Henok: A Case of Midlife Crisis

Henok is undergoing a series of socioemotional crises collectively called a “midlife
crisis.” This period occurs between ages 40 and 60, and the expectation is that people expect
to face inner turmoil about mortality, life choices, and identity – a midlife crisis. This stage
often forms a dichotomy between a motivation to bequeath some legacy to upcoming
generations (Grossman & Groenewold, 2017) and feelings of self-absorption and failure.
The period of late-middle age has also been observed to present unique challenges to
marriages. Research has demonstrated an inverse relationship between the duration of
married life amongst this cohort and their rates of divorce (Crowley, 2018). Henok, who
married at a relatively late age and is now father to two pre-teenage boys at the age of 55,
might be experiencing significant doubts about his role as husband and father, leading to the
imagined or real infidelity he has expressed during counseling.
The midlife years do not have to be a crisis in one’s life. For many, these years are the
most productive in life (Santrock, 2018). Henok has accomplished very significant success in
his career. As an African immigrant, he must have overcome significant cultural and
linguistic challenges to settle in America. As a person of color, living for 30 years in a post-
Civil Rights Era American South, Henok must have overcome academic and economic
challenges to his social mobility. And as an African American father raising sons in the
American South, he has had to challenge the storyline of absentee fathers plaguing the
African American community (Cross, 2021). Finally, Henok has succeeded in an industry in
which only 4.4% of the workforce is either black or African American (Industrial
Engineering Demographics, 2022).

To overcome feelings of stagnation and failure that continue to plague Henok, he
needs to participate in activities that create feelings of achievement in life. For example, he

HENOK 3
can embrace opportunities to work with university career offices to advise African American
students desiring to pursue a career in industrial engineering. His own success in this field
would serve as a clear example to many apathetic African American youth that seemingly
inaccessible careers are within reach. Furthermore, Henok can play a leading role amongst
employers in advocating for affirmative action to overcome the racial gap in these careers.
Events such as job fairs within African American communities might positively impact the
number of youths seeking entry and higher-level jobs within this industry.
Henok can also find opportunities to make an impact by working to break cultural
barriers between immigrants and natives. Many immigrants arrive in America each year, and
many of these, especially university students, need cultural guidance and acceptance. Having
traveled the immigrant to the naturalization path successfully himself, Henok should be a
welcome resource person amongst student or economic immigrants within his vicinity.
Henok can also view his role as an African American father to two preteen boys as a platform
to help mentor young men from dysfunctional and single-parent families within the
community.
Henok appears to be struggling with feelings of failure associated with a mid-life crisis.
He would benefit from professional psychiatric help to overcome his predicament. A
qualified counselor could help Henoc find closure with his father’s death, work out challenges
within his marriage, and set uplifting self-actualization goals for his old age. Finally, as a
word of encouragement, Henok needs to realize that the period between middle- to old-age
should be a time for building a legacy. He has lived a very successful life and has overcome
numerous barriers. He is a source of inspiration to the upcoming generations on the
importance of setting goals and committing to achieving them against seemingly
insurmountable odds.

HENOK 4

References

Cross, T. The Impact of the Absent African American Father: Findings and
Implications.”(2021) Dissertations.1065.
Crowley, J.E.(2018, in press). Gray divorce: Explaining midlife marital splits. Journal of
women and aging.
Dunlop, W.L., Bannon, B.L., & McAdams, D.P. (2017), Studying the motivated agent
through time : Personal goal development during the adult life span. Journal of
Personality, 85, 207-219.
Erickson, E.HG. (1968). Identity: Youth and Crisis. New York: W.W. Norton
Grossman, M.R., & Greenwald, T.L..(2017). Caregiving and perceived generativity: A
positive and protective aspect of providing care? Clinical Gerontology, 40, 435-447
Industrial Engineer Demographics and Statistics [2022]: Number of industrial engineers in
the US. Industrial Engineer Demographics and Statistics [2022]: Number Of
Industrial Engineers In The US. (2022, April 18). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from
https://www.zippia.com/industrial-engineer-jobs/demographics
Lin, X.,Bryant, C., Boldero,J., & Dow, B.(2014). Older Chinese immigrants’ relationship
with their children. A literature review from a solidarity-conflict perspective.
Gerontologist,55, 990-1005
Santrock, J. W. (2019). Life-span development (17th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Education.