{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7223901706","doi":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","title":"Exploring the Lived Experiences of South African Widows in Relation to Work and Family Within a Cultural Context: A Systematic Review","display_name":"Exploring the Lived Experiences of South African Widows in Relation to Work and Family Within a Cultural Context: A Systematic Review","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-26","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7223901706","doi":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S6309402219","display_name":"Preprints.org","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310310987"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute"],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"posted-content"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5066410865","display_name":"Gail Denise Parker","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8285-6520","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8285-6520"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Gail Denise Parker","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8285-6520","affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5014154986","display_name":"King Costa","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9132-9132","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9132-9132"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"King Costa","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9132-9132","affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5066410865"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11388","display_name":"Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health","score":0.5679000020027161,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3203","display_name":"Clinical Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11388","display_name":"Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health","score":0.5679000020027161,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3203","display_name":"Clinical Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10722","display_name":"Work-Family Balance Challenges","score":0.3833000063896179,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11544","display_name":"Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics","score":0.01549999974668026,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3318","display_name":"Gender Studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/widowhood","display_name":"widowhood","score":0.9520000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/work-family-balance","display_name":"work-family balance","score":0.9449999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/mourning-rituals","display_name":"mourning rituals","score":0.7960000038146973},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/economic-survival","display_name":"economic survival","score":0.6190000176429749},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/unpaid-care-work","display_name":"unpaid care work","score":0.6380000114440918},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/household-duties","display_name":"household duties","score":0.5569999814033508},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/collective-resistance","display_name":"collective resistance","score":0.5759999752044678},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/culturally-responsive-support","display_name":"culturally responsive support","score":0.8270000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/psychosocial-support","display_name":"psychosocial support","score":0.8889999985694885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/gendered-authority","display_name":"gendered authority","score":0.4440000057220459}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108170787","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3951828","display_name":"Agency (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.6000999808311462},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C196187386","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1050187","display_name":"Sociocultural evolution","level":2,"score":0.5885000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.5716000199317932},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199776023","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202875","display_name":"Negotiation","level":2,"score":0.536300003528595},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C65414064","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484105","display_name":"Autonomy","level":2,"score":0.5231000185012817},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C150966472","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3410145","display_name":"Psychosocial","level":2,"score":0.5224000215530396},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107993555","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1662673","display_name":"Gender studies","level":1,"score":0.4796999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C73282008","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1759895","display_name":"Coping (psychology)","level":2,"score":0.4180000126361847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189326681","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10294","display_name":"Poverty","level":2,"score":0.39660000801086426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C106321089","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721790","display_name":"Extended family","level":2,"score":0.37779998779296875},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144348335","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q171318","display_name":"Kinship","level":2,"score":0.35100001096725464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2993804084","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8436","display_name":"Family life","level":2,"score":0.35019999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3019221131","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55621107","display_name":"Lived experience","level":2,"score":0.3443000018596649},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780900520","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100268981","display_name":"Denial","level":2,"score":0.33320000767707825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C25343380","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q277521","display_name":"Relation (database)","level":2,"score":0.3269999921321869},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C125209646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1338878","display_name":"Cultural