https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7185-6004
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ABSTRACT
Middle-aged adults typically play multiple roles with centralized responsibility for younger and older persons. Midlife health and well-being impact the state of aging in later years. Limited studies have investigated midlife experiences from the perspective of the middle-aged group themselves. This paper presents a systematic review of middle-aged women’s perceptions and experiences of midlife through a qualitative synthesis. Systematic databases searches resulted in 938 articles. Six selected articles were analyzed and three core themes were identified using thematic analysis: heightened awareness of lifespan, expectation of establishment and freedom from expectations, clarity of values, and self-acceptance. The findings showed the interconnected and progressive nature of midlife experiences toward a hoped for sense of congruence, revealing its connectivity to subsequent life stages and importance for healthy development. Credible and relevant information need to be provided as resources for the middle-aged women themselves and pertinent healthcare professionals. Proper information is also needed to address stereotypes, educate the public and equip relevant educators with evidence-based knowledge. Further research on midlife experiences in general from the perspective of middle-aged males, and in diverse settings is recommended.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Tun Hussein Onn Sunway Library librarians who assisted with the electronic databases searches.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author contribution
All authors contributed to the conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of data, and the drafting, reviewing and approval of this article.
Ethical approval
Ethical approval was not required for this review project.
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2023.2293580.