Offers a brief overview of preretirement education in the United Kingdom and its meaning in an economy where forced redundancy can bring "retirement" at an early age. Highlights the Coping with Change Model, which focuses on insight into the feelings, issues, choices, and skills relevant to life changes. (DMM)

Analyzed the effects of marital status, race, and gender on the timing of suicide across three adult life stages. Logistic modeling showed distinct structural effects on the occurrence of suicide in midlife compared to the life stages immediately preceding and following it. Greater attention to the crises of women in midlife appears warranted.…

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…

The author describes Japan's phased retirement system, consisting of the "step down" from a management or supervisory position (commonly in the mid-50s) and the mandatory transfer to a subsidiary company later. The system allows companies to promote younger workers. However, in a depressed industry, the system generally results in…

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…

Because of inaccurate assumptions and biases in developmental theories, the unique concerns of middle-aged women have not been sufficiently addressed. They must reconcile their masculine and feminine selves by reassessing their interpersonal relationships, their physical beings, and the meaning of work and achievement. Describes a four-phase…

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)

This paper problematizes the role of caring in women's persistence in literacy programs. The paper draws from the author/researcher's doctoral research, a study of 10 mid-life multi-ethnic Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language women learners and their lifelong experiences of literacy, schooling, and learning, both inside and…

Discusses the causes of voluntary and involuntary midlife career changes by men. Examines factors to be considered by counselors whose clients are involved in these transitions. (RC)

Interviews with 9 women and 12 men over 40 enrolled in university revealed that job layoff was a primary motive for seeking additional qualifications or studying for a new career. Fourteen considered their layoff experience as an opportunity to redirect their lives, but it did not necessarily result in career advancement. Different external and…

Mental health counselors can enhance their ability to work with clients concerned about financial matters if they themselves are knowledgeable about such matters by being able to differentiate between clients who should be referred for financial consultation and those who are using "financial matters" to resist discussion of other issues. (JBJ)

This monograph summarizes four demographic influences for retaining faculty vitality. Since these demographic trends provide only a partial analysis, seven conclusions are presented to support the contention that faculty development is not likely to occur in most institutions. The argument over whether faculty are, or are not, like other…

Examined psychological differences between 25 pre- and 25 post-empty nest women on gender identity and ego mastery style. Indicated that post-empty nest women engaged in a more active ego mastery style than pre-empty nest women and also claimed more masculine traits. (Author/ABB)