Coping Strategies and Women's Development During the Age-30 Transition

Abstract

Existing models of adult development are derived . primarily . from observations of· men and are not, supported when obse·rvations are made .of women. Empirical .evidence concerning women's coping strategies. is inconclusive. A qualitative research design is ideally suited to studying development-and coping_strategies as described by women in the context of their lives. The purpose· of this study was to identify and describe coping strategies and transiti-ons in women '·s development~ The Age-30 Transition was selected to focus the study on one developmental period as there is preliminary evidence that this-period is a critical time in women's .lives. This field researc~ used the ethnographic interview and analysis techniques to explore the life transitions of women between th~ ages of' 25 and 35 years ~ A combination of network and nominated sampling techniques were used ... Data collection included a minimum of three tape-recorded interviews ·with 10 good informants. : ':rhe ethnographic techniques of -structured and unstructured interviews were used to elicit thi2k descriptions of women:' s coping and development during the Age-30 T~ansition. Data analysis 'was concurrent with data col:lection so that the researcher's interpretations could. be validated by the informants. The significant themes of women's development during this age period were: (a) on-going separation from family, (b) relationships with · men, (c) having or not having children, (d) work issues , . (e) sadness, · and (f) . developing · a life philosophy. i· Women reported a developmental change around the. Age-30 Trans;i.tion. ~ey described · .. differences in perception . \ and meaning after Age-30, although the majority of the signif.1cant themes of the twenties continued into the thirties. Women described a variety of coping strategie~ that . can be categorized as· permissive avoidance, confrontation,. diversicm:·, and philosophical. Changes in coping related to appraisaT and the use of coping strategies were detected after the Age-~0 Transitiqn., although the women did· not describe. specific changes in types of · coping ~trategie·s.