By Anna Tsekani,
Middle-aged relationships, on average, receive less attention than those of younger or older people. Only in the last two decades has there been a greater focus on middle-aged relationships which can easily depict our society’s pathogenicity. Middle-aged people have a variety of relationships in which they can invest and rely, including romantic relationships, parent relationships, and friendships.
Romantic relationships are a distinguishing feature and they are among the most meaningful and complex social ties. “Romantic relationships” are mutually acknowledged ongoing voluntary interactions. Romantic relationships, when compared to other peer relationships, typically have a distinct intensity which is often marked by expressions of affection and current or anticipated sexual behavior. This definition applies to both same-gender and mixed–gender relationships. There has been little research into romantic experiences other than actual relationships.
Trust, perceptions of partners’ dependability, and beliefs about the relationship’s future are important constructs shared by both theoretical approaches to relationship functioning.
A healthy romantic relationship is extremely important for adults’ mental health because, with the help and support of a partner, people tend to avoid emotional difficulties associated with aging, such as loneliness, while companionships also contribute positively to personal development. As is obvious throughout a romantic relationship, a spouse provides emotional and financial security, thereby increasing psychological resilience.
Gender differences are evident in emotional relationships as well: according to a 2013 study that looked at the lifespan, males in middle adulthood reported higher levels of intimacy and passion but equal levels of commitment as females in middle adulthood. These findings show that there are small but significant gender differences in feelings of love.
Parental relationships are also an important part of people’s lives, particularly those of adults.
Because of the degree of intimacy, the parent-child relationship is distinct from all other types of relationships. Due to strong emotional and physical ties between a child and his or her parents, parent-child relationships are characterized by high levels of bonding between children and their parents (especially mothers). According to research, parent-child relationships influence the development of children’s emotional functioning and regulation.
Adults develop and strengthen their abilities through parenting as they question their knowledge, skills, and also the way they deal with their own children, while also receiving a sense of fulfillment and becoming happier when interacting with their children. We must recognize that parenting can be a difficult and stressful situation, but children provide parents with the strength to overcome midlife crises and other crises.
It is important to note that the relationship between parents and their children reflects the type of families from which they come.
Adults’ relationships with their own parents, on the other hand, continue to play an important role in their lives. Adults’ marital health suffers as a result of their parents’ care which is important not only emotionally but also psychologically. Because relationships with parents are described as having high levels of bonding from day one, many adults have strong emotional and physical ties with their own parents because they see them as their safety net. However, the more support adults reported giving to their parents, the more burden they felt by the support.
The quality of one’s social relationships is one of the strongest links to subjective well–being. People who are the happiest report having the most fulfilling social lives. Friends can sometimes provide this level of happiness. Despite the fact that middle-aged people reported having a large social circle, the majority of them would only name four to seven people as true friends.
These positive social interactions with friends and their companions provide companionship, understanding, affection, and social support, all of which are important factors in well-being and ability enhancement.
According to studies, people who have healthy social relationships live longer and have better physical health, have higher job satisfaction and performance, academic competence, and are more creative. Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and feelings of self-worth and self-esteem have all been linked to social relationships.
There are still significant gaps in the literature. Notably, there is a scarcity of research on older same-sex marriages and nonmarital heterosexual and same-sex relationships, as well as research that examines the cultural, ethnic, and demographic influences on the nature and quality of couple relationships. In studying older couple relationships, there is also an ongoing need for the use of sophisticated methodologies (e.g., observational research, longitudinal studies, time sampling techniques), methodologies that can provide a more granular level of analysis. Nonetheless, as this brief overview demonstrates, tremendous progress has been made in the field of research on older couple relationships.
References
- Popov, L. M., & Ilesanmi, R. A. (2015). Parent-child relationship: Peculiarities and outcome. Rev. Eur. Stud., 7, 253.
- Conger, R. D., Cui, M., Bryant, C. M., & Elder Jr, G. H. (2000). Competence in early adult romantic relationships: a developmental perspective on family influences. Journal of personality and social psychology, 79(2), 224.
- Feeney, J. A., & Noller, P. (1990). Attachment style as a predictor of adult romantic relationships. Journal of personality and Social Psychology, 58(2), 281.
- Campbell, L., & Stanton, S. C. (2019). Adult attachment and trust in romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 148-151.
- Bookwala, J. (2009). The impact of parent care on marital quality and well-being in adult daughters and sons. Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 64(3), 339-347.
- Feeney, J., Peterson, C., & Noller, P. (1994). Equity and marital satisfaction over the family life cycle. Personal Relationships, 1(1), 83-99.
