本文主要研究中老年喪偶對於認知功能的影響，認知功能包含語言能力、計算力、判斷力、抽象思考能力、注意力、空間感等，具備這些能力對於正常生活來說很重要，但認知行為能力會隨著邁入中老年而開始衰退。喪偶的衝擊對於大部分的人來說，失去家人的依靠，會對於生活有所影響，甚至影響到心理、健康、認知功能上。本篇使用「台灣中老年身心社會生活狀況長期追蹤調查」中，2003、2007、2011、2015年的調查資料，以簡易心智狀態問卷 (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, SPMSQ) 作為認知功能的衡量基準，並以50歲以上的人口做為樣本對象，透過傾向評分匹配 (Propensity score matching) 將喪偶者時間假設給匹配好的非喪偶者，以差異中差異 (Difference-in-differences, DID) 方法進行分析，並加入控制變數，如人口特徵統計資料、日常活動量表 (Activities of Daily Living, ADL)、是否有心血管、中風相關病史等，來探討喪偶對於認知功能的影響。另針對五個人口特徵與一個健康特徵，如性別、家庭大小、教育程度、家庭年收入、離婚與心血管相關病史等，來分析不同的人口健康特徵在經歷喪偶衝擊後，對認知行為能力的影響是否有所不同。除此之外，也利用固定效果模型，來討論喪偶對於認知行為的影響。
本研究發現經歷過喪偶事實者，會比未經歷過者，認知功能下降更多。而進一步分析不同的人口與健康特徵，分別得出具有女性、家庭同住人口數小於5人、高中以下學歷者、家庭年收入少於100萬、未離婚者、有過心血管疾病與中風，這六個特徵者在受到喪偶衝擊後，認知功能會有顯著下降。

The impact of widowhood affects most individuals, as losing a spouse or partner, who serves as a pillar of support, can have significant repercussions on one's life. It can even affect psychological well-being, physical health, and cognitive functioning. This study utilizes data from the "Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA)" conducted in 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015. The sample consists of individuals aged 50 and above. The researchers employed the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to match widowhood status to non-widowed individuals. The Difference-in-Differences (DID) analysis was then conducted to examine the impact of widowhood on cognitive behavior. Control variables, such as demographic characteristics, ADL scores, cardiovascular disease, and stroke history, were included in the analysis to account for potential confounding factors.
Our study revealed that individuals who have experienced widowhood demonstrated a more significant decline in cognitive functioning compared to those who have not experienced such a loss.

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