This study explored how societal changes have rendered contemporary midlife women different from those who have preceded them. Subjects were female college graduates who were mailed a demographic survey, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Salamon-Conte Life Satisfaction Scale. Subjects were divided into three artificially created groups. Group one (ages 34 to 42) consisted of 326 baby boom midlife women. Group two (ages 43 to 48) consisted of 292 pre-baby boom mid-life women. Group three (ages 49 to 55) consisted of 344 older pre-baby boom women. Baby boom women had actually reached their high aspirations and were comparable or ahead of their older counterparts in occupational status and household income. The vast majority of baby boom midlife women were choosing marriage and were continuing to bear children. The difference appeared to be that marriage and childbearing occurred later in life. Despite the societal changes, traditional values, in the main, appeared to be the most preferred options for the women in this study. Women who reported that they were married, or living with someone, demonstrated lower levels of anxiety and higher life satisfaction. The results of the study revealed that the effects of socialization, rather than age, yield major significant variables influencing a feeling of well being in both cohorts of midlife women. (Contains 32 references and 4 tables.) (ABL)