Middle to Late Adulthood Development by Kristine Karcher https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew By: Kristi Karcher en-us 2018-06-02 18:59:11 UTC 2025-10-27 16:44:40 UTC hello@padlet.com Life Span Theory karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265167474 "Life-span developmental theory provides a framework for understanding human aging,"  (Net Industries, 2018).
  • Involves gains and losses (typically gains are seen earlier and losses later in life).
  • Develop from infancy to adulthood: 
    • Growth (adding skills and understanding to our life - tends to decrease with age)
    • Maintenance or resilience (restoring functioning after a loss)
    • Regulation of loss (find another partner after the loss of a loved one)
  • Successful development involves learning to cope healthily with our physical, cognitive and socioemotional changes.
(Broderick & Blewitt, 2015)
]]> 2018-06-02 19:08:08 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265167474 References karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265167938
  • AllPsychologyCareers. (2018). Middle adulthood development. Retrieved from: https://www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/middle-adulthood-development.html
  • Cherry, K. (2018). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740
  • Broderick, P. Blewitt, P. (2015). The life span: human development for helping professionals. 4th Edition. ISBN: 978-13-294288-1.
  • Lisitsa, E. (2013).  An introduction to the Gottman method of relationship therapy. Retrieved from: https://www.gottman.com/blog/an-introduction-to-the-gottman-method-of-relationship-therapy/
  • National Gateway to Self-Determination. (n.d.).  What is Self-Determination? Retrieved from: http://www.ngsd.org/everyone/what-self-determination
  • Net Industries. (2018).  Life-Span development - Life-span Theory, research methods and themes, plasticity, reserve capacity, and resiliency. Retrieved from: http://medicine.jrank.org/pages/999/Life-Span-Development.html
    • ]]>     2018-06-02 19:19:35 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265167938     Physical Changes karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265170504
  • The change from adolescing (growing up) to sensescing (growing down), Levinson 1986 (as cited in Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).
  • Both obvious changes (wrinkles and hair loss) and less obvious (lack in immune system).
  • For women, their menstrual cycle shortens starting in their 30's through menopause.  
  • For men, their testosterone levels are not as dramatic, and they may exhibit changes in muscle mass and bone density.
    • (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).
    Picture taken from: https://adolesenceandadulthoodwh.wikispaces.com/What+Changes+Occur+to+Someone+Going+from+Childhood+to+Adulthood%3F
    ]]>     2018-06-02 20:21:14 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265170504     Cognitive Changes karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265171640
  • Some cognitive abilities decline, and some improve as we age through middle to late adulthood.
  • Executive functions improve due to strives toward our goals.
  • Working memory tends to decline as we age.
    • "On the other hand, crystallized intelligence, or the stored knowledge gained from experience and education, becomes higher as people age," (AllPsychologyCareers, 2018).
    Picture taken from: http://www.canfightcancer.com/2014/01/cognitive-changes-after-cancer-treatment/
    ]]>     2018-06-02 20:45:49 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265171640     Erik Erikson's Stages in Self-Development karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265173472
  • Ego Identity is formed by this point in a person's life.
  • According to Erikson individuals in middle adulthood have left the intimacy versus isolation stage and have entered generativity versus stagnation stage, where their goal is to give their life purpose and build for the next generation (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).
  • In late adulthood (65 and older), we are in Erikson's ego integrity versus despair stage, where we begin to reflect on life.  "Success at this stage leads to feelings of wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and despair", (Cherry, 2018).
  • Helping professionals can use Erikson's stages to gauge whether an individual is progressing normally and meeting the goals of each stage. They an discuss achievements and help set goals for clients who feel they haven't reached their full potential. 
    • Picture taken from: https://zanl13.wordpress.com/about/
    ]]>     2018-06-02 21:28:28 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265173472     The Family Life Cycle karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265175818 "A normative , stagelike sequence of traditional family development in intact marriages," (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p.500).
    Stages:
    1. Leaving home as a single young adult you begin to assume financial responsibility and form intimate relationships, as well as work.
    2. Newly married couple is the next stage where you begin to set up a new rule system with your mate, as well as their family and your overlapping friends.
    3. Most married couples will now have young children and will make space in your marriage for these new additions and adjust your previous rule system.
    4. Families with adolescents must adjust and be more flexible.  This is also a time many families focus on their marriage and careers in a different way.
    5. Launching family is a time where your children begin to leave, as well as other family members (including the death of parents).  
    6. Families in later life begin to show a shift in generational roles to your now grown children.  You may also experience the gaining of wisdom, and the loss of a spouse and/or peer(s).
    (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p.502).
    Picture taken from: https://www.slideshare.net/abpascual/the-family-life-cycle
    ]]>     2018-06-02 22:41:36 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265175818     Self-Determination Theory karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265176438
  • Motivation is key!
  • Self-satisfaction is found through meeting the psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.   
  • Refers "to a characteristic of a person that leads them to make choices and decisions based on their own preferences and interests, to monitor and regulate their own actions and to be goal-oriented and self-directing," (National Gateway to Self-Determination, n.d.).
    • Picture from: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/self-determination-theory/
    ]]>     2018-06-02 23:04:51 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265176438     What makes marriages work or fail - Gottman's Theory karcher_k https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265177764 There are four characteristics found in most divorce cases (the four horsemen):
    1. Criticism
    2. Defensiveness
    3. Contempt
    4. Stonewalling
    Not all married couples who exhibit these behaviors will end in divorce.  It is important to balance the positive and negative.

    Positive elements that a helping professional should help cultivate:
    1. Humor
    2. Interest
    3. Affection
    4. Validation
    "Couples who function effectively treat each other with consideration, and are supportive of each other," (Lisitsa, 2013).
    See the website below for more strategies for relationship therapy:
    ]]>     2018-06-02 23:57:46 UTC https://padlet.com/karcher_k/vbhuirva8qew/wish/265177764