A 2019 study looked at how divorce after the age of 50 affects mental health. The study also looked at the effects of re-partnership on those who were divorced or widowed. Unfortunately, divorce later in life is becoming more common. The study looked at American couples born before 1960 who participated in the 1998 to 2014 Health and Retirement Study.
Researchers found that divorced individuals reported the highest level of depressive symptoms, followed by those who were widowed. Those who remained married reported the least depressive symptoms. Further, the depressive symptoms lessened at a faster rate for widows than for divorcees, whose symptoms sometimes lasted for several years.
Lastly, researchers found that divorced participants were three times more likely to find a partner than widows, and that levels of depressive symptoms quickly decreased following re-partnership. However, the level of depressive symptoms gradually increased after re-partnership for both widows and divorcees.
To read the full study, click here.