Midlife as a pivotal period in the life course

Abstract

We provide evidence for multidirectionality, variability, and plasticity in the nature and direction of change in physical health, cognitive functioning, and well-being during the middle years of the life course. The picture of well-being in midlife based on longitudinal data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study is a more positive one than portrayed in previous cross-sectional studies. We present middle age as a pivotal period in the life course in terms of balancing growth and decline, linking earlier and later periods of life, and bridging younger and older generations. We highlight the role of protective factors and multisystem resilience in mitigating declines. Those in middle age play a central role in the lives of those who are younger and older at home, in the workplace, and in society at large. Thus, a focus on promoting health and well-being in middle age can have a far-reaching impact.

Hour glass half full or half empty? Future time perspective and preoccupation with negative events across the life span.

“…Hence, their high focus on future opportunities and low focus on limited time may reflect that their futures are relatively unconstrained by past choices. For people in their 40s and 50s, our findings are consistent with Lachman's (2004) ideas that during midlife, people are becoming more aware that life is limited, but overall still believe they have enough time left to pursue opportunities (see Lachman et al, 2015). …”

“…Lachman (2004) theorizes that during midlife (roughly 40-60 years of age), people become increasingly aware that life is limited but simultaneously believe that time remaining is still substantial. Hence, in midlife, focus on future opportunities and limitations may be relatively balanced (see Lachman, Teshale, & Agrigoroaei, 2015). …”

Self-regulatory strategies in daily life

“…In line with past work suggesting a deleterious relationship between stress and memory (i.e., Rickenbach, Almeida, Seeman, &Lachman, 2014; Lupien et al, 2009; Neupert et al, 2006; Sliwinski et al, 2006), we found that daily stressors were related to more memory problems, both between- and within-persons. Moreover, daily SOC use moderated this relationship; for those who used fewer SOC strategies, high-stress days were associated with more memory problems than low-stress days; and the relationship between stressors and memory problems dissipated when greater amounts of SOC were used.…”

“…As adults move towards middle-age, they acquire and refine their SOC-related behaviors (Freund & Baltes, 2002). Moreover, middle age is a time of increased demands and responsibilities, therefore the use of SOC may be advantageous for managing daily life (Lachman, Teshale, & Agrigoroaei, 2014). Conversely, as older adults approach the end of their lifespan they become more likely to face a limitation in resources, making SOC use difficult (Baltes & Carstensen, 1996, Freund & Baltes, 2002).…”

Managing daily happiness: The relationship between selection, optimization, and compensation strategies and well-being in adulthood.

“…As the percentage of middle-aged and older adults in the United States population rises, examining what behaviors contribute to— and can help increase— well-being at different ages is key (Lachman, 2004; Lachman, Teshale, & Agrigoroaei, 2015). However, it is less clear what behaviors might help individuals achieve higher well-being—for instance, what behaviors might help increase well-being in midlife, a time period with multiple demands on resources.…”