The proposed study will examine the determinants of well-being in midlife for Black and White college educated women. Two related study designs will be used: one extends the Women's Life Paths Study, a longitudinal study of University of Michigan graduates of the class of 1967. The second initiates a parallel longitudinal study of three cohorts of Black women, the Howard University classes of 1959, 1964, and 1967. The data source will be a questionnaire mailed to the entire sample. The long term objectives are to contribute to our knowledge and theory about Black and White women's adult development and well-being. The hypotheses to be tested are derived from three perspectives that have been major sources of critical thinking about adult development. The three perspectives are (1) Asking how the societal changes that took place during these women's earlier adult years have affected their expectations about major life events and well-being. We expect that departures from the socially expected timing of events, and from one's personal expectations about the timing of event will detract from well-being, particularly for women who are external on locus of control; (2) Erickson's theory of adult personality development will be tested. We will examine whether the relative magnitude of concerns with identity, intimacy, and generativity, will be age related, and in turn, related to well-being. We also predict that life events will bear a stronger relationship to personality phase than will age; (3) We will examine the relative impact of role quality and number of roles on well-being and how these relationships vary with age. The three perspectives are brought together in an effort to better understand their separate and combined contributions to the prediction of well-being.
| Edelstein, Robin S; Newton, Nicola J; Stewart, Abigail J (2012) Narcissism in midlife: longitudinal changes in and correlates of women's narcissistic personality traits. J Pers 80:1179-204 |
| Peterson, Bill E (2002) Longitudinal analysis of midlife generativity, intergenerational roles, and caregiving. Psychol Aging 17:161-8 |
| Stewart, A J; Vandewater, E A (1999) ""If I had it to do over again..."": midlife review, midcourse corrections, and women's well-being in midlife. J Pers Soc Psychol 76:270-83 |
| Vandewater, E A; Ostrove, J M; Stewart, A J (1997) Predicting women's well-being in midlife: the importance of personality development and social role involvements. J Pers Soc Psychol 72:1147-60 |
| Cole, E R; Stewart, A J (1996) Meanings of political participation among black and white women: political identity and social responsibility. J Pers Soc Psychol 71:130-40 |
