Women's Self-Definition in Adulthood: From A Different Model?

This article examines criticisms of existing models of adult development from both feminist and developmental psychologists. To answer these criticisms, a model of women's adult self-definition is presented that is based upon current research on women's adult experience. The model combines a dialectical approach, which considers the effects of social/historical factors, with a feminist approach, which emphasizes the importance of caring and relationships, to illustrate the critical factors affecting a woman's self-knowledge during the adult years.