检验在老年人中，无子女状态是否与更高程度的孤独感或抑郁显著相关，包括单独来看以及结合婚姻状况来看。
利用1988年全国家庭调查的数据，对居住在社区、年龄在50至84岁的无子女成年人和亲生父母（至少有一个在世子女）的相关情况进行比较。使用多变量模型来检验父母身份以及婚姻与父母身份的组合状态对孤独感和抑郁的影响，并控制社会人口统计学特征。
多变量分析结果显示，无子女状态没有显著的直接影响，不过对女性有微弱的显著影响。然而，在结合婚姻和父母身份的类型中观察到了虽小但显著的差异。无论父母身份如何，丧偶的男性和女性报告的孤独感和抑郁程度都高于已婚有子女的父母。离婚的父母也明显更脆弱。从未结婚且无子女的男性和女性的主观幸福感与已婚同龄人没有区别。
结果证实了早期研究，表明无子女状态不一定与老年人主观幸福感降低有关。然而，婚姻状况是理解和评估父母身份体验的一个重要背景。
