6,898 results on '"Adult development"'
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2. Decolonization: A Framework to Understand and Trangress Adultism
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Xamuel Bañales
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There is growing body of scholarship that examines adultism through various methodologies and in a variety of settings, including labor, education, and society. In addition, studies of adultism increasingly recognize how this from of power intersects or is parallel with other forms of oppression. This research is generative for illuminating the various way in which adultism and other forms of power operate or contribute to limiting or exclusionary practices that young people face. However, how can we move away from discourses of liberal inclusivity toward social transformation? Why do the causes, effects, or outcomes of adultism from a critical perspective often fall short? What can decolonial thought offer to understandings of adultism? This essay proposes a de/colonization framework to advance understandings of adultism and center liberation. I argue that adultism and colonization are not separate but birthed in relation to one another. Furthermore, discourses on adultism that fail to seriously engage with de/colonization risk perpetuating the oppression that they attempt to challenge, trouble, or address.
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- 2024
3. A DLF Case Study: The Dynamics of Writing Development in Adulthood
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Thanh T. G. Trinh, Kees de Bot, and Marjolijn Verspoor
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This longitudinal case study from a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) perspective touches upon an under-researched issue: L1 development over the lifespan. Levinson (1978) predicts three stages in adulthood: early, mid and late, with a decline in late adulthood. We examine Diane Larsen-Freeman's publications over a period of 50 years (from age 27 to 77) and trace seven complexity measures--three lexical (density, sophistication and diversity) and four syntactic (mean length of sentence, finite verb ratio, dependent clause per T-unit and complex nominals per clause)--to investigate whether early, middle, and late stages in adulthood occur as predicted. After employing common CDST methods to find out if there are significant peaks or interactions among the variables over time, we used a Hidden Markov time-series analysis to locate moments of self-organization, suggesting a new stage of development. The HMM shows a clear phase shift between middle and late adulthood when the writer was 63. Her vocabulary became more diversified, but her sentences were shorter, but not less complex. Therefore, we argue that this shift should not be seen as a decline in complexity but a shift in style as more precise words may lessen the need for more words.
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- 2024
4. 'Being Queer, It Was Really Isolating': Stigma and Mental Health among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Young People during COVID-19
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Megan M. Ruprecht, Ysabel Floresca, Shreya Narla, Dylan Felt, II Gregory Phillips, Kathryn Macapagal, and Morgan M. Philbin
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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) youth and young adults (YYAs) have poorer mental health outcomes than their cisgender, heterosexual peers in large part due to multilevel stigmatization and minority stress. This was exacerbated by psychological stressors stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic; these experiences intersected with YYA unique developmental stage. Here we explored LGBTQ+ YYA's pandemic-related experiences, focusing on intersections between stigma and belonging, developmental processes, and their relationship to mental health. We conducted qualitative interviews from August to November 2021 with 34 LGBTQ+ YYA ages 14 to 24; interviews were nested within a quantitative study on YYA experiences during COVID-19. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. YYA described how pandemic impacts like quarantine and isolation directly impacted their mental health; these coalesced around four types of thematic shifts: shifts in (1) time; (2) living situations; (3) community supports; and (4) social and political climate. Multilevel stigmatization also created new mechanisms of norm enforcement for LGBTQ+ YYA. Interviews demonstrated how the pandemic also impacted key developmental processes including identity formation and autonomy seeking. The potential consequences of these pandemic-related shifts largely depended on YYA's experiences of stigma and/or belonging throughout the pandemic. Findings suggested that isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic intersected with existing socio-ecological structures in LGBTQ+ young people's lives. Efforts to investigate longitudinal impacts of the pandemic, as well as to intervene to reduce the stigmatization experienced by LGBTQ+ YYA, remain urgent.
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- 2024
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5. The Importance of a Helping Hand in Education and in Life. EdWorkingPaper No. 23-846
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Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, Francisco Gallego, Philip Oreopoulos, and Noah Spencer
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This paper discusses the importance of incorporating personal assistance into interventions aimed at improving long-term education and labor market success. While existing research demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of low-touch behavioral nudges, this paper argues that the dynamic nature of human capital accumulation requires sustained habits over time. To foster better habits, social connections are critical for encouraging enduring effort and intrinsic motivation. The paper showcases examples from various stages of human capital accumulation, including early childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, in which interventions that incorporate personal assistance substantially out-perform less intensive nudges. We underscore the importance of interactive support, guidance, and motivation in facilitating significant progress and explore the challenges associated with implementing cost-effective policies to provide such assistance.
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- 2023
6. An Exploration of the Relationship between Significant Life Experiences, Leader Identity Development, and Adult Development in the Workplace Context
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Megan Yoo Schneider
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Leadership development is a multi-billion-dollar industry with a strong focus on learning through experiences, yet most experiential leadership development efforts typically center on work-based experiences and not personal life experiences. This study delves into the relationships among significant life experiences, leader identity, and adult development in the workplace. It aims to bridge a critical gap in leadership development literature by offering deeper insights into how life experiences contribute to the development of leader identity and adult development. The methodology involved a qualitative analysis of the experiences of 27 diverse, seasoned leaders across various industries, emphasizing a holistic approach that integrates personal life experiences with professional leadership growth. The study's key findings are pivotal in understanding the influence of life beyond work on professional leadership. First, non-work significant life experiences are found to relate to leader identity and adult development in the workplace. Second, reflection and sensemaking are instrumental in shaping how both work and non-work experiences influence leader identity and adult development. Third, various stages of adult development influence the development of a leader's identity through their significant life experiences. Fourth, significant life experiences are shown to promote leader development by enhancing self-awareness and perspective-taking capacity. Additionally, many leaders felt they were able to develop positively as a result of a negative experience, and their interpretation of significant life experiences may change over time. Lastly, the interview process itself may act as a catalyst for development. Together, these findings offer a transformative perspective on leader development, emphasizing the integration of personal life into professional growth. The implications of these findings are substantial for leadership development practices because they provide insight as to how sensemaking and reflection of significant life experiences can influence leadership development. By acknowledging the significant role that personal life experiences play in shaping leadership journeys, organizations can design more effective and resonant leadership development programs that provide the time, space, and structure to support leader reflection and sensemaking activities. These programs can foster more authentic and effective leaders, better equipped to meet the challenges of the modern workplace. This research thus contributes substantively to the field of leadership development, offering insights that extend beyond theoretical abstraction to practical application. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
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- 2024
7. A Cross-Sectional Study Using Self-Defining Memories to Explore Personal Identity throughout Adulthood
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Alain Fritsch, Virginie Voltzenlogel, and Christine Cuervo-Lombard
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Little research has examined changes in personal identity over different periods of adult development. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to target these changes through the characterization of the main dimensions in self-defining memories (SDMs; thematic content, specificity, integrative meaning, tension, contamination/redemption, and emotion) and their interactions. Our final sample was composed of 652 healthy French adults aged from 18 to 97 years, divided into four age groups: young adults (n = 163, M = 23.7 years), middle-aged adults (n = 135, M = 44.0 years), young-old adults (n = 178, M = 64.5 years), and old-old adults (n = 176, M = 79.6 years). Participants were asked to recollect three SDMs. A similar pattern of thematic content was observed throughout adulthood, except for relationship narratives were more frequent in the two younger groups. The findings highlighted that specific and integrated SDMs decreased with age and that tension and contaminative sequences were the most frequent in young adults. Redemptive memories did not significantly differ whatever the age of participants. No clear positivity effect was observed with aging. Finally, an analysis of the correlations among the main SDMs' dimensions showed that specificity correlated positively with tension in young adults and integrative meaning with redemption in young and middle-aged participants. We found no significant correlation between specificity and integration in any age group. For the first time, this study sheds new light on lifelong identity adjustments.
