Midlife Crisis and Coping with Stress in Men
Abstract
Midlife crisis (MLC) refers to process of intensive transition of the self dealing with reinterpretation of time perspective, confrontation with limitedness of life, and reevaluation of goals, plans and life values. The main question of the study is: What are the relationships between MLC and coping with stress? A hypothesis postulates a positive relationship between MLC and emotion-focus strategies of coping and a negative between MLC and problem-focuss strategies. A sample of 144 men (34-46) answered the Midlife Crisis Questionnaire (MCQ), and revised version of Ways of Coping Checlist. The MCQ contains three relatively independent dimensions: Intensity of the crisis focused on changing self-concept (IMC); Psychological maturity defined as organization of one's efforts around important life tasks including generativity (PSM); and Acceptance of fate and death (AFD). The relationship between MLC and emotion-focus strategy of coping was confirmed. Moreover, two patterns of mutual relationships were detected by means of canonical analysis. The first combines high IMC and low PSM with high use of emotion-focus and low use of problem-focus strategies (CR1=0, 69, p⟨0,001). The second combines high IMC and high PSM with high use of both, emotion-focus and problem-focus strategies (CR2=0, 39, p<0, 001). This latter pattern suggests flexibility of coping in men who are more mature. Another possibility is, that men higher in PSM perceive the changes typical for middle age as challenges, thus they use various strategies of coping, while those who are lower in PSM perceive such changes as threats or loses, thus they use emotion-focus strategies. The results are discussed in reference to adaptive versus disadaptive coping with the problems of midlife.
References
Aldwin C. M.: Does Age Affect the Stress and Coping Process? Implications of Age Differences in Perceived Control. „Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences” 46:1991 s. P174-180.
Bardwick J. M.: Middle Age and a Sense of Future. „Merrill-Palmer Quarterly” 24:1978 s. 129-138.
Born D. O., Nelson B. J.: Male Dentists at Midlife: An Exploration of the One Life/ One Career Imperative. „International Journal of Aging and Human Development” 18:1983-84 s. 219-235.
Billings A. G., Moss R. H.: The Role of Coping Responses and Social Resources in Attenuating the Impact of Stressful Life Events. „Journal of Behavioral Medicine” 4:1981 s. 139-157.
Bjorck J. P., Cohen L. H.: Coping with Threat, Losses, and Challenges. „Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology” 12:1993 s. 56-72.
Chiriboga D. A.: Social Stressors as Antecedents of Change. „Journal of Gerontology” 39:1984 s. 468-477.
Chiriboga D. A.: Mental Health at the Midpoint: Crisis, Challenge, or Relief? W: S. Hunter, M. Sundel (eds.). Midlife Myths: Issues, Findings, and Practical Implications. Newbury Park 1989a s. 116-144.
Chiriboga D. A.: Stress and Loss in Middle Age. W: R. A. Kalish (ed.). Midlife Loss: Coping Strategies. Newbury Park 1989b s. 42-88.
Ciernia J. R.: Death Concern and Businessmen's Mid-Life Crisis. „Psychological Reports” 56:1985 s. 83-87.
Cohen F.: Measurement of Coping. W: S. V. Kasl, C. L. Cooper (eds.). Stress and Health: Issues in Research Methodology. New York 1987 s.282-305.
Colarusso C. A., Nemiroff R. A.: Adult Development. New York 1981.
Cournoyer R. J., Mahalik J. R.: Cross-Sectional Study of Gender Role Conflict Examining College-Aged and Middle-Aged Men. „Journal of Counseling Psychology” 42:1995 s. 11-19.
Costa P. T., Jr, McCrae R. R.: Objective Personality Assessments. W: M. Storandt, I. C. Siegler, M. F. Elias (eds.). The Clinical Psychology of Aging. New York 1978 s. 119-143.
Coyne J. C., Aldwin C., Lazarus R. S.: Depression and Coping in Stressful Episodes. „Journal of Abnormal Psychology” 90:1981 s. 439-447.
