A new age group is entering midlife-and some members are tackling it differently than those in generations past. Historically, the excuse, "I'm having a midlife crisis," was often used to justify reckless, self-indulgent behavior, from infidelity to splurging on sports cars. But now, some Generation Xers and younger baby boomers are quietly refusing to have their midlife crises the old-fashioned way. More mindful than their parents about the psychological perils of middle age, they are anticipating midlife unrest and trying to turn it to positive ends.

    A growing number of researchers are defining middle age more broadly and in positive terms, as a good time to reassess life goals and chart a new course. "Midlife is your best and last chance to become the real you," declared an article on the topic last year in the Harvard Business Review, which drew thousands of emails in response, says co-author Carlos Strenger, an associate professor of psychology at Tel Aviv University in Israel and a researcher and consultant on midlife change. As Generation X moves into middle age, "the old idea that midlife is the onset of decline seems to be rejected by most, in favor of the notion that life can be creative and innovative until much later," Dr. Strenger says.

    When the label "midlife crisis" was first set forth in scholarly research in the 1960s, it was regarded as a dark interlude of regressive behavior, mainly in men, triggered primarily by a fear of death. Researchers found later that only about 10% to 26% of the population report what could be regarded as a midlife crisis, and that women as well as men are affected. Also, the upheaval isn't always abrupt or frantic, as the term "crisis" implies, and is brought on by many factors, from health problems to career disappointments.

    The term is still popular, though, as a handy label for the challenges of middle age. Some 92% of 374 adults surveyed for an article last July in the journal Gerontology said they believe in the existence of midlife crisis, or a time of transition or turbulence between the ages of 35 and 53, usually occurring around age 47. And 71% said they knew someone who had one, says the study led by Alexandra Freund, a psychology professor at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

    Generation Xers, now in their early 30s to mid-40s and only entering this potentially turbulent stage, may be equipped to take on the midlife crisis in a more creative, resourceful way. Gen-Xers saw plenty of adversity in their youth, from marriages dissolving to an epidemic of corporate layoffs, says Tamara Erickson, Carlisle, Mass., a workforce researcher and author of a new book, "What's Next, Gen X?" More than their elders, she says, they tend to anticipate potential pitfalls, expect to be challenged and plan their options for coping in advance.

    一個新的年齡群體正在步入中年，他們中的有些人面對生活不同于過去同樣年齡階段的幾代人。"我正面臨中年危機"的古老借口常常被用來辯護從出軌到盡情體驗飆車等不計后果和任性放縱的行為。然而，目前這一X代人和嬰兒潮一代正在無聲得拒絕走上老掉牙的中年危機之路。面臨中年心理危機，他們比他們的父輩更有頭腦，他們預料到中年時期動蕩，并努力使其好轉。

    越來越多的研究者賦予中年時期更廣更積極的意義，即一段重估生活目標及重構新航路的時光。任職于以色列特拉維斯大學的心理學副教授卡洛斯 斯特格說："去年哈弗商業評論期刊中一篇題為"中年，塑造真我的最佳最終時機！"吸引了無數封電子回復".作為此書的合著作者以及從事中年轉型的研究者和咨詢者，卡洛斯還說："隨著X代步入中年，有關中年即為生命下滑的開始的傳統觀念似乎遭到多數人反駁，他們支持的觀點是：生命直到最后一刻也能富有創造力和創新力。"

    "中年危機"的標簽首先于1960年開始學術研究。它被認為是一個回歸型的黑色斷裂帶行為，其主要發生于男性并主要由死亡的恐慌引起。研究者后來發現僅有約為10%到26%的人口可能被認為有中年危機，并且女性也受其影響。其次，中年巨變并不像危機一詞暗示得總是突然的或瘋狂的，它有從身體問題到事業不順等眾多因素。

    然而，中年危機一詞作為一個定義中年時期遭遇困難的方便標簽仍然廣為流行。去年7月，在參與老年醫學期刊中一篇文章調查的374位成年人中，其中92%表示他們相信中年危機的存在，或者說是一段介于35歲和53歲之間通常發生于47歲左右的過渡動蕩時期。發起這項研究的蘇黎世大學心理學教授亞歷山大 弗洛恩德說71%的人表示知道有人遭遇此危機。

    處于30歲早期至40歲中期的X一代目前正在步入這個潛在動蕩的年齡階段，他們可能準備以更富創新，更理智的姿態步入中年危機。著有新書《X代下步該怎么走？》的作者以及勞動力研究者塔瑪拉 艾瑞克森說："X一代在青年時期經歷了從婚姻失敗到大批企業裁員等許多逆境，他們往往較父輩預料到更多的潛在陷阱，期望受到挑戰并且提前規劃好他們解決問題的選擇。