This article details the transition of second career teachers to the workplace called "school". Post-baccalaureate students at a mid-size comprehensive state university completed surveys pre- and post-student teaching. Participants responded to the personal and professional challenges in changing careers. Issues faced by the non-traditional…

A validation study of 30 married females and 30 married males was conducted on a theoretical model of stages in interpersonal development developed by Bar-Yam Hassan (Bar-Yam Hassan & Bar-Yam, 1987). According to the model, the five stages of adult interpersonal development are: (1) Social Relatedness versus Self-Insistence, or need for Approval;…

Some researchers have suggested that there are developmental stages in adult life. If adult developmental stages exist, such stages would be reflected in one's career. Individuals would progress from their career dream when they first enter the work force through a period of stability, a mid-life transition period when they compare reality to…

Extends the available information base on intellectural aging by collecting self-report data from 100 psychologists between 45 and 64 years of age. Subjects rated changes in intellectual functions, related present changes with past expectations, and answered questions about health problems affecting intellectual functioning. The importance of…

Compared 106 middle-aged student (outwardly oriented) and nonstudent (home oriented) women on attitudes toward age, perceived happiness and satisfaction, perceived physical health, number and severity of depressing symptoms, self-esteem, and autonomy. The student group reported better health, fewer and less severe depressive symptoms, and higher…

Investigates whether accumulated life changes cause or are correlated with family members' perceptions of their family's ability to function in an effective manner. Modest changes in family effectiveness were inversely related to the rate of life change experienced. The family effectiveness of husbands was related to changes in stress. (Author)

Described the adult development of 23 police officers. Found that subjects passed through a series of psychosocial stages and that stress and stress management were an important part of this process. Training and administrative implications are discussed. (JAC)

Building on interviews with 319 adults, examines cultural age "deadlines" for a series of general transitions related to education and work. Respondents indicated a rough, "normal biography" of general transitions which had flexible guidelines for how those trajectories might unfold. Relates these findings to complementary…

Results from a survey are presented that provide initial indications of the importance of linguistic and communicative processes to an understanding of midlife. The Communication Accommodation Theory is invoked in the development of a model of one particular process within the area of communication and middle-age--the socialization of the…

Although the rate of divorce among older Americans has increased steadily, little attention has been paid to late life divorce. To describe the role of age and other factors which might influence adjustment to divorce in later life, data from a larger pilot study were used: 81 divorced persons over the age of 60 completed in-depth, structured…

The increased college attendance of mature women students has played a major role in the changing demographics of college enrollment. This study examined the experience of reentry women during the initial period of adjustment from the time just prior to college entrance to the end of their first or second academic year. A pre- and post-test…

This study examines whether parents' reports of well-being are related to the level of parent-adolescent conflict in the family and their youngsters' level of emotional autonomy. Findings indicate the parents' experience of midlife identity concerns is positively related to the level of emotional autonomy reported by same-sex children. (Author/LMO)

Studied 70 rural and urban midlife couples to explore fathers' and mothers' responses to an adolescent leaving home. Found few rural-urban differences, but sex differences appeared salient. Most respondents had little difficulty with the transition. When dysfunction was experienced, boundary ambiguity proved a strong predictor of somatitization…

Surveyed 172 male dentists to examine the extent to which they felt trapped in a one life/one career imperative. Results showed 84 percent agreed that most professionals can pursue only one career. Dentists undergoing a midlife crisis were less satisfied with their careers. (JAC)

Examined spouses' perceptions of the career change process and its impact on the changers' family. Interviewed wives (N=20) of career changers. Results indicated changers were searching for increased challenge, and respondents were generally positive about career change decisions. Found career changes affected time utilization and family…