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.

一个新的年龄群体正在步入中年，他们中的有些人面对生活不同于过去同样年龄阶段的几代人。"我正面临中年危机"的古老借口常常被用来辩护从出轨到尽情体验飙车等不计后果和任性放纵的行为。然而，目前这一X代人和婴儿潮一代正在无声得拒绝走上老掉牙的中年危机之路。面临中年心理危机，他们比他们的父辈更有头脑，他们预料到中年时期动荡，并努力使其好转。

越来越多的研究者赋予中年时期更广更积极的意义，即一段重估生活目标及重构新航路的时光。任职于以色列特拉维斯大学的心理学副教授卡洛斯 斯特格说："去年哈弗商业评论期刊中一篇题为"中年，塑造真我的最佳最终时机！"吸引了无数封电子回复".作为此书的合着作者以及从事中年转型的研究者和咨询者，卡洛斯还说："随着X代步入中年，有关中年即为生命下滑的开始的传统观念似乎遭到多数人反驳，他们支持的观点是：生命直到最后一刻也能富有创造力和创新力。"

"中年危机"的标签首先于1960年开始学术研究。它被认为是一个回归型的黑色断裂带行为，其主要发生于男性并主要由死亡的恐慌引起。研究者后来发现仅有约为10%到26%的人口可能被认为有中年危机，并且女性也受其影响。其次，中年巨变并不像危机一词暗示得总是突然的或疯狂的，它有从身体问题到事业不顺等众多因素。

然而，中年危机一词作为一个定义中年时期遭遇困难的方便标签仍然广为流行。去年7月，在参与老年医学期刊中一篇文章调查的374位成年人中，其中92%表示他们相信中年危机的存在，或者说是一段介于35岁和53岁之间通常发生于47岁左右的过渡动荡时期。发起这项研究的苏黎世大学心理学教授亚历山大 弗洛恩德说71%的人表示知道有人遭遇此危机。

处于30岁早期至40岁中期的X一代目前正在步入这个潜在动荡的年龄阶段，他们可能准备以更富创新，更理智的姿态步入中年危机。着有新书《X代下步该怎么走？》的作者以及劳动力研究者塔玛拉 艾瑞克森说："X一代在青年时期经历了从婚姻失败到大批企业裁员等许多逆境，他们往往较父辈预料到更多的潜在陷阱，期望受到挑战并且提前规划好他们解决问题的选择。