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- 2024
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8. The Idea of the University: Towards a Contemporary Formulation
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Malcolm Tight
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The idea of the university has been a matter of intense debate for well over a century. The essential nature, role and purpose of the university have long been questioned. The debate has only intensified as universities have multiplied and expanded across the globe, and the demands made upon them by different stakeholders have grown and diversified. This article focuses on how the research literature on the idea of the university has developed over the last 150 years, using this to assess where the debate might be going. It puts forward three key elements for a contemporary idea of the university: the increased use of educational technology, development beyond the university, and mass undergraduate provision.
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- 2024
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9. Adult Cultures Matter: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of a More H.U.M.A.N. Approach to Educational Leadership
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Kristen Moreland
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Adult cultures matter. In today's volatile political climate, the call for human-focused leaders is stronger than ever. Guided by adult development theory and supported by multiple scholarly sources, the researcher synthesized a theoretical framework for understanding what human-centered leadership entails: Honing compassion; Understanding one's identity as a leader; Making meaning for others while motivated by a vision; Anticipating and acknowledging the unknown, and Nurturing trust and a sense of belonging. Through an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, this study revealed how 10 school leaders in New Hampshire took a more human approach to their leadership. The cross-case analysis of the transcripts from semi-structured interviews uncovered three major characteristics of the participants: an interplay of relational and behavioral values, a belief in the power and promise of what equitable educational organizations can be, and a commitment to empowering the professional practices of the adults in their schools. The desire for intentional connection with a professional network, including leadership coaching, was common across all participants; consequently, a more robust coaching program for educational leaders is recommended. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
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- 2024
10. A Dialogical Narrative Approach to Transitions and Change in Young Women's Lives after Domestic Abuse in Childhood: Considerations for Counselling and Psychotherapy
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Tanya Frances
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Domestic abuse in childhood is seriously impactful, but very little literature uses a critical lens to consider implications for counsellors and psychotherapists working with young adults following domestic abuse in childhood. This article draws on research that explored 10 young women's accounts of transitions to adulthood after domestic abuse in childhood. Interviews with young adult women in England were conducted and a feminist dialogical narrative analysis was used. Findings suggest that socio-cultural structures and ideologies that shape dominant discourses about what growing up after domestic abuse in childhood means, and what "successful" adult femininity looks like, shaped how women made sense of their experiences. This has implications for counsellors and psychotherapists working with this client group. This article concludes that storytelling could be a powerful therapeutic tool, and attention to power, ambiguity and tensions when working with this client group might facilitate and generate important meaning-making and knowledge in therapy.
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- 2024
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11. How Adults Learn
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Baskas, Richard S.
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Adults learn simply through life experience and possibly by pursuing an education. Pursuing an education would depend on the setting of the experience. This project aimed to explore the theories and frameworks that inform the field of adult learning today. A course project was constructed of seven individual projects, each exploring different aspects of how adults learn. A literature review was conducted to determine their relevance in the study. Analysis revealed that research supported the theories and frameworks of how adults learn.
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- 2022
12. Are Social-Emotional Learning Focused Schools Deliberately Developmental Organizations?
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Bailey, James A. and Weiner, Randy
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The call for social-emotional development for students has increased through the pandemic, but these calls also require educators to understand the complex nature of social-emotional development as adults. This research study aimed to explore how schools known for social-emotional learning (SEL) support adult SEL development toward flourishing within complex environments. For this study, we used Keegan and Lahey's (2016) framework of a deliberately developmental organization which has found certain organizations center adult development as a primary strategy. We utilized this framework to explore if any of these characteristics of a deliberately developmental organization (DDO) are readily evident in schools highly focused on SEL.
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- 2022
13. 'Oh, I Thought We'd Be Different': A Multifocal, Interdisciplinary Examination of the Fidelity/Adaptation Challenge
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Davis, William J., Esposito, Michael, Brown Urban, Jennifer, and Linver, Miriam R.
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The purpose of this instrumental, multisite case study is to examine fidelity, adaptation, and differentiation challenges found at Wood Badge, a nationwide Boy Scouts of America training for adult volunteer leaders. Our iterative analysis of more than 900 pages of fieldnotes and 400 pages of documents revealed facilitators often explicitly taught syllabus content during the trainings. Observers noted 119 minor differentiations across trainings, notably involving facilitator delivery methods and the duration and scheduling of training segments. Facilitators observed 16 adaptations, which appeared to be based on external conditions at trainings or facilitator preferences, and just three instances of differentiation. Our analysis of the trainings surfaced key fidelity/adaptation issues like overadherence, conflicting notions of deviation, and the impact of preparation on fidelity. In addition, we identified factors influencing facilitators' use of adaptation and differentiation. Recommendations for large-scale trainings are made based on the study's findings.
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- 2023
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14. What Does It Take to Live a Profound Life?
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Holyoke, Laura B., Wilson, Katie, Threet, Ali, Cornwall, Laila, and Bertlin, Shawna
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The purpose of this literature review was to develop the profound living concept through a synthesis of themes extracted from scholarly literature. The problem encountered was a lack of theory and depth in the concept of profound living. The methods used in this study were a thorough literature review in which concepts were extracted from related theories and ideas related to profound living. Ego development theory was utilized as a framework to guide the exploration of living profoundly. This resulted in a conceptualization of profound living that integrates ideas from life narratives, eudaimonia, and wisdom. This cogent conceptualization of profound living should guide future empirical research on this topic. [For the complete volume, "American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Inaugural 2020 Conference Proceedings (Online, October 27-30, 2020)," see ED611534.]
