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Midlife Crisis - A Myth or Standard

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Our reading refers to midlife crisis as a myth rather than a standard for adults in their middle adult years. Evaluate the reasons for the author's position that the midlife crisis is not a common experience.

Select one of the issues described in the article and develop a scenario exemplifying this issue. Include the age and sex of the fictitious client, the issue, and how this might effect him/her. Then, choose at least two of your classmates' scenarios. Develop plans for assisting the clients in your classmates' scenarios. Pretend that you are working with the client that your classmate created.

Read Lachman, M.E. (2004). Development in midlife. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 305-331.

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Solution Summary

The solution provides information, assistance and advise in tackling the task (see above) on the topic of 'Midlife Crisis' - discussing where it is a myth or a standard as reviewed in an article. Resources are listed for further exploration of the topic.

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Dear Student,
Hi. First, we need to put in place an outline. I suggest this:

1. A summation of Lachman's ideas - 150 words
2. A scenario of one of the ideas using a fictitious client - 150 words
3. A classmate's scenario & suggested assistance - 150 words

Since you did not indicate a scenario from one of your classmates, I shall assume that this can be anything. I have chosen a common scenario though as this can be quite easily something your classmates can point out. You can use the listed resources to further explore the topic. Good luck with your studies.

Sincerely,
AE 105878/Xenia Jones
-----------------------------------------

On Lachman's Ideas

For Marie Lachman, an expert in mental health and healthy aging from Brandeis University, mid-life crisis is a myth (Lachman, 2001). For Lachman, the middle age (mid-life) stage of human beings is characterized by multiple roles wherein their notion of personal identity has already stabilized. Usually set from between 40 to 50 years, this stage is also seen as 'the adult' stage wherein the individual has become a parent as well as a partner in a stable relationship wherein responsibilities and duties, both professional and personal, denote identity and self worth. The transition into and out of this stage (early adulthood, late adulthood) is usually determined, according to Lachman (2001) by difficult periods of adjustment. And those who cannot adjust to aging and the responsibilities of adulthood are the ones who cling to the 'myth'. The truth of 'mid-life' according to Lachman is simply this - people are living full lives wherein they see their hard work pay off in their lifestyle, in their career as well as their family life. The 'crisis' element comes from people, especially those who are antsy about aging or have recently ...

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Xenia Rochelle Jones, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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