WIDOWHOOD AND LEISURE: THE ROLE OF LEISURE IN PERSONAL COPING STRATEGIES

Abstract

The loss of a spouse later in life is a common event, particularly for women, 40 percent of women and 13 percent of men aged 65 and older are widowed, according to latest census figures (Konigsberg, 2017). The loss of a husband is an abrupt change in life that leaves the surviving spouse searching for ways to keep moving forward. Dealing with the grief of a tragic loss is a subjective process, but leisure has proven to be a suc-cessful influence in coping with the distress of traumatic events (Iwasaki & Mannell, 1999; Janke, Nimrod, & Kleiber, 2008). The purpose of the present study was to explore the experiences of women who have lost a spouse and what role leisure might play in helping them cope with their grief and move forward. Given the multifaceted nature of coping and leisure experiences, an interpretive research design was employed for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 women regarding their widowhood experience and leisure involvement. Leisure has been viewed favorably as a way to cope with challenges, because many of the things we associate with leisure, such as enjoyment, socialization (Rapoport & Rapoport, 1975; Samdahl & Kleiber, 1989), and a perceived sense of freedom (Iso-Ahola, 1979; Kleiber, Walker, & Mannell, 2011) may provide a way to experience positives during dark times. For the women in this study social leisure provided them the opportunity to connect with other women in similar roles, which helped them see that a positive life as a widow is possible. Exploring new leisure activities also contributed to their new self-identity as a widowed woman. Leisure activities were beneficial for providing enjoyable experiences, growing social networks, and providing a tool for reinvention.