- Published
- 2021
15. Embodied Literacies of Sexuality and Gender of College Students
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Jones, Meg C., Vaccaro, Annemarie, Miller, Ryan A., Forester, Rachael, Friedensen, Rachel, Kimball, Ezekiel W., and Forsythe, Desiree
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Internalized discourses of identity impact identity development, which in turn affects how one represents themselves in relation to their identity. This embodiment of language is a form of literacy and for those with minoritized identities of sexuality and gender, language can serve to validate or invalidate identities. We use grounded theory to consider reflections of college students with minoritized identities of sexuality and gender on identity formation through their lives in relation to language and labels used by others, ascribed to themselves, and ultimately used as embodied literacies of identity. Findings illustrate how participants internalized, embodied, and utilized cultural texts as processes of embodied literacy to develop and express their identities in relation to sexuality and gender. We present a call to action for educators and youth socializers to provide inclusive environments in which minoritized identities of sexuality and gender are represented explicitly and authentically as paths towards a broadened notion of literacy.
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- 2021
16. Emerging Adult Military-Connected Students Express Challenges Transitioning into Higher Education: Implications for Helping Professionals
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Clary, Kelly Lynn and Byrne, Lucy
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Emerging adult (EA; aged 18-29) military-connected students experience major developmental changes, often coupled with the transition into the civilian sector and higher education. This conglomeration may exacerbate anxiety, stress, and negative coping mechanisms, including substance use. Substance use rates are highest among EAs, across the lifespan. To our knowledge, limited research has looked at EA military-connected students' transition into higher education during this "developmental" stage. We qualitatively interviewed 16 EA military-connected students who reported high-risk substance use behaviors. To our knowledge, no student veteran research study has considered this characteristic. This is important since military members are more likely to misuse substances and encounter related consequences than their civilian counterparts, and these developmental and transitional stressors put them at higher risk for misusing substances. In 74-minute interviews, we asked participants about (1) challenges transitioning into higher education and (2) techniques helping professionals should use to support EA military-connected students. Two coders employed Thematic Analysis to identify themes using NVivo. We found challenges include: (1) starting over, (2) unable to relate to others, (3) lacking a purpose or plan, (4) support system changes, and (5) people view you as only a veteran. EA military-connected students' suggestions for helping professionals include: (1) use straightforward communication, (2) show a genuine interest, (3) offer guidance on creating a support system, and (4) treat me as a human, not only a veteran. This study provides translational examples for helping professionals such as encouraging involvement in military and veteran community organizations to promote a sense of belonging.
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- 2023
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17. The Extent to Which Ageism Has Affected Lifelong Learning Settings: Perspectives from Practitioners in Taiwan
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Liu, Yi-Hui, Chao, Pei-Ju, Fried, Juliet H., and Hsu, Tsu-Hsuan
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As of 2018, Taiwan had a population of approximately 23.5 million people, of which 14% had reached 65 years old. To promote healthy and active aging for Taiwanese older adults, the Lifelong Learning Act was amended in 2018 in order to support older adults in terms of their personal development and leisure opportunities. The primary goal of the study was to explore the attitudes toward older adults and ageist behaviors shown by Taiwanese lifelong learning practitioners, including faculty members, lecturers, and volunteers. The results showed that Taiwanese lifelong learning practitioners, especially faculty members, had a high level of benevolent ageist attitudes toward older adults. However, associations between demographic factors on ageist behaviors were inconsistent. The findings of the study provide suggestions and research directions for the purpose of building a better age discrimination-free lifelong learning environment for current and prospective older learners.
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- 2022
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18. The Destabilization and Destandardization of Social Roles across the Adult Life Course: Considering Aggregate Social Role Instability and Its Variability from a Historical-Developmental Perspective
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Jager, Justin, Rauer, Amy, Staff, Jeremy, Lansford, Jennifer E., Pettit, Gregory S., and Schulenberg, John E.
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Existing research focused on social role destabilization (historical increases in role instability) and destandardization (historical increases in variability of role instability) has primarily focused on discrete social roles during discrete periods of development. Building on this work, we applied a macro approach to elucidate the extent to which historical trends toward destabilization and destandardization are occurring at the aggregate among a key set of social roles (union formation, education, residential independence, and employment) and across the whole of adulthood. Applying a historical-developmental approach, we also document how historical trends toward destabilization and destandardization vary by age. We used 3 historical, longitudinal data sets: the Monitoring the Future study (N = 69,464; 55.4% women; 75.5% white), the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 45,001; 51.4% women; 54.3% white), and The Health and Retirement Study (N = 30,913; 53.6% women; 75.6% white) that collectively cover the entire adult life course and over a century of U.S. birth cohorts. We found that aggregate destabilization and destandardization have occurred across the entirety of adulthood, although trends appear more pronounced at either end of the adult life course and the specific roles driving both trends vary across the adult life course. Findings were robust for educational attainment, and destabilization and destandardization were more pronounced among women. Findings highlight the importance of considering social role changes at the aggregate and singularly, and the need to evaluate social role changes in any 1 period of adulthood in conjunction with those occurring in other periods of adulthood.
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- 2022
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19. Defining Self-Awareness in the Context of Adult Development: A Systematic Literature Review
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Carden, Julia, Jones, Rebecca J., and Passmore, Jonathan
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Self-awareness is often seen as a critical component in leadership and career success, and has therefore become a feature in MBAs, leadership development, and management education. It has become a popular "buzzword" in management literature, yet when reviewing this literature, there appears to be no consistent definition of the construct. This article reports a systematic literature review, covering how the construct of self-awareness is defined and how it differs from self-consciousness and self-knowledge within the context of management education. After screening, 31 articles were included in the review, analysis of which identified there is an overlap with how self-awareness, self-consciousness, and self-knowledge are defined. Other themes from our analysis include the identification of the components of self-awareness, how to be self-aware, and the purpose of self-awareness. The contribution of our article is the provision of clarity on the construct of self-awareness and a working definition, which can be used in the fields of leadership and management development by practitioners in education and organizations, and for future research within the context of adult development and the workplace.
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- 2022
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20. The Theory of Emerging Adulthood: Parents' Experience of Their Child's Transition to College
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Doyle, Colleen B. and O'Donnell, Grainne M.
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The transition to college is a critical determinant of student success in higher education. Increasingly, students' parents play a key role in supporting their sons and daughters as they adjust to the academic and social demands of university. However, little research has been conducted into parents' experiences of their child's transition to college. Arnett's theory of emerging adulthood is concerned with the developmental stage typically associated with students. Parents of university students were invited to describe the challenges faced by students in the transition to college. Quantitative and qualitative data were elicited on the parents' experiences of students' transition to higher education. A survey was conducted, and participants were interviewed at key points during one academic year. Parents reported struggling with changes in their home and family life during this phase. They expressed mixed and complex views on the adult status of their children. They also sought direct communication and guidance from the university to support more effectively their child during the transition process. The findings of the study are discussed in the light of Arnett's theory of emerging adulthood and implications are highlighted in this regard. Recommendations are made regarding transition planning, effective communication with parents and the provision of academic and personal support systems to facilitate the successful transition of students to college.
