Three paths of adult development: Conservers, seekers, and achievers
Abstract
This study examined the development of individuals whose motivations and skills led them to develop in different but equally positive ways. C. D. Ryff's (1989) scales for Environmental Mastery (EM) and Personal Growth (PG) were used to identify three configurations of positive mental health in 111 women of the Mills Longitudinal Study: Achievers, high on both scales; Conservers, high on EM, low on PG; and Seekers, high on PG, low on EM. Each pattern showed a distinctive profile of strengths on four criteria of maturity--competence, generativity, ego development, and wisdom--and each was predicted by distinctive features of positive and negative emotionality, identity processes, and change in self-control across 31 years of adulthood. Identity at age 43 mediated the influence of personality at age 21 in predicting positive mental health pattern at age 60.
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References 81 · Cited by 172
- Authors
- Helson, R., & Srivastava, S.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- ORCID
- Srivastava, Sanjay
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2001
- Volume
- 80
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 995-1010
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2132091902
- Cited by
- 172
- References
- 81
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 7.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 43948, R01MH043948)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- adult development, positive mental health, environmental mastery, personal growth, personality development, identity processes, self-control, generativity, ego development, wisdom, emotional development, women
- MeSH terms
- Achievement, Adult, Female, Humans, Individuality, Internal-External Control, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Personality Development, Personality Inventory, Prognosis, Social Environment, Social Values
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