Do partnership transitions affect individual perceptions of aging in later life? Findings from the German Ageing Survey and the NRW80+ study

Abstract

Objective: The study examines how the individual perceptions of aging (PA) differ by partnership status and develop with the transitions to widowhood, of divorce/separation, and repartnering in later adulthood in Germany. Background: In previous research from other countries, there is contradictory evidence on the association of partnership status/transitions and PA. Although PA are a crucial indicator for the living conditions of older adults, little is known about their associations with partnership transitions in Germany. Method: We use panel data from six waves of the German Ageing Survey (1996-2017, n=4,227) and the first two waves of the NRW80+ study (2017-2020, n=845) for retired respondents. We apply linear hybrid models to analyze inter- and intra-individual differences after widowhood, divorce/separation, and the formation of new partnerships. Results: We observe stable associations of partnership status/transitions and PA only for single dimensions of aging. For example, widowed individuals feel more dependent on others than married individuals. After the transition to widowhood, individuals feel freer to spend their time as they like. Repartnered individuals have more positive PA than singles. Additionally, we found contradictory gender differences for older and oldest old individuals. Conclusion: In contrast to recent findings, we show that there is only little association of partnership status or partnership transitions and PA in Germany. Our findings emphasize the importance of a multidimensional conceptualization of PA in current research.