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- 2022
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21. Adult Education as a Contributory Factor to the Integration into Modern Socio-Cultural Environment
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Yurtaeva, Marina, Glukhanyuk, Natalia, Muzafarova, Anna, and Rasskazova, Tatiana
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The advent of the so-called "post-literacy" era imposes on an individual the need to master not only various verbal, but also visual, artistic and scientific languages that have been developed in modern culture, which requires an adult to constantly improve their general educational and cultural level and to constantly struggle against functional illiteracy. The authors believe that by engaging in continuous education and lifelong learning, individuals not only increase their adaptive capacities essential for integrating into a dynamically changing socio-professional environment but also satisfy their need for self-actualisation, fulfil their potential, thus also preserving their mental, cognitive and social resources. Since self-actualisation explains a person's effectiveness in all areas of life, determining its level can serve as the basis for designing the most appropriate educational programmes that would allow an individual to realise their potential and increase their adaptive capacity. The paper presents the results of a study of self-actualisation in adults who seek opportunities for self-development by enrolling in further education programmes and professional development courses. The study revealed that adults who seek opportunities for continuous education do so in the desire to enhance their hidden merits, to use, preserve and enrich their cognitive resources and, thereby self-actualize. This raises the issue of tailoring further education programmes to specific self-actualisation needs of adult learners, developing new models of lifelong education that would foster the activation of adults' cognitive capabilities, identifying potential resources and modelling modern educational environments that would cater for the operation of self-development mechanisms. [This study was funded by RFBR. For the complete proceedings, see ED600498.]
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- 2018
22. Transformational Learning and the Role of Shadow in Quality of Life
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McLaughlin, Robin Gregory
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Shadow work may result in increased awareness and emotional and behavioral changes that influence the quality of life in the adult student. Using a semi-clinical, semi-structured, qualitative interview with 20 adult learners, this study investigated the role of shadow work following Kegan and Lahey's (2009) Immunity to Change (ITC) process in support of the adult developmental journey. Shadow work refers to one or more processes that a person may use to uncover, or bring to awareness, repressed aspects of Self. This dimension of wholeness (less fragmentation) compliments the concept of horizontal learning and vertical development. [For the complete proceedings, see ED590245.]
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- 2018
23. The Life and Death of Adult Higher Education
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Coulter, Xenia and Mandell, Alan
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Should unique adult higher education programs be preserved and even championed, or should such programs succumb to the pressures of the day and get folded into more conventional higher education? This essay argues that, in addressing such vital questions, we need to become more aware of the relationship between human development and college study, specifically, whether new research in and theories of adult development suggest that college experiences designed particularly for adults can provoke more mature thinking in older students. [For the complete proceedings, see ED590245.]
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- 2018
24. A Conceptual Review of Identity Integration across Adulthood
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Mitchell, Lauren L., Adler, Jonathan M., Carlsson, Johanna, Eriksson, Py Liv, and Syed, Moin
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Though Erikson recognized identity development as a lifelong project, most research on identity has focused on adolescents and emerging adults. Less is known about how the identity formed in adolescence is maintained and adapted across the adult life span. The purpose of the present paper is to provide a conceptual review and elaboration of Erikson's (1968) theory focused on identity integration, a construct that is particularly relevant to adult identity development. Identity integration describes the process of bringing together various aspects of one's self into a coherent whole, and the sense of self-continuity and wholeness that emerges as a result of these processes. Informed by the identity and life span development literatures, we present a conceptual framework that describes how identity integration is maintained across the adult life span, and how it is reestablished when changing life circumstances present threats to an individual's identity. These maintenance and reestablishment processes help to support adults' well-being and adaptation to major life transitions and stressful events. This conceptual framework is intended to facilitate research on identity integration in adulthood, a time of life that has been less often studied in the identity literature but that can involve identity dynamics that are just as critical as those in adolescence.
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- 2021
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25. Applying a Multidimensional Item Response Theory Approach in Validating the Dimensionality of the Positive Youth Development Scale
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Tsaousis, Ioannis, Sideridis, Georgios D., and Alahmadi, Maisaa Taleb S.
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Positive youth development has gained a lot of attention recently since it acts as a protective factor for several risk behaviors and other important life outcomes in adolescents and young adults. The main objective of this study was to explore the factorial structure of the Positive Youth Development Scale (PYDS) using multidimensional item response theory (MIRT). Three different models were examined: a unidimensional model, a multidimensional model with six distinct dimensions, and a multidimensional bifactor model, where each item was restricted to load simultaneously on a global positive development factor as well as a domain-specific one. Results indicated that the bifactor model provided superior model fit compared to the competing models, including a testlet and purified models. The study concludes with the advantages of MIRT models in dimensionality assessment and provides some suggestions for the improvement of the PYDS' item characteristics.
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- 2021
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26. Opportunities for Generativity in Later Life for Older Men
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Carragher, Lucia
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The changing social and economic landscape across European Member States and beyond has had a disproportionate effect on older adults. Nowhere is this more keenly felt than among the "buffer generation" of men caught between the silent, strong, austere masculinity of their forefathers and contemporary society--progressive, open and individualistic (Wyllie et al., 2012). In most countries, men have shorter life expectancies than women and higher mortality rates from most common causes of death. This imbalance arises from issues broader than disease related mortality, with post-industrial society seen to have reduced opportunities for men with regard to work and full time employment, further compounded by dispositional barriers to learning (European Commission, 2011). This paper presents findings from a mixed methods study of 297 older men participating in community-based Men's Sheds in Ireland and particularly explores the contributions generativity through Men's Sheds makes to the well-being of older men. The findings show men giving back to the community in different ways, including through the sharing of skills and experiences. It is argued that community-based Men's Sheds provide opportunities for generativity, with identifiable health benefits for older men, holding important lessons for policymakers to enable greater visibility of men's perspectives.
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- 2017
27. Individuals' Life Structures in the Early Adulthood Period Based on Levinson's Theory
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Aktu, Yahya and Ilhan, Tahsin
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Early adulthood is one of the important milestones considered within lifelong development in the relevant literature. Adulthood is examined through various theories; however, universality of many of these is still being discussed. One of these theories is Levinson's theory of life structure. Thus, the current research aims to examine the extent to which Levinson's theory of individual life structure is valid in Turkish society. The current study, with a qualitative design, was based on phenomenology approach. Participants were selected through maximum variation sampling among purposive sampling methods. Participants included 28 young adults living in seven geographically different regions. Data collection was conducted with The Form of Individual Life Structure Evaluation developed by researchers. Data were analyzed through content analysis in NVivo8.0 software. Through content analysis, self-representation and social relationships themes were obtained based on life structure category. Current research results showed that participants accomplished the tasks of modifying their life structures in a transitional period (ages 28-33 and 40-45) of their lives and the tasks of preserving their life structures in a building period (ages 34-39) of their lives. The findings indicated that participants in a transitional period built change-oriented metaphors and those in a building period built stability-oriented metaphors.
