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Related Experiment Videos

Women at midlife

S McQuaide1

  • 1Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA.

Social Work
|February 18, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Midlife women can thrive despite negative stereotypes. Factors like strong friendships, good health, and self-esteem contribute to happiness and successful midlife transformation.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Women's Health

Background:

  • Midlife women often face demoralizing cultural stereotypes, focusing on menopause or social devaluation.
  • These negative narratives can negatively impact self-perception and well-being during midlife.
  • There is a need for alternative perspectives that highlight successful midlife experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the midlife experiences of white women in the New York City area.
  • To identify factors associated with successful negotiation of midlife transformation.
  • To understand predictors of well-being in midlife women.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study exploring the experiences of a group of white women.
  • Identification of factors correlating with positive midlife outcomes.
  • Analysis of self-reported happiness and well-being indicators.

Main Results:

  • Despite challenges, 72.5% of women described themselves as happy or very happy at midlife.
  • Key predictors of well-being included higher income, social support (confidante/friends), good health, and high self-esteem.
  • Other significant factors were self-effectance, positive future outlook, a positive life narrative, and positive body image.

Conclusions:

  • Midlife can be a stage of significant happiness and successful transformation for women.
  • Socioeconomic status, social connections, psychological factors, and self-perception are crucial for positive midlife experiences.
  • Challenging negative cultural narratives is essential for promoting well-being in midlife women.

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