Student Role Supports for Younger and Older Middle-Aged Women - Application of a Life Event Model - 15

Oct 15, 2026

Study examines 276 women aged 35 to 64 who re-entered university, using a life-event framework to analyze stress arising from university life, coping methods, and adaptations to academic demands. The research compares two sub-groups, ages 35–44 with young families and ages 45–64 with mature families, finding differences in motives, strains during the school year, and available resources. The paper reviews programs supporting re-entry women and highlights how needs vary by age, encouraging more program development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

ABSTRACT

Résumé

Introduction

Student Role Supports for Younger and Older Middle-Aged Women - Application of a Life Event Model

The Life Event Framework

Student Role Supports for Younger and Older Middle-Aged Women:Application of a Life Event Model Charlene Thacker*and Mark Novak· # ABSTRACT This paper is a report on a study of 276 women aged 35 to 64 who have re-entered university.We used the life-event framework to focus on the stress ofuniversity life,on the methods these women use to cope with stress and on theiradaptations to the demands of school.We compared the re-entry experience oftwo sub-groups in our population:students aged 35 to 44(with young families)and those aged 45 to 64(with mature families).We found that each group haddifferent motives for attending school,each group felt different strains duringthe school year and each group used different methods and resources to copewith the demands of student life.The paper concludes with a review of theliterature on programs that meet the needs of re-entry women.We note theapplicability of these programs to the distinct needs of younger and older re-entry women and we encourage the development of more programs to meet bothgroups'needs. # RÉSUMÉ Cet article rend compte d'une étude menée à partir du témoignage de 276femmes de 35à64 ans qui ont repris des études universitaires.Nous avons eurecours à une approche tenant compte des cycles de la vie pour analyser lemontant de stress généré chez ces femmes par la vie universitaire et pour mettreen lumiere les méthodes que celles-ci utilisent pour faire face à ce stress ets'adapter aux exigences propres aux études universitaires.Nous avons cefaisant comparé cette expérience au sein de deux sous-groupes:d'une part lesétudiantes agees de 35à44 ans,mères de jeunes enfants,et d'autre part cellesde 45 a64 ans dont les enfants avaient atteint I'age adulte.Nous avonsdécouvert que les raisons qui poussaient les personnes de ces deux groupes areprendre des études étaient tres différentes de meme que les difficultés qu'elles éprouvaient pendant I'année scolaire et les moyens qu'elles utilisaient pour êtreà la hauteur de ce qu'on exigeait d'elles en tant qu'étudiantes.Cet articleprésente ensuite un éventail de programmes parmi ceux qui répondent le mieuxaux besoins des femmes qui reprennent des études.Nous y soulignons dansquelle mesure ces programmes conviennent aux besoins spécifiques soit desfemmes les plus jeunes soit des femmes les plus agées et nous sollicitons lacreation d'un plus grand nombre de programmes susceptibles de répondre auxbesoins des deux groupes. # Introduction More adults than ever before attend post-secondary institutions(Campbell,1984)and even greater numbers of adults will attend school in the future(Breneman,1983;Crimmins &Riddler,1985;Frances,1980;Glenny,1980).ACarnegie Council report(1981)projects a decrease in the proportion oftraditional-aged students(18-24 years old)in the U.S.The report states that,bythe year 2000,as many higher education students will be over 21 years old aswill be 21 years or younger.Campbell(1984,p.14)calls Canadian adult learnerstaking part-time credit and formal non-credit University courses the “new majority”because by 1974-75 they outnumbered full-time University students. Belanger and Omiecinski(1987)report that Canadian adult students aged 25-44 more often than younger students attend school part-time.A recent Canadiansurvey(Devereaux,1985)reports that one in five adults(aged 17+)took somepart-time education.Universities provided about 11%of these courses.Thesame survey found a high interest in organized education among adult women.Among part-time students,about one woman in three aged 25-34 took someform of adult education. In 1984-85,women made up 61%of the Canadian part-time universityundergraduate population(Parliament,1986).In every age category,womenconstituted the majority of part-time students.They made up about 70%of part-time students aged 45 and over(Belanger &Omiecinski,1987). These trends will grow stronger as more women enter the labour force.Awoman today can expect to work forty years of her adult

FAQs

What population and age range does the study cover?

The study reports on 276 women aged 35 to 64 who re-entered university.

How does the paper explain university-related stress?

It applies a life-event framework, treating life events (stresses or crises) as creating individual strain and leading to adaptation or change.

What differences were found between the two re-entry sub-groups?

The paper finds that the groups differed in motives for attending school, strains felt during the school year, and the methods and resources used to cope with student-life demands.

Oct 15, 2026

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