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- 2017
28. Promoting Self-Regulation in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Practice Brief. OPRE Report 2015-82
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Administration for Children and Families (DHHS), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Duke University, Center for Child and Family Policy, Murray, Desiree W., and Rosanbalm, Katie
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This brief reviews the importance of self-regulation for adolescents and young adults and provides guidelines for supporting self-regulation development for 14 to 25-year-olds. The following questions are answered: (1) Self-Regulation: What is it and why is it important?; (2) Why focus on self-regulation in older adolescents and young adults?; (3) How does self-regulation develop?; (4) Do older adolescents and young adults really need caregivers to help them develop self-regulation?; (5) Why do some youth need more support with self-regulation than others?; (6) What's the big deal about stress? Isn't it good for us?; (7) What is the impact of self-regulation interventions during adolescence?; (8) How can programs support self-regulation development in older adolescents and young adults?; and (9) What's the bottom line about older adolescents, young adults, and self-regulation?
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- 2017
29. International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2017 (Budapest, Hungary, April 29-May 1, 2017)
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World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (WIARS) (Portugal), Pracana, Clara, and Wang, Michael
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We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2017, taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from 29 of April to 1 of May, 2017. Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral standpoints), from this academic and practical scientific discipline, aims ultimately to benefit society. This International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the several areas within the Psychology field, new developments in studies and proposals for future scientific projects. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between psychologists, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in psychological issues. The conference is a forum that connects and brings together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. There is an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement the view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons there are nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. InPACT 2017 received 243 submissions, from 35 different countries from all over the world, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. It was accepted for presentation in the conference 128 submissions (29% acceptance rate). The conference also includes: (1) Two keynote presentations by Prof. Dr. Leslie G. Walker (Professor of Cancer Rehabilitation at the University of Hull, United Kingdom) and by Prof. Dr. Howard S. Schwartz (Professor of Organizational Behavior in the School of Business Administration, Oakland University, USA); and (2) Two Special Talks one by Prof. Dr. Michael Wang (Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Leicester, United Kingdom), and the other by Dr. António Alvim (Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Portugal). We would like to express our gratitude to all our invitees. This volume is composed by the papers of the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT 2017), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). The Conference addresses different categories inside Applied Psychology area and papers fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. The conference program includes six main broad-ranging categories that cover diversified interest areas: (1) Clinical Psychology: Emotions and related psychological processes; Assessment; Psychotherapy and counseling; Addictive behaviors; Eating disorders; Personality disorders; Quality of life and mental health; Communication within relationships; Services of mental health; and Psychopathology. (2) Educational Psychology: Language and cognitive processes; School environment and childhood disorders; Parenting and parenting related processes; Learning and technology; Psychology in schools; Intelligence and creativity; Motivation in classroom; Perspectives on teaching; Assessment and evaluation; and Individual differences in learning. (3) Social Psychology: Cross-cultural dimensions of mental disorders; Employment issues and training; Organizational psychology; Psychology in politics and international issues; Social factors in adolescence and its development; Social anxiety and self-esteem; Immigration and social policy; Self-efficacy and identity development; Parenting and social support; Addiction and stigmatization; and Psychological and social impact of virtual networks. (4) Legal Psychology: Violence and trauma; Mass-media and aggression; Intra-familial violence; Juvenile delinquency; Aggressive behavior in childhood; Internet offending; Working with crime perpetrators; Forensic psychology; Violent risk assessment; and Law enforcement and stress. (5) Cognitive and Experimental Psychology: Perception, memory and attention; Decision making and problem-solving; Concept formation, reasoning and judgment; Language processing; Learning skills and education; Cognitive Neuroscience; Computer analogies and information processing (Artificial Intelligence and computer simulations); Social and cultural factors in the cognitive approach; Experimental methods, research and statistics; and Biopsychology. (6) Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Psychoanalysis and psychology; The unconscious; The Oedipus complex; Psychoanalysis of children; Pathological mourning; Addictive personalities; Borderline organizations; Narcissistic personalities; Anxiety and phobias; Psychosis; Neuropsychoanalysis. This volume contains the papers and results of the different researches conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to study and develop research in areas related to Psychology and its applications. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters that are hereby sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. We would like to express thanks to all the authors and participants, the members of the academic scientific committee, and of course, to the organizing and administration team for making and putting this conference together. [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines. For the 2016 proceedings, see ED580800.]
- Published
- 2017
30. Camp Employment as a Developmental Setting for Emerging Adults: A National Mixed-Methods Study
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Povilaitis, Victoria, Sibthorp, Jim, and Richmond, Dan
- Abstract
Emerging adults engage in a range of education, employment, and other experiences that provide opportunities to build skills necessary for future success. The camp industry employs 1.5 million individuals each summer, and its potential as a setting for development is important to understand. The purpose of this study was to identify the outcomes of camp employment and compare these outcomes across settings. Participants were 254 individuals engaged in a longitudinal study, all of whom were camp staff during summer 2018. This study employed an explanatory sequential design. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using RMANOVAs and paired t-tests. Qualitative data were analyzed using a multi-step coding process including open (survey responses) and utilitarian coding (interviews). Findings indicated emerging adults learned relationship skills, leadership, and appreciation for being present and that camp employment is a rich setting for emerging adults to learn skills they may not learn elsewhere.
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- 2021
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31. Current Explorations of Adult Learner: Implications for Mentoring and More. Adult Higher Education Alliance Annual Conference Proceedings (36th, Orlando, Florida, March 10-11, 2016)
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Adult Higher Education Alliance (AHEA), Elufiede, Kemi, and Flynn, Bonnie
- Abstract
The 36th Annual Adult Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) Conference was held on March 10-11, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, on the campus of the University of Central Florida. There were 48 presentations from scholars and practitioners from 20 states who participated in the conference. The contributions to these proceedings represent the best of the presentations by scholars in adult higher education from a practitioner perspective. Papers in these proceedings include the following: (1) Experiencing AHEA 2016: None but the Humble, Become Good Teachers of Adults (Jeff Aulgur); (2) Why do We Separate Adult from Traditional-Aged Students? (Xenia Coulter and Alan Mandell); (3) Academic Mentoring as Precarious Practice (Alan Mandell & Xenia Coulter); (4) Effective Mentoring for Nontraditional Adult Learners (Kemi Elufiede, Hope Oliver, and Darreon Greer); (5) Building Community Through Mentoring Adult Learners (Jarrad Plante & Joshua Truitt); (6) Adult Student Emotions That Negatively Affect Learning (Patricia Holt & Caroline Braun); and (7) How QM Can Break Down Barriers (Roy Kaelin). (Individual papers contain references.)
