Adjustment to Widowhood and Loneliness Among Older Men: The Influence of Military Service

Men are at higher risk of experiencing poorer adjustment to widowhood compared to women, a transition that is associated with increased loneliness. Military service may play an important role in how men process widowhood, particularly among current cohorts of older men. The present study explores whether military experiences relate to better adjustment to widowhood, that is, reduction of loneliness associated with widowhood for men. We examine (a) whether military experience, especially exposure to death, shapes changes in loneliness following widowhood relative to those without military experience, and (b) if any observed benefits of military experience are explained by greater social engagement.