Edited by Margie Lachman, a leader in the field, Handbook of Midlife Development provides an up-to-date portrayal of human development during the middle years of the life span. Featuring contributions from well-established, highly regarded experts, this exhaustive reference fills the gap for a compilation of research on this increasingly important topic.

Divided into four comprehensive sections, the book addresses the theoretical, biomedical, psychological, and social aspects of midlife development. Each chapter includes coverage of unifying themes such as gender differences, ethnic and cultural diversity, historical changes, and socioeconomic differences from a life-span developmental perspective. Readers will discover what can be learned from individuals’ subjective conceptions of midlife; explore various "cultural" fictions of middle age; examine the resources individuals have at their disposal to negotiate midlife; consider mechanisms for balancing work and family; and other topics as presented in the latest research from the social, behavioral, and medical sciences.

Handbook of Midlife Development is an indispensable resource for professionals and practitioners who work with adults and for researchers and students who study adult development and related topics.

Some of the midlife topics discussed:

• Cultural perspectives
• Physical changes
• Stress, coping, and health
• Intellectual functioning
• Memory
• Personality and the self
• Adaptation and resilience
• Emotional development
• Families and intergenerational relationships
• Social relationships
• The role of work
• Planning for retirement