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- 2016
32. Adult Development: A Global Imperative
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Morris, Linda E.
- Abstract
As individuals and adult educators we consistently face an array of what seem to be increasingly complex challenges. These run the gamut from battling poverty and illness with their deleterious and deadly effects, to acquiring literacy and workplace competencies and to building expertise in communication, collaboration and innovation. And we live in a time of rapidly shifting technology, social and political unrest, and burgeoning environmental threats. How are we to grow, thrive and lead? One option is to consider what we can learn and apply from adult development theories and practices for own and others' intentional development--and then to deliberately act to foster adult development in individuals and within organizations and communities. There are, of course, many views of what constitutes adult development and how it occurs. In this paper, written to initiate dialogue and discussion, I focus on the perspective that development in adulthood represents a set of substantive qualitative changes that we may undergo moving from dependency to interdependency, from being shaped to a great degree by our environment, to constructing and co-creating thoughts and views. Theories, e.g., by Boydell, CookGreuter and Kegan, are related to concepts of individual, workforce and community development, and intentional/deliberate adult development practices in universities and the workplace are described. [For the full proceedings, see ED581791.]
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- 2016
33. Social-Emotional Learning Parent Camps: Families as Partners Program. Publication 17.21
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Austin Independent School District (AISD) and Cornelius, Chelsea
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In Spring 2018, the Families as Partners program hosted two camps where parents participated in social-emotional learning and developed their capabilities, connections, cognition, and confidence.
- Published
- 2018
34. The Role of Perceived Work Environment and Work Activities in Midlife Cognitive Change
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Hülür, Gizem, Siebert, Jelena Sophie, and Wahl, Hans-Werner
- Abstract
Previous research documented positive associations between cognitively stimulating work and levels of cognitive performance, while longitudinal associations are less clear. We used 20-year longitudinal data from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development and Aging (ILSE) to examine the role of perceived work environment (autonomy, innovation, social integration, and stress) and work activities derived from an occupational database (related to information, to people, and manual activities) for trajectories of cognitive abilities (processing speed, fluid and crystallized intelligence). We used data from 374 participants in the ILSE midlife cohort (born 1950-52) who were working at baseline and had valid observations on work characteristics and control variables including education, gender, region (former East vs. West Germany), and personal income (mean age at baseline = 44 years, SD = 1, 44% women). Cognitively stimulating perceived work environments (higher levels of autonomy and innovation), higher levels of work activities related to information and people, and lower levels of manual activity at baseline were related to higher initial levels of cognitive ability. Higher work stress was related to higher baseline fluid ability. These associations were largely not independent of control variables. Higher social integration at work was related to less steep increase in crystallized intelligence and higher work stress was related to less decline in processing speed. In sum, our findings were more in line with selection rather than with enrichment effects, with the caveat that our findings rely on work variables taken at baseline. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying these findings.
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- 2020
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35. Identity Disruption and Its Association with Mental Health among Veterans with Reintegration Difficulty
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Mitchell, Lauren L., Frazier, Patricia A., and Sayer, Nina A.
- Abstract
Most research and theory on identity integration focuses on adolescents and young adults under age 30, and relatively little is known about how identity adjusts to major life events later in life. The purpose of the present study was to operationalize and investigate "identity disruption," or a loss of temporal identity integration following a disruptive life event, within the developmental context of established adulthood and midlife. We used a mixed-methods approach to examine identity disruption among 244 Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans with reintegration difficulty who participated in an expressive writing intervention. Participants completed measures of social support, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, satisfaction with life, and reintegration difficulty at baseline right before writing, and 3 and 6 months after the expressive writing intervention. The expressive writing samples were coded for identity disruption using thematic analysis. We hypothesized that identity disruption would be associated with lower social support, more severe PTSD symptoms, lower satisfaction with life, and greater reintegration difficulty at baseline. Forty-nine percent (n = 121) of the sample indicated identity disruption in their writing samples. Identity disruption was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms, lower satisfaction with life, and greater reintegration difficulty at baseline, and with less improvement in social support. The findings suggest that identity disruption is a meaningful construct for extending the study of identity development to established adult and midlife populations, and for understanding veterans' adjustment to civilian life.
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- 2020
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36. The Experience of Ostracism over the Adult Life Span
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Rudert, Selma C., Janke, Stefan, and Greifeneder, Rainer
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Ostracism, that is, being excluded and ignored by others, is a highly painful and threatening experience for individuals. Most empirical research on ostracism has been carried out in the lab or focused on samples in specific contexts. Here, we investigate the effects of age on how individuals experience ostracism within a broad, representative sample of the adult German population (the Socio-Economic Panel). We find a generally negative relation between ostracism and age, such that older adults report experiencing ostracism less frequently. Further analyses show that a particular dip in the ostracism frequency curve around the age of 65 might be at least partly due to leaving the workforce. We further investigate cross-sectional as well as longitudinal effects of age on relations between ostracism frequency and psychological well-being, showing relatively stable associations between ostracism and negative emotions, reduced life satisfaction, as well as dysfunctional social behavior across the adult life span.
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- 2020
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37. Gerontology in Family and Consumer Sciences: Where Do We Go from Here?
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Brown, Leacey E. and Byers, Chelsey
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First, gerontology is a life course perspective that evaluates aging outcomes as the cumulative effect of individual characteristics (socioeconomic status, personality, health behaviors) and where the person lives (i.e., human ecosystems), including the historical context in which they reside. Second, gerontology examines factors that contribute to basic human needs, individual wellbeing, family strengths, and community vitality, and that either help or hinder adults in older age groups. Taken together, this suggests that gerontology may enhance the knowledge base used by family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals. This article seeks to review the "Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences (JFCS)" and the "Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal (FCSRJ)" content published during the past 10 years (2010-2019). The goal is to review articles that discuss older adults (age 65 and older), lifespan development, and other topics relevant to gerontology. The purpose of this paper is to identify key themes, opportunities to expand gerontology content in FCS, research and practice recommendations, and the important role gerontology plays in strengthening the Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge (FCS-BOK).
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- 2020
38. The Ultimate Adaptive Challenge: How We Can Coach School Leaders Today, Tomorrow, and Post-COVID19
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Bouffard, Suzanne
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Ellie Drago-Severson and Mary Antón have known each other for more than 20 years and have worked together in different capacities to support educators through the lens of adult development. They spoke with "The Learning Professional" about how coaching can help leaders at all levels navigate the COVID-19 crisis and grow in ways that will help schools and students for years to come.
