The Family Trajectory of Kin Absence and Its Impact on Loneliness in Later Life in China

This study examines how family trajectories lead to kin absence and shape loneliness in later life among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we applied multichannel sequence analysis to assess joint patterns of partnership and fertility. Men were more likely to become kinless through lifelong singlehood and childlessness, while women often experienced kin absence through widowhood or non-normative paths such as non-marital fertility. Higher loneliness was found among men in the Single/Late-Partnered Childless group (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) and women in the Prematurely Widowed Parented group (β = 0.29, p < 0.05). Theoretically, this study extends the life course principle of linked lives by revealing how interconnected family transitions shape later-life wellbeing. Findings underscore the need for tailored long-term care policies in light of growing kin absence.