THE ROLE OF GENDER IN MIDDLE-AGE CHILDRENS RESPONSES TO PARENT DEATH

The impact of the deaths of the last surviving elderly parent of 212 m iddle-aged children was studied. Daughters expressed more emotional up set, somatic response, and continuing tie with the deceased parent tha n sons; sons reported more acceptance of the death than daughters. The child's gender was not associated with a sense of personal finitude o r control of grief. When we control in regressions for characteristics of the parent, the child, and the quality of their relationship, chil d's gender continued to add significantly to the bereavement outcomes above.