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- 2020
39. Developmental Complexity: A Foundation for Character
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Baxter Magolda, Marcia B.
- Abstract
Developmental complexity, in particular developing an internal voice, is one of the foundations of character development. Here the author describes developmental complexity, its evolution over adolescence and young adulthood, how it links to character development and the five strategies to promote it, and how learning partnerships are one form of practice that could incorporate developmental complexity and character development across the college experience.
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- 2020
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40. Adult Learning and Development Goals for Female Veterans' Career Transitions Amid Cultural Adaptation and Identity Formation
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Greer, Tomika W.
- Abstract
Differences between military culture and civilian culture can affect the postmilitary experience for transitioning veterans. Adult educators should acquire and maintain a high level of military cultural competence to effectively serve female veterans as they transition out of the military. For women, the military-to-veteran transition also includes unique challenges related to identity formation, including occupational gender identity formation, which is not a salient concern for male veterans. Six learning and development goals are presented to guide adult educators in successfully facilitating the cultural adaptation and identity formation process for new female veterans.
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- 2020
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41. The Potential for Literacy to Shape Lifelong Cognitive Health
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Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A. L., Hussey, Erika K., and Ng, Shukhan
- Abstract
In light of population aging, an understanding of factors that promote lifelong cognitive resilience is urgent. There is considerable evidence that education early in the life span, which promotes the development of literacy skills, leads to cognitive health and longevity, but the ways in which activity engagement in later adulthood affects long-term cognitive health is not well understood. The literature on cognitive training focusing on ability and skill training has not only demonstrated the existence of plasticity into late life but also shows that improvements are very tightly tied to the abilities trained. The rush to apply ability training to promote cognitive health has produced a vibrant "brain training" industry that neglects the very limited evidence for transfer to significant functional outcomes. Recent evidence on the neural substrates of reading, language comprehension, and discourse processing, as well as on the lifelong effects of literacy engagement in special populations, hints that reading may well be a "whole-brain exercise" with the potential to promote cognitive health. Such findings suggest promise for education-based approaches to promote lifelong cognitive health, calling for (a) societal investment in science at the interface of education and health, in particular to understand the mechanisms through which literacy engagement affects mind, brain, and physical health through the life span, and (b) innovation in developing models of life span education. [This article was published in "Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences," v2 n1 p92-100 Oct 2015.]
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- 2015
42. Direct Study of Parenting: A Serendipitous Outcome in a Course on Adult Development
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Williams, Robert B.
- Abstract
This paper describes the activities of a course on adult development. The course intended to sensitize participants to the theories and reality of adulthood and aging by introducing them to selected literature on adult development and to the preparation of case records and mastery of activities that permit an analysis of the adult's world. The case records were based on ordinary daily observations, conversations and other information written in bound composition notebooks in the form of dated anecdotes. A serendipitous outcome was that many of the adults that the participants studied were parents. Parenting became a serious focus of the case records and a noteworthy outcome was learning about the developmental tasks of parenting. Havighurst (1972, 1980) describes the tasks of parenting in early adulthood (18-35 yrs.) as rearing children and in middle age (35-60 yrs.) as assisting teenage children to become responsible and happy adults. What was documented in the case records would likely have been labeled by Havighurst as the developmental "task-lets" of parenting. Examples of these "task-lets" are the provision of and/or oversight of affection, nutrition, hygiene, grooming, rest, monitoring behavior, care in illness, socializing with extended family, church and school attendance, and family recreational activities. Participants also gained awareness of the impact of parenting on adult development. Excerpts from a case record provide examples of a case profile, how recurring behaviors are documented, the multiple hypothesis method, and coding of anecdotes. Copies of an adult candidate's consent form, an adult profile guide, and a case study guide and review form are included in the appendices. [Paper contains References and Selected Resources.]
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- 2015
43. Foundations for Young Adult Success: A Developmental Framework. Concept Paper for Research and Practice
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University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, Nagaoka, Jenny, Farrington, Camille A., Ehrlich, Stacy B., and Heath, Ryan D.
- Abstract
Amid growing recognition that strong academic skills alone are not enough for young people to become successful adults, this comprehensive report offers wide-ranging evidence to show what young people need to develop from preschool to young adulthood to succeed in college and career, have healthy relationships, be engaged citizens, and make wise choices. It concludes that rich experiences combining action and reflection help children develop a set of critical skills, attitudes, and behaviors. And it suggests that policies should aim to ensure that all children have consistent, supportive relationships and an abundance of these developmental experiences through activities inside and outside of school. The Wallace Foundation awarded a competitive grant to UChicago CCSR in 2013 to undertake the project, which included a review of relevant literature spanning decades as well as interviews with national experts in research, policy and practice, and young people and the adults who work with them in schools, programs and agencies throughout Chicago. The report offers evidence to show how, where, and when the "key factors" to success develop from early childhood through young adulthood, emphasizing the kinds of experiences and supportive relationships that guide the positive development of these factors. Recognizing that there are no silver bullets to promoting social-emotional learning, the report emphasizes a range of factors that build on one another over time. It also emphasizes factors that are particularly malleable, as well as the age at which each of the key factors comes into prominence, offering adults the most promising window for positive intervention. A key problem the report identifies is that disadvantaged youth often face extra challenges. For example, they often have fewer in-school and out-of-school opportunities for consistent, positive developmental experiences and relationships and face significant opportunity gaps to developing the essential skills to become productive adults. An appendix provides a list of experts who provided input and feedback throughout this project. [This report was written with David W. Johnson, Sarah Dickson, Ashley Cureton Turner, Ashley Mayo, and Kathleen Hayes.]
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- 2015
44. Developing Positive Young Adults: Lessons from Two Decades of YouthBuild Programs
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MDRC, Ferguson, Ronald F., Snipes, Jason, and Hossain, Farhana
- Abstract
Youth development is a cornerstone of the YouthBuild program, which provides job skills training, academic support, counseling, and leadership opportunities to low-income, out-of-school young adults. This report presents findings from two separate research efforts that shed light on the process of youth transformation and identity development in YouthBuild. The first paper, "A Framework for Understanding Identity Development: Findings from YouthBuild Programs," written in 1997 by Ronald F. Ferguson and Jason Snipes, is based on a formative evaluation of early YouthBuild programs between 1991 and 1994. In that evaluation, participants described themselves as more efficacious, optimistic, and morally upright after participating in the program for a year. Young adults whom Ferguson and Snipes interviewed spoke often of deep personal transformations not only in their own identities but also in relationships with friends, family, and community. The second paper, "Transforming Youth from the Inside Out Program: Directors' Views of YouthBuild's Potential," presents the findings from a 2014 survey of YouthBuild program directors across the country and shows that the themes Ferguson and Snipes set forth continue to resonate.
