Identity
Work & Family
Wellness
Midlife Crisis
Treatment
100
According to Erik Erikson's model, middle aged adults aged 40-65 are in which stage?
A. Generativity vs. Stagnation
B. Integrity vs. Despair
C. Identity vs. Confusion
A. Generativity vs. Stagnation!
The stage from ages 40-65 are considered to be within the Stagnation vs. Generativity stage. However, it is important to also consider the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage, because this age group is defined as 21-39, which is often considered to also be middle age.
100
Middle adulthood is sometimes referred to as...
A. "The Passing Lane of Life"
B. "The Rush Hour of Life"
C. "The Yield Sign of Life"
B. "The Rush Hour of Life"!
Due to the amount of life experiences middle adulthood tends to be characterized by, it is sometimes referred to as "The Rush Hour of Life".
100
Mindfulness is useful in mid-adulthood because:
A. It encourages adults to focus on their problems at all times and think of ways to solve them
B. It leads to social interaction by having individuals discuss their problems with others
C. It helps adults stay present in the moment and demonstrate feelings of non judgment
C. It helps adults stay present in the moment and demonstrate feelings of non judgment!
Mindfulness has been shown to increase overall wellbeing, especially during times of distress and role strain. It helps individuals deal with everyday stressors and increases resilience in adulthood.
100
Which of the following factors is not associated with midlife crisis?
A. Anxiety
B. Depression
C. Dissociation
D. Manic flight
C. Dissociation
Research suggests that mid-life crises are associated with anxiety, depression, and manic flight.
100
According to research, what two types of treatment are especially important in mid-adulthood?
A. Prevention programs & early intervention
C. Motivational interviewing & role-play
D. Pharmacological treatment & risk assessment
A. Prevention programs & early intervention!
Counselors must understand the necessity of prevention programs and early intervention strategies. These may include physical health programs, psychoeducation, retirement planning, and many others!
200
Roger Gould believes that:
A. Middle aged individuals are striving to make attachments to their romantic partners and start a family.
B. Reaching one's goals in adulthood is the primary influencer of growth and development.
C. Adults must leave behind their childhood beliefs and develop their own identity.
C. Adults must leave behind their childhood beliefs and develop their own identity!
Gould developed a model for development throughout adulthood. He believes that we are pulled into two different directions -- wanting to grow and adapt vs. wanting to find safety and comfort in life.
200
Which subgroup is thought to experience a higher level of role strain?
A. Women
B. Children
C. Employers
D. People who are just beginning their careers
A. Women!
Due to gender stereotypes and historical societal norms, it has been theorized women may feel the effects of role strain more than their male counterparts.
200
What is complementary wellness?
A. Utilizing holistic or non-traditional styles of treatment to promote wellness
B. Providing mental health treatment to develop coping strategies
C. Promoting wellness through family and work life balance
A. Utilizing holistic or non-traditional styles of treatment to promote wellness!
As counselors, it is important to educate yourself and your clients on the use of holistic approaches. They are shown to increase overall wellbeing for middle aged adults. Additionally, this type of treatment is becoming more common with this age group and is more accessible than many other options.
200
It is thought that midlife crises are rooted in...
A. Unmet goals and unfulfilled desires
B. A comparison of self vs. others
C. A reflection and evaluation of life thus far
D. Societal expectations of success
C. A reflection and evaluation of life thus far!
Research suggests that midlife crises are rooted in reflection and evaluation of life thus far. It is not whether goals are met, how others are fairing, or a measurement of self vs. societal expectations that seems to cause midlife crises, but an evaluation of if met goals provided one with the emotional gratification they thought it would.
200
Which form of therapy is thought to best treat symptoms associated with midlife crises?
A. Narrative therapy
B. DBT
C. CBT
D. Psychodynamic therapy
C. CBT!
Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety levels in middle aged adults.
300
Which one of these parents are exhibiting self-absorption in the expansion of Erik Erikson's generativity vs. stagnation stage?
A. A parent who attends a child's dance recital but is embarrassed because he is a boy.
B. A mother who claims she never received the nurturing gene and doesn't think she was meant to have kids.
C. A father who has very few life goals, does not have a job, and does not take responsibility for his actions.
B. A mother who claims she never received the nurturing gene and doesn't think she was meant to have kids!
Although all these parents seem selfish, this is specific for the parenthood vs. self-absorption stage. When parents are self-absorbed, they are never able to integrate their children into their lives and they may be biological parents, but this factor does not influence their identity significantly.
