Gender specifics of experiencing a midlife crisis by University staff

Researched are gender characteristics of experiencing a midlife crisis among university teachers. Empirically reveals the gender specifics of the parameters of the experience of the crisis: the severity of the crisis and crisis events, as well as in the perception of the time perspective and perception of subjective age. Research methods are testing and statistical analysis. Based on the data obtained, recommendations are offered on psychological assistance to young university teachers who are experiencing a midlife crisis.

“Generativity versus Stagnation”: Midlife Crisis in Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day

This paper discusses midlife crisis as a driving force behind the thought and action of the protagonist of Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day. The whole novel contains a diary written by the English butler Stevens who relates his history of servitude at Darlington Hall and concludes with some revelations about the true nature of his past. Since the butler’s account gives hints to his concern for the extent of his achievement in life, his reassessing act of delving into the past can be taken as an attempt to resolve midlife crisis. Being the seventh stage of Erik Erikson’s developmental psychology, midlife crisis is primarily characterized by the binary “generativity versus stagnation” and the subject’s struggle to decide on the meaning of life. Occurring between 40 and 65, midlife crisis is stimulated by the reconsideration of social demands such as career and marriage. Applying this psychoanalytic approach to Stevens’ experience of midlife crisis, the present research investigates the place of Lord Darlington and Miss Kenton, the former Stevens’ employer and the latter his only love object, as embodiments of the social demands of career and marriage that the butler reviews in his midlife stage. Ultimately, this research discusses the butler’s success in resolving midlife crisis by considering the individuation process, namely self-awareness, self-actualization, and the caring power the protagonist goes through. Keywords: Ishiguro, Erikson, Midlife Crisis, Generativity, Stagnation, Individuation.

The role of normative crises in the dynamics of the value-semantic sphere at midlife stage

The subject of this research is the correlation between the positive experience of going through the midlife normative crisis and the mechanisms of development of the value-semantic sphere. The goal of this article lies in description of the results of empirical study dedicated to tracing the dependence of positive experience of going through midlife normative crisis on such mechanisms of the development of value-semantic sphere as self-cognition, self-fulfillment, self-determination, and self-transcendence. The article employs the method of comparison that allows concluding on the peculiarities of value-semantic sphere in the groups of respondents with or without experience of going through midlife crisis; method of measurement for determining the numerical values of the measured quantity – the level of manifestation of certain values, mechanisms, parameters, etc; cross-sectional method is used for obtaining empirical data. The validity of the acquired results is ensured by the standardized psychological tools for collecting information, as well as by reference to the methods of mathematical statistics. The conclusion is drawn that positive experience of going through the normative midlife crisis is associated with the higher level of manifestation of such mechanisms of the development of value-semantic sphere as self-cognition, self-fulfillment, self-determination, and self-transcendence. It is established that value-semantic benchmarks in the groups of respondents with positive experience of going through the age crisis depends on the spiritual satisfaction and achievements; while negative experience is rather associated with self-centered values. The novelty of this research lies in establishing correlation between the positive experience of going through the normative midlife crisis and the mechanisms of the development of value-semantic sphere. The obtained results can be used by practicing psychologists and acmeologists dealing with the professional growth and personal becoming, family crises, and developmental crises.

Mediating Effects of Family Stress on the Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Midlife Crisis in Middle-Aged Men

Middle-aged men bridge younger and older generations and are burdened with social roles and responsibilities that increase their risk of poor health. The aim of this study was to investigate whether family stress had a mediating effect on the relationship between self-efficacy and midlife crisis in a sample of 198 middle-aged South Korean men. Mediation analysis was performed according to the Baron and Kenny method and using the Sobel test. This study confirmed that midlife crisis decreased with increased self-efficacy and increased with family stress level. Family stress was also a significant partial mediator of the relationship between self-efficacy and midlife crisis. As family stress influences all members of the family, interventions are required that engage all family members to alleviate stress. Strategies to boost self-efficacy should be utilized, and family support constitutes the best means of coping.