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- 2015
45. An Undergraduate Course in Adult Development: When the Virtual Adult Is an Adult
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Williams, Robert B.
- Abstract
An aspect of an undergraduate psychology course on adult development was the preparation of case records on adults who consented to be studied. Participants (1) developed their abilities to observe and accurately record adult behavior across a variety of ages and contexts; (2) withheld judgments about behavior when evidence was lacking; (3) substantiated statements about behavior with evidence; (4) sought the meaningfulness and/or function of behavior; (5) gained knowledge and appreciation of what adults are up against at different ages and stages of the lifespan; (6) came to understand the developmental tasks of adults at various ages; and (7) became aware of the different views of human behavior. An appendix presents a case study guide and review form.
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- 2014
46. An Analysis of Theoretical Perspectives That Define Adult Learners for Effective and Inclusive Adult Education Policies
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Owusu-Agyeman, Yaw
- Abstract
Adult learning remains an important component of educational systems in countries all over the world, particularly because it seeks to explain how adults obtain education through formal, non-formal and informal modes. While many education providers and researchers focus on increasing resource support and the development of the knowledge and skills of adult learners, there is a paucity of studies on theoretical perspectives that define adult learners for the provision of effective and inclusive adult education. To bridge this gap, this article discusses the characteristics of adult learners based on five major theoretical frameworks -- human capital, adult development, sociocultural, biographical and political perspectives -- and shows how they can enhance effective and inclusive adult education policies and practices at different levels of governance. The author considers these perspectives along with the normative and ontological dimensions of lifelong learning. While the normative dimension explains lifelong learning as a concept that focuses on the development of educational policies, the ontological dimension explains how individuals learn throughout their lives within and outside of educational settings. The study concludes that if policymakers reflect on the five theoretical perspectives, and consider the normative and ontological dimensions, they can enhance the policies and practices that guide adult learners in lifelong learning environments and promote inclusive education, leaving no one behind.
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- 2019
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47. Perceiving Gratitude from a Romantic Partner Predicts Decreases in Attachment Anxiety
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Park, Yoobin, Johnson, Matthew D., MacDonald, Geoff, and Impett, Emily A.
- Abstract
Attachment anxiety is a form of attachment insecurity characterized by chronic worries about rejection and need for reassurance. Given the critical role a sense of security plays in maintaining healthy relationships, individuals high in attachment anxiety tend to struggle in romantic relationships, which carries serious implications for their broader physical and psychological well-being. Nevertheless, an individual's attachment anxiety continues to change throughout life and can be downregulated by later relationship environments. In this research, we used 7-year longitudinal data (n = 2,057) to examine 1 potential predictor of declines in attachment anxiety in an established romantic relationship: perceiving gratitude from a partner. Random intercept cross-lagged panel analyses supported our prediction that perceiving higher than typical levels of gratitude from a romantic partner was linked with reduced attachment anxiety at that time and, importantly, the following year. These results were independent of the individual's fluctuations in global relationship satisfaction, suggesting the unique power of gratitude. Our findings provide strong evidence that later interpersonal environments can indeed shape an individual's attachment anxiety.
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- 2019
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48. Age Differences in Emotion Regulation Strategy Use, Variability, and Flexibility: An Experience Sampling Approach
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Benson, Lizbeth, English, Tammy, Conroy, David E., Pincus, Aaron L., Gerstorf, Denis, and Ram, Nilam
- Abstract
Life span developmental theories suggest that as individuals age, they accumulate knowledge about how to deploy emotion regulation (ER) strategies effectively and learn how to match their ER strategy use with changes in situational demands. Using an event-contingent experience sampling design wherein 150 adults Age 18 to 89 years reported on 64,213 social interactions (M = 427.41, SD = 145.66) during 9 weeks of daily life, this study examines (a) age-related differences in individuals' usual ER strategy use (reappraisal, suppression) during everyday social interactions, (b) age-related differences in how much individuals' use of these two strategies varies across social situations--ER variability, and (c) age-related differences in the extent to which ER strategy use covaries with relational (close vs. nonclose others) and emotional (happy, sad) contextual features of those social situations--ER flexibility. In line with a small body of prior work, usual ER strategy use did not differ across adulthood and ER variability was lower at older ages. Results from multilevel models of intraindividual covariation suggested that individuals flexibly matched their ER strategy implementation to changes in emotional context--especially when interacting with close others. The results also provided evidence that the intraindividual covariation between relational context and use of suppression was weaker at older ages. Beyond these specific findings, this study demonstrated the utility of experience sampling designs, event-contingent reports, and the measurement/modeling of intraindividual variation and covariation for study of emotional development across the life span.
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- 2019
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49. It's the Fear of the Unknown: Transition from Higher Education for Young Autistic Adults
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Vincent, Jonathan
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More young people with a diagnosis of autism are enrolling and successfully completing higher education courses than ever before and this is set to increase; however, while there is a burgeoning body of literature surrounding the transition into this stage of education, there is a paucity of research that investigates the transition as this population exit higher education. This exploratory qualitative study is one of the first to identify the specific experiences of young autistic adults making this transition, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 students and recent graduates. Findings indicate that transition out of higher education is challenging on both practical and psychological levels, manifested by feelings of anxiety and loss. However, there is also evidence that the same phenomenon can also be understood as a positive departure with important implications for identity development. Findings are discussed in relation to future research and implications for practice in higher education institutions.
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- 2019
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50. Longitudinal Relations of Cultural Orientation and Emotional Expressivity in Chinese American Immigrant Parents: Sociocultural Influences on Emotional Development in Adulthood
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Chen, Stephen H. and Zhou, Qing
- Abstract
Research in developmental psychology has traditionally focused on parents' roles as agents of emotion socialization in their children's socioemotional development. By contrast, little longitudinal research has examined sociocultural mechanisms shaping parents' own emotional development. Immigrant parents are an ideal population in which to examine these processes and advance conceptual models of culture and continuing emotional development in adulthood. Using developmental functionalism and bioecological models of development as theoretical frameworks, the present study examined how immigrant parents' and children's cultural orientations were prospectively related to parents' self-reported emotional expressivity in the family context. Chinese American immigrant parents (n = 210) with elementary-aged children were assessed at two time points approximately 2 years apart. Path analyses using longitudinal panel models indicated that immigrant parents' cultural orientation in various cultural domains (language, social relationships, media) prospectively predicted their emotional expressivity in the family context. Parents' emotional expressivity was also predicted by children's cultural orientation and by discrepancies between their own and their children's cultural orientations. Our results underscore pathways through which immigrants' interactions with the family and broader sociocultural context can contribute to continued emotional development in adulthood. We discuss implications of our findings for developmentally informed approaches to the study of culture and emotion.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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