THE CONTRIBUTION OF SMALL LIFE EVENTS TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS OF MARRIED AND WIDOWED OLDER WOMEN

The contribution of small life events to the prediction of general psy chological distress was examined for 50 married and 21 recently widowe d older women. These two groups were contrasted as having or not havin g experienced an uncontrollable major life stressor (i.e., the recent death of a spouse). Negative small life events (i.e., daily hassles) c ontributed above and beyond general demographic factors; conjugal bere avement status; social support; other, non-conjugal bereavement, major life events; and the interaction of these life events and social supp ort in the prediction of general psychological distress. Results suppo rt assessing negative small life events as well as major life events f or both married and recently widowed older women.