300
3. Job satisfaction tends to reach an all-time low around age…
A. 55
B. 45
C. 30
D. 65+
C. 30!
In what is known as a U-shaped "satisfaction cycle", job satisfaction starts around age 20 with high satisfaction, dips to low satisfaction at about age 30, and then gradually rises to high satisfaction by mid-career.
300
According to Windsor & Mahlo, increasing wellness through ________ can lead to better sleep, higher levels of life satisfaction, & reduced emotional exhaustion.
A. Cognitive behavioral therapy
B. Retirement planning
C. Practicing mindfulness
D. Decreasing alcohol consumption
C. Practicing mindfulness!
Mid-adulthood comes with added challenges that may not have been present in young adulthood. Discussing the importance of mindfulness with your clients is a useful technique when working with middle aged adults. Mindfulness encourages individuals to focus on enjoying the moment and decreasing stress levels.
300
What is the name of the book that brought term “midlife crisis” into popular culture?
A. Pathways
B. Passages
C. Pathfinders
D. Transformations
B. Passages!
Gail Sheehy's bestselling book, Passages, is credited as first bringing the term "midlife crisis" into popular culture.
300
Separation of work and home life is also referred to as…
A. Apportionment
B. Disjuncture
C. Segmentation
D. Congruence
C. Segmentation!
The physical and mental separation of work and home life that is thought to aid in healthy mental functioning is known as segmentation.
400
List one assumption that adults must overcome during their lifetime according to Roger Gould's transformation theory. 100 bonus points if you can correctly list two!
Four assumptions must be overcome:
We will always live with our parents and be their child, they will always be there to help when we can’t do something on our own, life is simple and controllable, there is no real death or evil in the world.
Adults must see themselves as an individual instead of their parent's child.
400
What is job satisfaction in middle adulthood thought to be best determined by?
According to research, job satisfaction is best determined by whether one’s job aligns with career goals set in young adulthood.
400
What approximate percentage of middle-aged adults have at least one chronic illness? You can provide a range of up to 10 (ex. 15 to 25%)
70%!
Approximately 70% of middle aged adults have at least one chronic illness. These illnesses may be mental of physical, and it is essential to think about how these illnesses may be influencing your clients. You should also be discussing prevention methods with your clients to decrease the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses.
400
Which animal did research suggest also experiences a midlife crisis?
Chimpanzees!
Weiss, et al. used human measures of well-being that were alternated to measure non-human primates levels of well-being and found a similar U-shaped curve or "midlife crisis" in Chimpanzee's well-being over time.
400
What kind of therapy may aid in treating escape or avoidance behaviors?
CBT
CBT has been found to be effective at managing escape or avoidance behaviors.
500
In order to apply Schlossberg's 4-S model to treating middle aged adults, counselors must understand that role transitions require:
A. Re-evaluating & readjusting
B. Letting go & taking on
C. Heartbreaks & heart-mends
B. Letting go & taking on!
Schlossberg's 4-S Model discusses the different ways adults react to their transitions depending on their identity including situation, self, support, and strategies. To apply this model, counselors assist clients in understanding what they are letting go and taking on with new roles after life changes.
500
According to life-span developmental career theory, people's careers progress through five predictable and major life stages. Which stage is middle adulthood known as?
A. Exploration
B. Establishment
C. Growth
D. Maintenance
D. Maintenance!
Life-span developmental career theory associate the five career progression stages as: growth or childhood, exploration or adolescence, establishment or young adulthood, maintenance or middle adulthood, and disengagement or old age.
500
What are the eight dimensions of wellness according to Margaret Swarbrick?
Hint: This is currently the most "trendy" wellness model to date.
It is important to understand that adults in mid-adulthood often have difficulty maintaining their wellness because of every day stressors, role strain, and overall identity development. This is a strength-based model that encourages clients to satisfy their wellness in each of the eight dimensions.
500
A large amount of current research on midlife crisis based on the work of a theorist we covered in class. Who is the theorist?
A. Levinson
B. Bronfenbrenner
C. Piaget
D. Kohlberg
A. Levinson!
Though is has been argued Gail Sheely brought the term "midlife crisis" into popular culture, many attribute the concept of ‘midlife crisis’ to Levinson.
500
Which of the following is NOT considered a primary prevention technique to decrease intimate partner violence?
A. Programs that focus on teaching conflict resolution & useful communication techniques
B. Couples therapy for individuals who are currently in an abusive relationship to discuss coping skills
C. Mass media programming such as household safety & political participation
B. Couples therapy for individuals who are currently in an abusive relationship to discuss coping skills!
Approximately 25% of individuals in the US report experiencing some type intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Although there are many prevention strategies that currently decrease the likelihood of intimate partner violence, it is not recommended that couples who are currently in an abusive relationship attend counseling together.