Midlife in the 2020s: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Development is a cumulative, lifelong process, but strikingly little is known about development in midlife. As a consequence, many misconceptions exist about the nature of midlife and the developmental milestones and challenges faced by middle-aged adults. We first review dominant views and empirical research that has debunked false narratives. Next, we discuss major opportunities and challenges of midlife. This includes the unique constellation of roles and life transitions that are distinct from earlier and later life phases as well as shifting trends in mental and physical health and in family composition. We additionally highlight the importance of (historical shifts in) intergenerational dynamics of middle-aged adults with their aging parents, adult children, and grandchildren; financial vulnerabilities that emerge and often accrue from economic failures and labor market volatility; the shrinking social and health care safety net; and the rising costs of raising children. In doing so, we discuss issues of diversity and note similarities and differences in midlife experiences across race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We consider midlife as a pivotal period that includes a focus on balancing gains and losses, linking earlier and later life periods, and bridging generations. Finally, we propose possibilities for promoting reversibility and resilience with interventions and policy changes. The suggested agenda for future research promises to reconceptualize midlife as a key period of life, with a concerted effort to focus on the diversity of midlife experiences in order to meet the unprecedented challenges and opportunities in the 2020s and beyond. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Figure 1.

A Lifespan Perspective on Midlife. Guiding conceptual framework that portrays midlife as a pivotal period in the life course. Midlife is best defined by balancing multiple roles, life transitions, opportunities and challenges. These defining features of midlife transpire across the typically defined age periods of adulthood (i.e., young adulthood, midlife, and into old age). Early life factors, such as SES, parental relationships, and neighborhood factors shape the nature of midlife, which in turn affects outcomes such as health and well-being in later life. Current cohorts of middle-aged adults are confronted with increases in the intensity, magnitude, or sheer load of concurrently balancing multiple roles and challenges, while typically being responsible for those younger and older in the family and contending with increasing prevalence of chronic illness, disability, obesity and mental health issues. The challenges of midlife are offset by opportunities, such as career development, peak of earnings, gains in well-being, control beliefs, and bridging multiple generations. Social network composition details the significance of middle-aged adults’ connectedness with multiple generations, including their parents/in-laws, spouse/partner, adult children, and grandchildren. The form, function, and structure of social network composition across the multiple generations shown in Figure 1 is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the proximity, frequency of contact, and relationship quality with network members, their cognitive, mental, and physical health status, one’s own and family members’ marital status and number of children. The Societal-Cultural-Policy-Historical Time context that middle-aged adults and their social network composition reside carry great significance. Government policies and cultural beliefs have implications for development in midlife and connectedness with social network members. As discussed in the text, important considerations for this component include family leave policy, healthcare services and coverage, and higher education. The timetable of midlife can be shifted for numerous reasons, including age of parents, timing and decision of having kids, and if/when adult children have children. Targets for intervention can span multiple levels, including physical activity, social support and engagement, workplace and policy. Lastly, the life structure or the underlying pattern or design of a person’s life at a given time will differ across race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and SES.