In this collection, twenty-four leading researchers analyze the middle years of the lifespan, paying close attention to the many different facets of adult development. The book studies the various changes that middle-aged adults experience — from shifts in family structure and evolving interpersonal relationships to dynamic career trajectories involving promotions, job loss, and ​“topping out”.

This work explains how these different experiences interrelate and how a better understanding of them can foster successful midlife development. Moving beyond past research that was often limited by its use of cross-sectional data and a focus on clinical populations, this volume uses a diverse set of longitudinal data to provide a broader, more scientifically grounded perspective. It examines both the similarities and differences in the midlife experience as a function of gender, social class, and birth cohort, informing readers of the enormous potential and promise that exists amid the characteristic gains and losses of the middle years.