Middle of the Road of Life - Essay Example

At this stage, warm meaningful relationships are shaped along with the increasing possibility of failure (McLeod, 2013). However, middle adulthood is classified as “generativity vs. stagnation” supported by parenthood and work. It is the time for transferring legacies and success to the next generation supported by significant accomplishments to help others (McLeod, 2013). The study involved college-level students conducted for Adult Development (Vaillant, Soldz & Cui,1938) where college-level students’ average age for freshmen is 18-19 whereas some unusual cases of non-traditional students aged 30 years & above. Given that, this declaration fits Mr. Hardaway and Mr. Emerson for the study.

The main focus of the study is on elements such as mental health, adaptation to stress, alcohol abuse, physical disorders, and morality. Daniel Levinson focused on positive facets that give a new turn to the “Adult Development” perspective. Among the others, there were four central sections according to his model such as directionless change, stasis, and decline (Boundless). Applying this model, Mr. Emerson falls in the “decline stage” and Mr. Hardaway in the “positive adult development stage”.  The category of positive adult development is subdivided into experience, hierarchical complexity, expertise, knowledge, spirituality, and wisdom.

Peck’s model concerning adult development is so far the shortest among other psychologists.  His model comprises of:

 “Ego-differentiation vs. work-role preoccupation, body-transcendence vs. body-preoccupation, and finally ego-transcendence vs. ego-preoccupation” (Quizlet, 2013).

 Careful analysis ranks Mr. Emerson under body-transcendence vs. body-preoccupation while Mr. Hardaway under ego-transcendence vs. ego-preoccupation.

Mr. Emerson suffers from a physical disability that limits him from being hopeful for the future. On the contrary, Mr. Hardaway has upholstered to make a lasting significant contribution to society even after his death. Mr. Emerson is a physically disabled ex-engineer who got injured while supervising a project. His best friend Baily saved him from being killed. Mr. Emerson spoke of his great connection with his parents while he was young and also a quality relationship with his best friend Baily. They motivated him to always do the best of his efforts.  However, Mr. Emerson feels loneliness as he doesn’t have any children or siblings and his parents died 10 years ago. Mr. Emerson still feels lonely even though Bailey comes to see him often.  He confessed his unfulfillment of not becoming an engineer due to the accident that made him physically disabled.  He hesitated in answering the question of grabbing the opportunity of becoming a consultant or the like; however, his answer was on the negative end.

Mr. Emerson evaded and drifted away from the subject based on the last part of his life.  He drank a minimum of three beers per day to cope with immense anxiety levels. His stress factors included things like, difficulty in feeding himself, getting dressed and lastly cleaning himself.  He refused a live-in nurse offered by Bailey.  Mr. Emerson didn’t reveal any mental health issues that occurred to him; however, observations exhibit depression as a considerable possibility.

Mr. Emerson did not reply to any of the last set of questions neither on the subject of limitation nor on the subject of the future rather he said he didn’t see any change in his future from his present.  He wanted to leave when he was asked about future generations. The attitude of Mr. Hardaway was unusual from that of Mr. Emerson.

               Mr. Hardaway is an engineer aged 50 who saved the life of his best friend Parker in a workplace accident.  He sees his friend often as his friend lives three doors next to his house.  Mr. Hardaway’s mother always motivated him to do the best he could.  They both shared an outstanding connection.  His career has now made him upset.  He feels he could do yet better being successful, currently. Being 50 years old, he is still optimistic about his life full of possibilities.  Mr. Hardaway would probably start new projects in the future.  He wanted to complete the first half of the list of items he had chalked out before dying. He abused alcohol while he was young but wants to caste a good impression on his children. He didn’t show any signs of illness.

Mr. Hardaway simply laughed when asked about his limitations and didn’t want to have clones so he could do different things at different places at different times. He considers his future as bright by the steps he takes in the present.  He also stated that his children would be benefited from his experiences while answering the closing question on “affecting the future generations”.

            Adult development classifies people into different areas.  Among these areas, some are age-based while areas are ego-based.  In any of the cases, Erikson, Levinson, Vailliant, and Peck all proclaim diverse approaches that based the discussions on interview questions derived from their respective theories.  Mr. Emerson and Mr. Hardaway live similar lives, separated by misfortune.  However, Mr. Hardaway is gaining hope while Mr. Emerson is losing hope, now.