ABSTRACT

AS INDIVIDUALS REACH 35, THEY OFTEN FIND THAT OTHERS NO LONGER VIEW THEM AS YOUNG. VARIOUS THEORIES OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT SUGGEST THAT THE SHIFT INTO MIDDLE AGE OFFICIALLY BEGINS AT 40. THIS STAGE IS SEEN AS A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD LEADING TOWARD MIDDLE AGE, COMMONLY REFERRED TO IN OUR CONTEXT AS THE ""35-YEAR THRESHOLD"" OR ""35-YEAR CRISIS."" THEREFORE, THE TRANSFORMATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT DECISIONS FACED BY THOSE AGED 35 TO 40 DESERVE ATTENTION TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO MIDDLE AGE. RESEARCH ON THOSE IN THE 35 TO 40 AGE BRACKET IS LIMITED IN MANY REGIONS. THIS STUDY SEEKS TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF EARLY ADULTS WITHIN THIS AGE GROUP IN OUR AREA, UTILIZING QUALITATIVE METHODS. BY CONDUCTING IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS ABOUT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVIEWEES AND STARTING UP WRITING THE STORIES WITH THE DIMENSION OF PHENOMENOLOGICAL PEDAGOGY, WE AIM TO CAPTURE PARTICIPANTS' SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCES, SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THEIR DECISION-MAKING DURING PIVOTAL LIFE EVENTS. IN TOTAL, 20 PARTICIPANTS AGED 35 TO 40 FROM OUR REGION WERE INVITED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS STUDY. AFTER THREE MONTHS OF INTERVIEWS AND FIVE MONTHS OF ANALYSIS, THE RESEARCH IDENTIFIED FOUR KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING THEIR DECISION-MAKING ATTITUDES TOWARD MAJOR LIFE EVENTS: A PRIMARY FOCUS ON FAMILY CONSIDERATIONS, A PERCEIVED URGENCY TO ENACT CHANGES BEFORE TURNING 40, A PURSUIT OF STABILITY, AND A DESIRE FOR SELF-ACTUALIZATION WHILE LETTING GO OF RIGID EXPECTATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, BASED ON PARTICIPANTS’ INSIGHTS REGARDING SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR MACAU ADULTS IN THIS AGE GROUP, FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PROPOSED: ENHANCING FAMILY WELFARE POLICIES, REGULAR REVIEWS OF HOUSING POLICIES, PROMOTING LIFE EDUCATION AND DIVERSIFIED DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH, ADDRESSING WORKPLACE STRESS AND FOSTERING CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND INCREASING AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH. THESE MEASURES AIM TO PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATING LIFE TRANSITIONS OR CHALLENGES. IN SUMMARY, THE INSIGHTS GATHERED FROM PARTICIPANTS PROVIDE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR ADULTS, GOVERNMENT BODIES, AND SOCIAL WORKERS REGARDING THE SERVICES NEEDED. THIS RESEARCH UNDERSCORES THE ESSENTIAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THOSE AGED 35 TO 40 AND SUGGESTS THE CREATION OF MORE CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES. 當踏入35歲後在別人眼裡已不再年輕，在許多成人發展理論定義上則認為踏入40歲後才算中年階段，35歲後正要開始步向中年的過渡時期，國內更稱為「35歲門檻」及「35歲危機」，所以35至40歲這個年齡階段的生活遇到的轉變和重大事件決策歷程，從而了解那些支援能讓這個年齡階段能順利過渡至中年階段，亦是值得進行探討及研究。 不同地區亦較少對35至40歲這個年齡人士進行研究，本研究為了解本澳35至40歲成年早期人士的需要，研究會採用質性研究，以深度訪談了解受訪者在研究題目當中有關的生活體驗，並以教育現象學作分析，期望從受訪者主觀表述其經驗，以了解35至40歲成年人士對於生活中重大事件的決策深層心理意涵與其真實想法。 本次研究共邀請20位本澳35至40歲之成年人士為對象，經過3個月的訪談及歷時5個月進行探討及總結，研究分析得出這個年齡階段之人士，他們面對重大事件作出決策取態的結果有以下四大重要元素：本澳35至40歲成年早期人士首先以家庭角度出發，其次認為時間不多需要在40歲前作出轉變並且追求穩定的生活，追求自我價值及放下執着。 另外，從受訪者提及如何支援本澳35至40歲之成年人的生活，共歸納出五項建議：完善家庭福利措施、定期檢視房屋政策、青年生命教育及多元發展、在職人士壓力及持續進修發展、促進心理健康的關注，讓他們能更有支援的情況下應對生活的轉變或挑戰。 最後，從各位受訪者的建議中整理及歸納，為成年人、政府相關單位及社會工作者在服務提供相關啟示，更能補充35至40歲這個年齡階段人士的生活所需之服務，以及作出更合意的支援方案與服務資訊作參考。