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Women’s age-30 transition : an opportunity for personal transformation

University of British Columbia

Nine women participated in a study investigating their recent age-30 transition, which had ended positively. Past research has shown that this is the most significant transition in women's lives. However, this research is based in a social-cultural time when women's lives were considerably different from those of today. In addition, no study to date has specifically examined how this transition was traversed so that it ended well. Thus, the research question for this study was: What is women's experience of the age-30 transition that is ultimately deemed positive? The use of a phenomenological methodology provided a comprehensive description of the lived experience of the transition. The participants gave open-ended accounts of how the transition unfolded, their meaning-making around it, and how they developed a more integrated, authentic, sense of self and fulfilled existence by its conclusion. The analysis of these accounts yielded seven main themes: Descent into Hell, Contention with Outside Forces, The Experience of Being Helped and Supported, Development of the Self, Generation of Self-Determination and Life Direction, Creating New Relationships with Others, and Reflections Upon the Invaluable Experience. This study shows that as a result of the women's positive conclusion of this transition, they became personally transformed and were able to move into individuation at a relatively young age. These findings can be useful to counsellors and therapists who work with women going through this challenging transition. Further qualitative and quantitative studies are warranted in order to substantiate these preliminary findings of women's present-day age-30 transition, as well as to update the research literature.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-08-19

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/12366

Counselling Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace