{"title":"Experiences of Happiness in Late Life Repartnering: Between Surprised Being Happy and Disappointed Not Being Happy From a Dyadic View","authors":"Chaya Koren","doi":"10.1007/s12126-022-09499-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Research indicates that happiness increases with age, however, the common layperson perception is that happiness decreases with age. Late-life repartnering is a phenomenon developing with the increase in life expectancy, entered to enjoy life. It is not officially recognized as an option in Israel, culturally located between tradition and modernity. Within this social context, the aim is to explore the experience of happiness in late life repartnering relationships from a dyadic partner perspective and understand its meaning within the cultural society it is developing in. Data was drawn from a larger phenomenology study conducted on the meaning of late life repartnering from a dyadic view. 38 semi-structured qualitative interviews (19 couples) were conducted with functionally independent repartners, aged 66-92 who entered their relationship after a lifelong marriage. Happiness was an issue addressed by participants. It was not part of the interview guide thus results represent secondary analysis of interviews with participants who addressed happiness. Results illustrate a range of happiness experiences from a dyadic view related to expectations experienced on a continuum between surprised being happy and disappointed not being happy including six subthemes. Results are discussed relating to expectations and disappointment theory, and to how happiness is valued linked to culture. Implicit ageism is suggested for understanding why happiness is experienced as unexpected in late life repartnering, although entered to enjoy life. Implications are addressed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51665,"journal":{"name":"Ageing International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ageing International","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12126-022-09499-1","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Research indicates that happiness increases with age, however, the common layperson perception is that happiness decreases with age. Late-life repartnering is a phenomenon developing with the increase in life expectancy, entered to enjoy life. It is not officially recognized as an option in Israel, culturally located between tradition and modernity. Within this social context, the aim is to explore the experience of happiness in late life repartnering relationships from a dyadic partner perspective and understand its meaning within the cultural society it is developing in. Data was drawn from a larger phenomenology study conducted on the meaning of late life repartnering from a dyadic view. 38 semi-structured qualitative interviews (19 couples) were conducted with functionally independent repartners, aged 66-92 who entered their relationship after a lifelong marriage. Happiness was an issue addressed by participants. It was not part of the interview guide thus results represent secondary analysis of interviews with participants who addressed happiness. Results illustrate a range of happiness experiences from a dyadic view related to expectations experienced on a continuum between surprised being happy and disappointed not being happy including six subthemes. Results are discussed relating to expectations and disappointment theory, and to how happiness is valued linked to culture. Implicit ageism is suggested for understanding why happiness is experienced as unexpected in late life repartnering, although entered to enjoy life. Implications are addressed.
期刊介绍:
As a quarterly peer-reviewed journal that has existed for over three decades, Ageing International serves all professionals who deal with complex ageing issues. The journal is dedicated to improving the life of ageing populations worldwide through providing an intellectual forum for communicating common concerns, exchanging analyses and discoveries in scientific research, crystallizing significant issues, and offering recommendations in ageing-related service delivery and policy making. Besides encouraging the submission of high-quality research and review papers, Ageing International seeks to bring together researchers, policy analysts, and service program administrators who are committed to reducing the ''implementation gap'' between good science and effective service, between evidence-based protocol and culturally suitable programs, and between unique innovative solutions and generalizable policies. For significant issues that are common across countries, Ageing International will organize special forums for scholars and investigators from different disciplines to present their regional perspectives as well as to provide more comprehensive analysis. The editors strongly believe that such discourse has the potential to foster a wide range of coordinated efforts that will lead to improvements in the quality of life of older persons worldwide. Abstracted and Indexed in:
ABI/INFORM, Academic OneFile, Academic Search, CSA/Proquest, Current Abstracts, EBSCO, Ergonomics Abstracts, Expanded Academic, Gale, Google Scholar, Health Reference Center Academic, OCLC, PsychINFO, PsyARTICLES, SCOPUS, Social Science Abstracts, and Summon by Serial Solutions.