Women at Midlife

by Hunter, Ski; Sundel, Sandra Stone; Sundel, Martin

• ISBN13: 9780871013514
• ISBN10: 0871013517
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-01
• Publisher: Natl Assn of Social Workers Pr

Summary

The number of women at midlife served by the helping professions is substantial. Thorough and insightful, Women at Midlife fills the gap in knowledge about these women and examines critical issues concerning family, caregiving, work, physical health, emotional and mental health, and more. Dispelling restrictive and outdated myths, the authors probe the meaning and direction of women at midlife. This scholarly volume, highlighted by compelling vignettes and backed by extraordinary research, explores the full range of midlife experiences, from how to define midlife to individual development to relationships with other family members. Social work instructors, students, and practitioners, as well as women who themselves are at midlife, will find that the work offers important professional and personal benefits. Special Features * Examines family, work, health, sexuality, personality, and well-being issues related to midlife. * Addresses ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation within the midlife umbrella. * Presents implications of key issues for human services professionals.

Author Biography

Ski Hunter, MS, MSW, PhD, LMSW-ACP, is professor at the School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington Sandra S. Sundel, MSSW, PhD, LCSW, Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of Broward County, Florida Martin Sundel, MSW, PhD, is president of Sundel Consulting Group

Table of Contents

About the Authors	xi
Preface	xiii
Defining Women at Midlife	1	(20)
Definitions of Midlife	2	(6)
Linear Age-Stage Views	2	(1)
Nonlinear Views	3	(5)
Variations Among Midlife Women	8	(1)
Cohort Factor in Variability	8	(4)
Theoretical Framework	12	(3)
Multiple Influences on Development	13	(1)
Gains, Losses, and Constraints	14	(1)
Change	15	(1)
Summary	15	(1)
Inplications for Practice	16	(5)
Family Contexts and Relationships	21	(38)
Heterosexual Marriages and Primary Lesbian Relationships	22	(2)
Households with no Children	24	(1)
Households with Children	24	(2)
Stressors of Midlife Parenting	26	(2)
Intersection of Midlife with Adolescence	26	(1)
Ambivalences	27	(1)
Effects of Launching Children on Parental Marriage, Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction	28	(3)
Marital Distress	31	(1)
Effects of Launching Children on Mothers	32	(3)
Empty Nest Syndrome	33	(1)
Positive Outcomes From Launching Children	33	(1)
How Childern Turned Out	34	(1)
Improved Relationships Between Parents and Adult Children	35	(1)
Relationships go on Between Midlife Parents and Adult Children	36	(5)
Extent of Contact with Children Living Outside the Home	37	(1)
Help-Giving Exchanges	37	(3)
Effects of Help Giving on Parents' Well-Being	40	(1)
When Adult Children Leave too Early, Leave Late, Return Home After Leaving, or Never Leave	41	(2)
Young Adults Who Leave Home Late	41	(1)
Young Adults Who Return Home	42	(1)
Effects on the Family When Children Return Home or Never Leave	43	(3)
Losing an Adult Child	46	(1)
Summary	47	(1)
Implications for Practice	47	(12)
Caregiving of Adult Family Members	59	(28)
Types of Caregiving Needed by Older Adult Family Members	61	(1)
Families Deliver Care	62	(1)
Family Caregivers are Primarily Women	63	(1)
Are Midlife Women in a Squeeze?	64	(5)
Double Role Challenges	64	(3)
Triple Role Challenges	67	(2)
Stress of Extensive Caregiving	69	(5)
Types of Stressors	69	(2)
Modifications of the Stress of Caregiving	71	(3)
Positive Outcomes of Caregiving	74	(1)
A Feminist Analysis of Caregiving and Recommendations for Practitioners	75	(2)
Summary	77	(1)
Implications for Practice	78	(9)
Single-Again and Always-Single Statuses	87	(20)
Marital Dissolution at Midlife	87	(9)
Motives for Divorce	89	(1)
Emotions and Life Changes	89	(5)
Supports for Single-Again Women	94	(1)
Positive Outcomes for Single-Again Women	95	(1)
Always-Single Women	96	(4)
Influential Social Trends Associated with Singlehood	97	(1)
Advantages and Disadvantages of an Always-Single Status for Midlife Women	98	(2)
