Citation

Vinovskis MA. Hum. Nat. 1990; 1(2): 109-122.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF02692148

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

As recently as 1970 about one-fifth of the children living in single-parent households resided in ones created by the death of a father. In colonial and nineteenth-century America, death was a much more important factor in disrupting parent-child relationships than it is today. Past societal reaction to the death of a parent continues to influence social policy; for example, widows and their dependent children receive more public assistance than divorced mothers or single mothers with children born out-of-wedlock. Although the material conditions for widows have improved over time, the social network available to help them cope with the emotional distress caused by the death of a husband probably has diminished.

Language: en