Perceived effects of culture on the management of midlife transitions among India women

• Main Author: Kolengaden, Sheena L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Women > India; Middle-aged women > India; Culture; Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/223
• Institution: De La Salle University

This qualitative study explored the perceived effects of culture on managing midlife transitions among Indian women and evolved a framework based on the findings. The study had two phases: Phase I explored the underlying set of beliefs, feelings, practices, and expectations that characterize the perceived culture of midlife women using survey method Phase II explored the perceived effects of culture on the management of midlife transitions, through one-on-one interview. The criterion-based sampling method was employed in both phases of the study. The participants of Phase I were 100 midlife women, while Phase II included 25 midlife women, within the age-range of 40 and 60 years. The data of both phases were content analyzed. The findings indicate that the Indian women are conscious of their culture at midlife. Their perceived culture include upholding husbands decisions, fulfilling family responsibilities and being socially interactive, maintaining beliefs that menopause is natural to womanhood, managing ones family efficiently as mature persons, and living a life of happiness and satisfaction. They manage their transitions by means of both internal (prayer, understanding, and adjusting nature) and external (family, social, and medical) support. Among the Indian married women, liberation, solidarity, and sense of worth are considered to be the perceived effects of their culture. They manage their midlife transitions adequately as a consequence of cultural dictates. The findings of the study have implications for counseling, family therapy, adulthood and cross-cultural researches.