Davidson L.: Preventive Attitudes Toward Midlife Crisis. „The American Journal of Psychoanalysis” 39:1979 s. 165-173.
Erikson E. H.: Childhood and Society. New York 1963.
El-Shiekh M., Klaczynsk i P. A., Valaik M. E.: Stress and Coping Across the Life Course. „Human Development” 32:1989 s. 113-117.
Farrell M. P., Rosenberg S. D.: Men at Midlife. Boston 1981.
Feifel H., Strack S.: Coping with Conflict Situations: Middle-Aged and Elderly Men. „Psychology and Aging” 4:1989 s. 26-33.
Figler H. R.: Overcoming Executive Mid-Life Crisis. New York 1978.
Fiske M., Chiriboga D. A.: Change and Continuity in Adult Life. San Francisco 1990.
Folkman S., Lazarus R. S.: An Analysis of Coping in a Middle-Aged Community Sample. „Journal of Health and Social Behavior” 21:1980 s.219-239.
Folkman S., Lazarus R. S.: If It Changes It Must Be a Process: A Study of Emotion and Coping During Three Stages of a College Examination. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 48:1985 s.150-170.
Folkman S., Lazarus R. S., Gruen R., DeLongis A.: Appraisal, Coping, Health Status, and Psychological Symptoms. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 50:1986 s. 571-579.
Golan N.: The Perilous Bridge: Helping Clients Through Mid-Life Transition. New York 1986.
Gould R.: Adult Life Stages: Growth Toward Self-Tolerance. „Psychology Today” 8:1975 s. 74-78.
Gould R. L.: Transformations: Growth and Change in Adult Life. New York 1978.
Greer F.: Of Adult Crisis: A Re-Examination of Crisis Theory. „Journal of Humanistic Psychology” 20:1980 s. 17-29.
Halpern H. A.: Crisis Theory: A Definitional Study. „Community Mental Health Journal” 9:1973 s. 342-349.
Hermans H. J. M., Hermans-Jansen E.: Self-Narratives: The Construction of Meaning in Psychotherapy. New York 1995.
Holahan C. J., Moss R. H.: Life Stressors, Resistance Factors, and Improved Psychological Functioning: An Extension of the Stress Resistance Paradigm. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 58:1990 s. 909-917.
Hunter S., Sundel M.: Introduction: An Examination of Key Issues Concerning Midlife. W: S. Hunter, M. Sundel (eds.). Midlife Myths: Issues, Findings, and Practice Implications. Newbury Park 1989 s. 8-30.
Jaques E.: Death and the Mid-Life Crisis. „The International Journal of Psycho--Analysis” 46:1965 s. 502-514.
Jaworowska-Obłój Z.: Proces radzenia sobie ze stresem. „Nowiny Psychologiczne” 1989 nr 1-2 s. 93-102.
Julian T. W., McKenry P. C., Arnold K.: Psychosocial Predictors of Stress Associated with the Male Midlife Transition. „Sex Roles” 22:1990 s.707-722.
Kalish R. D. (ed.): Midlife Loss: Coping Strategies. Newbury Park 1989.
Kruger A.: The Midlife Transition: Crisis or Chimera. „Psychological Reports” 75:1994 s. 1299-1305.
Lazarus R.: Paradygmat stresu i radzenia sobie. „Nowiny Psychologiczne” 1986 nr 3-4 s. 2-39.
Lazarus R., Folkman S.: Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York 1984.
Levinson D. J.: The Mid-Life Transition: A Period in Adult Psychosocial Development. „Psychiatry” 40:1977 s. 99-112.
Levinson D. J.: A Conception of Adult Development. „American Psychologist” 41:1986 s. 3-13.
Levinson D. J., Darrow C., Klein E., Levinson M., McKee B.: The Seasons of Men's Life. New York 1978.
Lonky E., Kaus C. R., Roodin P. A.: Life Experience and Mode of Coping: Relation to Moral Judgment in Adulthood. „Developmental Psychology” 20:1984 s. 1159-1167.
Lowenthal M. F.: Summary and Implications. W: M. F. Lowenthal, M.Thurnher, D. Chiriboga, and Associates, Four Stages of Life. San Francisco 1975 s. 223-245.
