Implications of the life-span developmental framework for well-being in adulthood and aging

This article addresses the significance of the life-span developmental framework for nursing. Essential characteristics of the framework are defined and explained. Adult development is presented as a progressive rather than a decremental phenomenon, involving a series of "trade-offs" from one phase to the next. The role of person-environment interactions is emphasized as a major factor in the adult's well-being and approach to life's problems and conflicts, including health-related events. The life-span developmental framework is identified as consistent with nursing conceptual models on human health and development.