Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 159 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-94).

The purpose of this study was to construct a model of midlife work adaptation that depicts a basic framework outlining coping processes by which midlife adults use to approach changes identified in the current midlife context that challenge them cognitively, physically, and emotionally.

Despite widespread agreement about the importance of stress for health and well-being, scholars disagree about the types of variables that matter most. On one side, some argue that stress reactivity depends mostly on person-level variables, such as personality, while others contend that stress reactivity depends mostly on situation-level variables, for example chronicity. Researchers from a more integrative perspective assert that stress reactivity depends on an idiosyncratic interaction between person-level and stressor-level variables, for example the finding that lonely people are especially reactive to interpersonal tension. My dissertation reconciles these perspectives by leveraging crossed random effect modeling to determine the percent of stress reactivity attributable to each of these types of variables; the person, the situation, and the person-by-situation interaction. In Study 1, 368 undergraduate college students reacted to 60 unique situations in the context of normal daily life on two separate occasions. In Study 2, 955 adults from the Midlife in the U.S. study self-reported their reactivity to stressful situations encountered on each of eight days. Results from both studies suggest that these three types of variables account for the bulk, at least 70%, of stress reactivity in daily life. Moreover, all three types of variables emerged as important, as each factor contributed at least 20% of the overall variability in stress reactivity. Interestingly, both studies also found that situation-level variables mattered relatively more than the other two types of variables. I discuss these findings in relation to stress theory, stress-reduction interventions, and methodological innovations.

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The influence of demographic factors, work schedule flexibility, job satisfaction, job involvement, job seeking self-efficacy, certainty of retirement plans, familial and marital satisfaction, and attitude toward retirement on older workers' decision to fully retire, continue career employment, or participate in bridge employment was examined in this study.

The suicide rate in Hong Kong has been increasing since 1997, and the suicide rate among the 30-49-year-olds has increased from 294 in 1996, to 484 in 2003, surging about 65% since 1996. Despite the fact that an increasing trend had been observed, the characteristics of suicides among this age group were not known because no empirical research had been conducted among this age group in Hong Kong. The present study is the first psychological autopsy study conducted on the 30-49 age group in a Chinese society. The aims of this study were to identify and examine the magnitude of the risk factors of middle-aged suicide among the Hong Kong citizens, to determine the similarities and applicability of Western findings into local situation, and to recommend culturally specific evidence-based preventive and intervention strategies. These findings suggest that there are more commonalities than differences in risk factors for suicide found in other psychological autopsy studies; however, the magnitude of some of these identified risk factors were inconsistent with suicide research conducted in other countries. Given the multi-faceted and distinctive nature of middle-age suicide in Hong Kong, a public health approach of suicide prevention strategy, which targets both individuals and the population, is considered to be appropriate than the clinical approach in order to reduce larger population developing greater suicidal risk.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Victoria University (Melbourne, Vic.), 2008.

Depression is a common clinical and subclinical psychiatric disorder in the middle-age to older adult population. This study examined the relationship between depression and activities of daily living (ADLs) in middle-age to older adults. This study examined longitudinal data from the 1998, wave 4, and 2000, wave 5, of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a National Panel Study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. A negative cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between higher ADL scores and depression was hypothesized. A goal of the present study was to determine the temporal precedence of these two constructs using a cross-lag panel design to first examine the cross-sectional relationship between ADLs and depression at time-one and at time-two, and then the time-one to time-two longitudinal relationships to examine temporal precedence possible causal relationships. Finally, differences in these correlational relationships by retirement status and then by marital status were tested. There were several interesting findings, including those who were retired in both 1998 and 2000 reported fewer ADLs (i.e., worse functioning), but also reported better health than those who were working in both 1998 and 2000. Similarly, those people who were not married in both 1998 and 2000 reported fewer ADLs but better health than those who were married in both 1998 and 2000. Married individuals reported fewer depressive symptoms than those who were not married.

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to gain a richer understanding of midlife experiences. Midlife is stereotypically viewed as a crisis and is one of the least studied, most illdefined stages in life, yet it’s one of the most significant stages. The epistemological framework for this study is post modernism, which allows for this study to document the transitions from crisis at midlife, as seen through the lens of Positive Psychology. This study was exploratory in nature and applied a qualitative ethnographic methodology. Six participants were interviewed from an ethnographic perspective, in an endeavour to allow each participant accordant ontological breadth and flexibility within their respective social and ideological contexts. The researcher’s own social context also adding nuance to the interpretation of data. This interpretation allows for the inclusion of hope, wisdom, creativity, future mindedness, courage, spirituality, responsibility and perseverance. Thematic analysis of these participants’ narratives supports the psychological research which suggests that challenges are associated with midlife. Thematic analysis revealed challenges associated with midlife such as feelings of disillusionment, regret and dissatisfaction; feelings of loneliness, rejection and isolation as well as confusion about the way forward; seeking a meaningful existence and connection as well as achievement. Some participants, however, are in denial of the existence or their experience of midlife and associated challenges, whereas others describe midlife as a transition phase — a crossroads, a wake-up call and time for reassessment Although midlife can be a difficult transitional period, Positive Psychology can help individuals identify and build the necessary resources and coping strategies to prevent a transition turning into a crisis. It was shown that most participants in this research displayed a mindset and attitude open to a Positive Psychology paradigm to accumulate the necessary resources and coping strategies to prevent a midlife transition from becoming a midlife crisis. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Even though Sweden is considered a high trust society, research on this topic is primarily based on a few standardized survey questions. It is also known that there is a robust pattern of less trustful young people compared to older ones. Still, a satisfactory explanation of this fact is lacking. Thus, the first aim of this dissertation is to map trust among young adults and middle-aged individuals. The second aim is to examine by which factors and in what way different dimensions of trust are determined, focusing on individuals’ life course and consequently experiences. Analytical principles from the life course tradition are used as a theoretical framework. Data is derived from a Swedish cross-sectional nationally representative postal survey on trust, and qualitative interviews using a mixed-methods approach. A multi-dimensional concept of trust is suggested. Participants report relatively high levels of trust in known and unknown people, confidence in institutions, normative notions of trust, security, and trustful behaviour. Trust also seems to be structured according to a closeness principle. Young adults display lower trust levels in general. However, in some respects the pattern is reversed, particularly regarding domains they are expected to be more familiar with. Contrary to the well-established idea of generalised trust derived from predispositions and primary socialization, and particularised trust originating from experiences in adulthood, the results of this study suggest that unique combinations of factors, both individual characteristics and experiences, might explain each of the different dimensions. Often there is a sphere-specific relationship between experiences and later trust, i.e. experiences from one sphere of life seem to exclusively affect trust within the same sphere. It is suggested that as people grow older they accumulate what is called experience capital, which might benefit trust and contribute to an explanation of the age differences.