Unraveling the Complexity of Midlife: A Mixed Methods Study Among Czech Middle‑Aged Adults

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081740%3A_____%2F24%3A00574573" target="_blank" >RIV/68081740:_____/24:00574573 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10804-023-09460-9" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10804-023-09460-9</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10804-023-09460-9" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10804-023-09460-9</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Unraveling the Complexity of Midlife: A Mixed Methods Study Among Czech Middle‑Aged Adults

Original language description

Psychological research on middle adulthood has focused on simple trends such as midlife decline or growth. More recent research has developed a more dynamic and contextual view of this period. However, developing such a view of midlife requires an appropriate theoretical and methodological framework. In this study, we used the framework of the dialogical self theory to analyze interviews with 98 participants aged 40–59 about midlife. The analysis categorized the interviews and identified five patterns that characterize the midlife lived experience: dialogical-reflective, discontinuous (predominantly men), integrated (predominantly women), traumatic, and monologic (men only). The validity of these patterns was checked by testing relationships with the Positive and Negative Schedule and the Ego Integrity Scale. We concluded that each pattern characterizing the midlife lived experience represents a particular midlife psychology that is variously associated with the simple trends such as midlife growth, midlife decline, or a balance between these opposites. At the same time, the patterns of the midlife lived experience were rooted in expectations typical of Czech society. In particular, gender-related social expectations played an important role in shaping the midlife experience of women and men.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

50101 - Psychology (including human - machine relations)

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA20-08583S" target="_blank" >GA20-08583S: Midlife experience: transitions, crises, and growth</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Adult Development

ISSN

1068-0667

e-ISSN

1573-3440

Volume of the periodical

31

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2

Country of publishing house

DE - GERMANY

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

156-169

UT code for WoS article

001051807700001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85168598439