Among the many life transitions that individuals must master throughout their lives, the transition to adulthood ranks very high in terms of importance, complexity and uniqueness. It involves the completion of education, and the assumption of new social roles and responsibilities, at a time when previous institutional structures that guided…

This paper addresses the question of benefits of education from a life course perspective. Using data from a study of 1600 students (response rate 48%) on an open access program at a London University college, it explores educational activity within the framework of a transitions model. In addition to the quantitative evidence, the article uses…

Why do teachers become poor performers? In semi-structured interviews, forty elementary school principals in Israel described the personal story of one poor-performing staff member. Half of the problematic teachers were veteran teachers who faced a marked internal and external shift in mid-career. The seeds of their problems were probably planted…

The current study employed a life events perspective to examine the relationship between attachment style and both adjustment and coping processes in adults during two specific life events involving both the loss of and a renegotiation of an attachment relationship: the launching of children from the family of origin and job loss, which represent…

We use a life course framework to examine how the "new risk economy" has left middle-age professionals, managers and executives more vulnerable to job loss and unemployment despite high levels of human capital. Using in-depth qualitative data from 77 recently-unemployed white-collar workers, we examine perceptions of macro-economic…

Discussions with 11 retired nurses and 8 in the preretirement phase revealed concerns about adequate finances and timing of retirement, anticipation of increased discretionary time, sadness over loss of collegial relationships, and a variety of strategies for coping with the transition. (SK)

Surveyed 656 widows over age 50 about changes in working caused by widowhood. Almost one-third were employed when their husbands died; another one in six took jobs. Widows reported problems in locating employment, and findings suggested work is not a universally appropriate adaptive strategy. (JAC)

Used qualitative research design to apply role exit theory to adult women students (n=221) undergoing life transition. Findings suggest that role of student for these women is transitional one. Student role appeared to be bridge to new role and women used it to complete role exit process or to bring closure and deal with respective life…

Conditions in the U.S. have created a situation where some middle aged white males are experiencing a stalled career; they perceive they have plateaued in career progression while at the same time women and minority peers continue advancing. Based on phenomenological research methods, individuals who have experienced the non-event work transition…

Examines some of the major transitions of aging and factors that determine the individual's ability to adjust to these changes. Discusses difficulties in providing services for this group, such as developing a classification system, and indicates ways counseling services can help older persons cope with role transitions and losses. (LLL)

Drawing on a national study of working women, this article discusses some significant differences between the women educators who had suffered from midlife crises (two-thirds of those responding) and those who had not, and provided clues about how such crises can be reduced in severity. (PGD)

Used short-term longitudinal data to examine the linkage between family transitions and marital experience. Multiple regression equations were estimated to compare change over time in 10 transitional and stable groups. Change occurring in transitional groups was generally not significantly different from that observed for nontransitional groups.…

A study of 371 involuntarily laid-off workers found that openness to experience and neuroticism were important predictors of their psychological state in career transition. Low neuroticism, high extraversion, and high openness were related to higher self-efficacy in transition. The importance of the role of personality traits in the transition…

Empty nest status, employment level, age, socioeconomic status, educational level, menopausal symptoms, and husband's attitude toward wife working were used to predict women's (N=232) well-being and adjustment to the empty nest. Results indicated that impact of predictor variables was almost nonexistent, but that coping creatively with situations…

Middle aged women who have previously been occupied with family and community activities often experience increased role stress when they begin to invest more time and energy in their work roles. To compare coping styles women use to adjust to job changes, 71 women, aged 30-62, who had changed jobs within a 3-year interval were classified into…