diversity","level":2,"score":0.323199987411499},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C18762648","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42213","display_name":"Work (physics)","level":2,"score":0.3140999972820282},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780902518","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6033780","display_name":"Inheritance (genetic algorithm)","level":3,"score":0.30730000138282776},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.30480000376701355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137403100","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41710","display_name":"Ethnic group","level":2,"score":0.29910001158714294},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775933685","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1124860","display_name":"Donation","level":2,"score":0.27880001068115234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C156325361","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1152864","display_name":"Grounded theory","level":3,"score":0.26440000534057617},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50522688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189833","display_name":"Economic growth","level":1,"score":0.26159998774528503},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C190248442","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q839486","display_name":"Qualitative research","level":2,"score":0.25540000200271606},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C141633740","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7450996","display_name":"Sense of agency","level":2,"score":0.2515000104904175}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S6309402219","display_name":"Preprints.org","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310310987"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute"],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"posted-content"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","doi":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202610.2432.v1","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S6309402219","display_name":"Preprints.org","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310310987"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute"],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"posted-content"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Gender equality","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/5","score":0.9444000124931335},{"display_name":"Decent work and economic growth","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8","score":0.833299994468689},{"display_name":"Reduced inequalities","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/10","score":0.7578999996185303}],"study_designs":[{"display_name":"Systematic Review","id":"https://openalex.org/study-designs/systematic-review"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7223557342","https://openalex.org/W4404857625","https://openalex.org/W4391755631","https://openalex.org/W7123628914","https://openalex.org/W1992120162","https://openalex.org/W7155227240","https://openalex.org/W4390239308","https://openalex.org/W2015900699","https://openalex.org/W7139050009","https://openalex.org/W2795797850"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Introduction:":[0],"Widowhood":[1],"in":[2,102],"South":[3,46,197,216,225],"African":[4,7,47,198,217,226],"and":[5,20,30,35,50,56,60,74,81,118,156,164,167,174,181,207,230,242,254,257],"related":[6],"contexts":[8],"is":[9,108,143,159],"shaped":[10],"by":[11],"mourning":[12],"obligations,":[13],"gendered":[14,147],"authority,":[15],"inheritance":[16],"insecurity,":[17],"economic":[18,150,238,253],"responsibility":[19,155],"culturally":[21,172,184,259],"specific":[22],"expectations.":[23],"However,":[24],"the":[25,52,103,111],"relationship":[26],"between":[27],"these":[28],"conditions":[29,69],"widows\u2019":[31],"navigation":[32],"of":[33,54,96,235],"work":[34,55,229],"family":[36,57,154,231],"life":[37],"remains":[38],"insufficiently":[39],"understood.":[40],"This":[41],"systematic":[42],"review":[43],"examined":[44],"how":[45,196],"widows":[48,199,227],"experience":[49],"navigate":[51,228],"intersection":[53],"within":[58],"sociocultural":[59],"traditional":[61],"contexts,":[62],"including":[63],"challenges,":[64],"opportunities,":[65],"coping":[66],"strategies,":[67],"enabling":[68],"and.Methods:":[70],"The":[71,84,92,137],"researcher-selected":[72],"databases":[73],"information":[75],"sources":[76],"were":[77,121],"ERIC,":[78,115],"PubMed":[79,116],"(MEDLINE)":[80,117],"Google":[82,119],"Scholar.":[83],"eligibility":[85,113],"protocol":[86],"restricted":[87],"publication":[88],"years":[89],"to":[90,135,170],"2015\u20132026.":[91],"exact":[93],"calendar":[94],"date":[95],"search":[97],"execution":[98],"was":[99,210,220],"not":[100],"recorded":[101],"verified":[104],"identification":[105],"provenance;":[106],"this":[107],"distinct":[109],"from":[110,133,214],"publication-year":[112],"range.":[114],"Scholar":[120],"searched":[122],"using":[123],"a":[124],"specified":[125],"Boolean":[126],"strategy":[127],"for":[128],"English-language":[129],"peer-reviewed":[130],"studies":[131],"published":[132],"2015":[134],"2026.Results:":[136],"synthesis":[138],"identified":[139],"four":[140],"themes:":[141],"widowhood":[142],"socially":[144],"regulated":[145],"through":[146,161,232],"cultural":[148,208,236],"expectations;":[149],"survival":[151],"links":[152],"work,":[153,202],"wellbeing;":[157],"agency":[158],"exercised":[160],"rights":[162],"negotiation":[163],"collective":[165,245],"resistance;":[166],"support":[168],"needs":[169],"be":[171,189],"responsive":[173],"practically":[175],"accessible.":[176],"Rituals":[177],"could":[178,187],"restrict":[179],"autonomy":[180],"participation,":[182],"but":[183],"grounded":[185],"ritual":[186],"also":[188],"experienced":[190],"as":[191],"empowering.":[192],"Direct":[193],"evidence":[194,213],"on":[195],"combine":[200],"paid":[201],"unpaid":[203],"care,":[204],"household":[205],"duties":[206],"obligations":[209],"sparse.":[211],"Work-family":[212],"general":[215],"employee":[218],"populations":[219],"contextual":[221],"rather":[222],"than":[223],"widow-specific.Discussion/Conclusion:":[224],"an":[233],"interaction":[234],"regulation,":[237],"pressure,":[239],"institutional":[240],"constraint":[241],"individual":[243],"or":[244],"agency.":[246],"Effective":[247],"responses":[248],"should":[249],"protect":[250],"rights,":[251],"strengthen":[252],"psychosocial":[255],"support,":[256],"remain":[258],"responsive.":[260]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-10-29T09:56:32.521200","created_date":"2026-10-28T00:00:00"}