Established Adulthood Navigating the Complex Years of the 30s and 40s

While psychological research and theory has outlined many periods of the adult lifespan, one period of adult development remains largely ignored, the period from ages 30 to 45. Clare M. Mehta focuses on this period, outlining the concept of established adulthood. For many, the years of established adulthood are the most intense, demanding, and rewarding of adult life. During established adulthood, people must negotiate the intersecting demands of progressing in a chosen career, maintaining intimate relationships, and caring for children and/or aging parents. The successes and difficulties in meeting these simultaneous and sometimes conflicting demands have the potential to profoundly influence the direction of a person's adult life. As such, it is critical to better understand this period of development. This book is the first to provide an in-depth conceptualization and exploration of established adulthood. With the voices of over 170 established adults at the heart of the book, Established Adulthood highlights the challenges and rewards of this period of the lifespan. It covers a wide range of topics including career development, physical health, romantic relationships, friendships, having or not having children, and parental relationships. This book is essential reading for those wanting to better understand adulthood in the modern world.

1 - 'I'm Trying to Navigate these Multiple Roles': Established Adulthood as the Rush Hour of Life
2 - 'You Have Those Adult Responsibilities, but You're Still Getting Your Feet on the Ground': Experiences of Being an Established Adult
3 - 'I Know Better What I Want and What I Can Do': Career Development in Established Adulthood
4 - 'It's a Compromise, Really, Being with Someone Else': The Romantic Lives of Established Adults
5 - 'You Have to Kind of Give Up Everything for a Kid': Established Adulthood With (or Without) Children
6 - 'My Friends Circle Has Changed with Each Decade': Friendships in Established Adulthood
7 - 'Who Else Has Seen You Through All the Things in Life?': Relationships with Parents in Established Adulthood
8 - 'I'm Trying to Learn What's Happening to My Body': The Experience of Physical Aging in Established Adulthood
9 - The Road Ahead: The Future of Established Adulthood

Clare M. Mehta is Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College, Boston, and Staff Scientist in the Division for Adolescent Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital. Mehta holds a Masters of Research in Education from the University of Bath and a Masters of Science and PhD in Lifespan Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University. She is past president of the American Psychological Association's Division 1, the Society for General Psychology, and serves on the board of the European Society for Adult Development.