Summary An Historical Perspective Joan Busfield The idea that a person can become mad or experience some disturbance of mind has a very long history and predates the development of…

Vicissitudes and Disappointments: Loss and Illness in Late Life Pamela Melding “Old age is not a disease—it is strength and survivorship, triumph over all kinds of vicissitudes and disappointments, trials…

Aging and Cognition in Women Chris Perkins Worldwide, more than 470 million women are over 50 years of age and one-third of these will live into their 80s. It is…

The Psychosocial Challenge for Older Women Anne Hassett “Age and gender hierarchies shape female lives across the life course in specific social and historical contexts” (1). Why devote a chapter…

Summary Commentary from China Helen F. K. Chiu The three chapters of this section, by Hassett, Perkins, and Melding, eloquently explore the topics of psychosocial challenges, cognitive challenges, and physical…

Mothering and Depression Sydney L. Hans Lifetime rates of depression are higher in women than in men, with nearly one in five women experiencing a clinically significant episode of depression…

Menopause and Mental Health Donna E. Stewart Mona J. Khalid “We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves” (1). Menopause is a normal life…

Postpartum and Its Mental Health Problems Sophie Grigoriadis No time in a women’s life is as likely to be filled with as much change as the postpartum period. Changes in…

Pregnancy and Mental Health Anne Buist Pregnancy is a unique developmental transition resulting in a woman being no longer responsible just for herself but also for another. (See also Chapter…

Menstrual Cycles and Mental Health Judith H. Gold This chapter is a revised, expanded, and updated version of a paper “Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: an update” published in the Journal of…