Summary	100	(1)
Implications for Practice	101	(6)
Work, Personal Finances, and Income Security	107	(28)
Women's Work Force Participation	108	(4)
Diverse Work Patterns of Midlife Women	108	(3)
Dual-Earner and Dual-Career Families	111	(1)
Combining Family and Work: Benefits	112	(2)
Combining Family and Work: Conflict and Stress	114	(3)
Effects on Children	116	(1)
Supports for Dual-Career and Dual-Earner Families	116	(1)
Income Security for Retirement	117	(5)
Preretirement Planning	117	(2)
Major Obstacles Midlife Women Confront in Preparing for Retirement	119	(2)
Caregiving Women: Economic Consequences	121	(1)
Poverty	122	(1)
Toward Greater Income Security for Women	123	(2)
Summary	125	(1)
Inplications for Practice	126	(9)
Physical Health Concerns	135	(34)
Coronary Heart Disease	136	(5)
Risk Factors	137	(2)
Risk Factor Control	139	(1)
Less Conventional Risk Factors	140	(1)
Cancer-in General	141	(1)
Breast Cancer	142	(9)
Risk Factors	143	(2)
Prevention	145	(2)
Detection Methods	147	(2)
Interventions	149	(2)
Lung Cancer	151	(1)
Lesbian Health Issues	152	(2)
Cancer	152	(1)
Health Care	153	(1)
Coming of Age of Women's Health Concerns	154	(2)
Health Insurance Concerns	156	(2)
Summary	158	(1)
Implications for Practice	158	(11)
Menopause and Sexuality	169	(32)
Transition to Menopause	170	(2)
Differing Perspectives on Menopause	172	(6)
Minimalism Counters Maximalism	172	(4)
Sociocultural Perspective	176	(2)
Hormonal Therapy	178	(4)
Benefits, Risks, and Discomforts of Hormonal Therapy	180	(1)
The Decision Dilemma	181	(1)
Alternatives to Hormonal Therapy	182	(1)
Sexual Interest, Activity, and Enjoyment	182	(7)
Reports of Declines	183	(4)
Sexual Satisfaction	187	(1)
Lesbian Sexuality after Menopause	188	(1)
Ways for Women to Increase Sexual Enjoyment	189	(1)
Summary	189	(1)
Implications for Practice	190	(11)
Emotional Concerns	201	(22)
Presumption of Crisis	202	(2)
Depression	204	(8)
Depression Experienced by Midlife Women	205	(3)
Buffers Against Depression	208	(3)
Midlife Lesbians and Depression	211	(1)
Suicide	212	(3)
Do Midlife Factors Influence Women's Suicide Rates?	213	(1)
Lesbians and Suicide	214	(1)
Summary	215	(1)
Implications for Practice	216	(7)
Personality, Identity, and Generativity	223	(20)
Personality Development	224	(4)
Sex-Gender Crossovers Between Women and Men	225	(2)
Personality Prototypes	227	(1)
Identity	228	(4)
Identity Statuses Among Midlife Women	229	(1)
Effects of Sociobistorical Changes on Identity Stability and Change	230	(2)
Generativity	232	(5)
Actualization of Generative Strivings in Midlife	233	(1)
Generativity Motivation or Desires, Felt Capacity for Generativity, and Generative Realization	234	(2)
Identity Statuses and Generativity	236	(1)
Summary	237	(1)
Implications for Practice	237	(6)
Psychological Well-Being and Life Satisfaction	243	(20)
Prime Time for Midlife Women: Contributing Factors to Psychological Well-Being and Life Satisfaction	244	(3)
Biological Factors	247	(1)
Age	247	(1)
Health	248	(1)
Interpersonal Factors	248	(2)
Sex Life	248	(1)
Marriage, Family, and Children	248	(1)
Relationships With Parents	249	(1)
Social Support and Attachments	249	(1)
Social-Psychological Factors	250	(4)
Sex-Gender Role Traits	250	(1)
Mastery and Pleasure	250	(1)
Ego Resiliency	251	(2)
Regrets About Life Circumstances	253	(1)
Revised Social Clock Projects	254	(1)
Educational, Earnings, and Job Satisfaction Factors	254	(1)
Diversity Factors	255	(2)
Poor Midlife Women	255	(1)
African American Midlife Women	256	(1)
Lesbian Midlife Women	256	(1)
Exceptions to Psychological Well-Being Among Advantaged Midlife Women	257	(1)
Summary	258	(1)
Implications for Practice	258	(5)
Epilogue: Toward Developing and Applying Knowledge to Inform Practice	263	(14)
A Look at Research on Midlife Women	263	(1)
Types of Research Designs Needed in the Future	264	(3)
Practice Issues and Perspectives	267	(3)
Developmental Perspective	268	(1)
Feminist Perspective	268	(1)
Interpersonal Perspective	269	(1)
Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective	269	(1)
Affirmative Perspective	270	(1)
Conclusion	270	(7)
Appendix: A Compilation of Research Studies on Midlife Women	277	(1)
Appendix Index of Research Studies	278