Lurie H. J.: Life Planning: An Educational Approach to Change. „American Journal of Psychiatry” 134:1977 s. 878-882.
Łosiak W.: Procesy radzenia sobie, ocena sytuacji i zaangażowane wartości. „Przegląd Psychologiczny” 35:1992 s. 485-495.
Mayer N.: The Male Mid-Life Crisis: Fresh Starts After Forty. Garden City 1978.
McCrae R. R.: Situational Determinants of Coping Responses: Loss, Threat, and Challenge. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 46:1984 s. 919-928.
McCrae R. R., Costa P. T.: Personality, Coping, and Coping Effectiveness in an Adult Sample. „Journal of Personality” 54:1986 s. 384-405.
Nakano K.: The Role of Coping Strategies on Psychological and Physical Well-Being. „Japanese Psychological Research” 33:1991 s. 160-167.
Neugarten B. L.: Adult Personality: Toward a Psychology of Life Cycle. W: B. L. Neugarten (ed.). Middle Age and Aging: A Reader in Social Psychology. Chicago 1968 s. 137-147.
Nosal C.: Interpretacja zależności między zbiorami zmiennych w ramach modelu analizy kanonicznej. W: J. Brzeziński (red.). Wielozmiennowe modele statystyczne w badaniach psychologicznych. Warszawa−Poznań 1987 s. 152-170.
Oleś P.: Zagadnienie stresu, kryzysu i radzenia sobie. „Roczniki Filozoficzne” 41:1993 z. 4 s. 5-22.
Oleś P.: Konstrukcja Kwestionariusza do badania Kryzysu Połowy Życia: Założenia a fakty empiryczne. „Przegląd Psychologiczny” 37:1994 s. 159-166.
Oleś P.: Kryzys „połowy życia” u mężczyzn: Psychologiczne badania empiryczne. Lublin 1995.
Pargament K. I.: God Help Me: Toward a Theoretical Framework of Coping for the Psychology of Religion. W: M. Lynne, D. Moberg (eds.). Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion. Vol. 2. Greenwich 1990 s. 194-224.
Parkes K. R.: Coping in Stressful Episodes: The Role of Individual Differences, Environmental Factors, and Situational Characteristics. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 51:1986 s. 1277-1292.
Pennebaker J. W., Colder M., Sharp L. K.: Accelerating the Coping Process. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 58:1990 s.528-537.
Pietrasiński Z.: Rozwój człowieka dorosłego. Warszawa 1990.
Rapoport L.: The State of Crisis: Some Theoretical Considerations. W: H. J. Parad (ed.). Crisis Intervention: Selected Readings. New York 1965 s.22-31.
Rocznik Statystyczny 1994. Warszawa 1994.
Rohde P., Lewinsohn P. M., Tilson M., Seeley J. R.: Dimensionality of Coping and Its Relation to Depression. „Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” 58:1990 s. 499-511.
Santrock J. W.: Life-Span Development. Dubuque 1983.
Sheehy G.: Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life. New York 1976.
Sherman E.: Meaning in Mid-Life Transitions. Albany 1987.
SPSS. Chicago 1990.
Tamir L. M.: Men in Their Forties: The Transition to Middle Age. New York 1982.
Turner R. J., Avison W. R.: Innovations in the Measurement of Life Stress: Critical Theory and Significance of Event Resolution. „Journal of Health and Social Behavior” 33:1992 s. 36-50.
Waskel S. A.: Intensity of Midlife Crisis on Resposes to the Death Concern Scale. „Journal of Psychology” 126:1992 s. 147-154.
Waskel S. A., Coleman J.: Correlations of Temperament Types, Intensity of Crisis at Midlife with Scores on a Death Scale. „Psychological Reports” 68:1991 s. 1187-1190.
Vingerhoets A. J. J. M.: Life Events, Coping, and Endocrine Functioning. „Psychophysiology” 21:1984 s. 602.
Copyright (c) 1995 Roczniki Filozoficzne
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
