Psychology
Document Type
Article
Abstract
In developed countries, the years from Age 30 to 45 are, for many, the most intense, demanding, and rewarding years of adult life. During this period of the life span most adults must negotiate the intersecting demands of progressing in a chosen career, maintaining an intimate partnership, and caring for children. Successes or difficulties in meeting these simultaneous demands have the potential to profoundly influence the direction of a person's adult life. As such, we believe that it is of critical importance to better understand this developmental period that we call established adulthood. This article provides a new theoretical conceptualization of established adulthood, outlining its distinctiveness from emerging adulthood and midlife in terms of physical health, well-being, cognitive development, and the career-and-care-crunch of competing work and family responsibilities. We also consider variations in the timing and experience of established adulthood, including variations by gender and social class, and provide suggestions for future research. As economic and social arrangements continue to evolve, so too will this developmental period, providing fertile ground for developmental theory and research.
Publication Title
American Psychologist
Publication Date
2020
Volume
75
Issue
4
First Page
431
Last Page
444
ISSN
0003-066X
DOI
10.1037/amp0000600
Keywords
adulthood, developmental theory, lifespan development, psychosocial development, work-life balance
Repository Citation
Mehta, Clare M.; Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen; Palmer, Carlie G.; and Nelson, Larry J., "Established adulthood: A new conception of ages 30 to 45" (2020). Psychology. 692.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/692
Copyright
© American Psychological Association, 2020. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The final article is available, upon publication, at: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000600.