Case Study: Middle Adulthood
Review the developmental history
of an individual. Cover the life of an individual from middle adulthood.
Young Adulthood
Discuss the physical development
of the selected individual during young adulthood. Were there observable
changes in growth, strength, and physical functioning? How did lifestyle impact
health?
Middle Adulthood
Examine the individual’s
occupational selection and development. Did he or she settle into one career or
change careers? How did the individual come to make these choices? Was he or
she satisfied with the career? Would the person have chosen to do something
different if he or she had it all to do over again? Did he or she have to deal
with discrimination? Unemployment?
What was the person’s life outside
of work like? How was the individual’s relationship with his or her own
parents? Did he or she have to provide care for an older family member? If so,
how did that go? How was the subject’s relationship with his or her own child
or children? What did the person do with his or her free time? What leisure
activities did he or she enjoy the most? What would the individual have done if
he or she had had more free time?
Discuss the physical and cognitive
development of the selected individual during middle adulthood. Were there
observable changes in growth, strength, and physical functioning? Did the
person have any major health problems? Did he or she have a great deal of
stress? If so, from what? Did he or she exercise? What developments in thinking
were observed? Were there changes in morals?
Discuss the social development of
the individual during middle adulthood. Were the friendships of early adulthood
maintained? Were new friendships formed? How was the relationship with members
of the family of origin? Was the person close to his or her siblings (if
applicable)? How did the person handle any “empty nest” issues? How
did he or she handle Erikson’s psycho-social task of generativity versus
stagnation?
