Divorce in the Middle Years: The Lonely Woman and the Reluctant man

Divorce in middle adulthood differs considerably from divorce in early adulthood both in terms of the causes as well as the results. The causes are often related to the problems associated with mid-life transition, a developmental stage which may run from ages 35 to 45. It is not characterized by any concrete, tangible event to use as a reference point, as puberty is used to mark the shift from childhood to adolescence (Levenson, 1978). There has been a tendency to define mid-life crisis as starting at 35 rather than 45 in order to highlight its lack of connection with menopause as an important causal factor (Mogul, 1978). The crux of this change seems to be the recognition that youth is ending, and with it the assumption of unlimited future possibilities and the presence of older, wiser people upon whom to depend. From now on, responsibility for one's life is unavoidable. The person can no longer live to raise the young, who are on their way out of the home, or to please the older generation, who are past their prime and often need to be taken care of. Mid-life is when one realizes the finiteness of one's own time, the waning of physical powers, the certainty of one's death. This becomes the basis for a review of one's accomplishments in various spheres of life, particularly as measured against earlier aspiration. The person is apt to reappraise life in terms of success at parenting, at finding sexual satisfaction, and at professional attainment. This is a time of loss, as in the maturation and departure of children, the deaths of parents, friends, spouses, and the decrease in future opportunities unless one takes action now while there is still “another chance.” Age