ISBN: 979-8-234-03443-4
Introduction to Adulthood and Aging is an open educational textbook for undergraduate courses on adult development and gerontology. It examines cognitive, social, and physical development from early adulthood through later life, integrating theory, research, and real-world perspectives to challenge common assumptions about aging.
This work is also available freely online at https://hdl.handle.net/10919/142129.
Introduction to Adulthood and Aging (2026) is a research-based, 358-page Open Educational Resource (OER) adapted with original material added for use in Virginia Tech’s Human Development course, HD 2004: Adulthood and Aging. This text aims to spark reader ideas to address the significant global challenges and opportunities related to aging worldwide, exploring development, loss, resilience, and change and challenging common assumptions about aging. More than just a textbook, this resource is intended to spark reflection, empathy, and connection. The text is a foundation of knowledge and compassion that can be applied in both academic and personal settings, assisting readers to engage with the topic in practical and meaningful ways.
Developed in response to the increasing cost of textbooks, with the goal of reducing the financial burden on students and families, Introduction to Adulthood and Aging adapts and expands the openly-licensed works of other authors. It was adapted with original content added from existing openly-licensed texts, developed as a course reader in Canvas, and has been converted into MSWord and PDF. It is shared broadly in an effort to increase access to the content. While it is freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike (CC BY NC-SA) 4.0 license, the value of the content remains high, grounded in research, empathy, and a commitment to accessible education.
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Introduction to Adulthood and Aging by Maham Khan is licensed under a CC BY NC-SA 4.0
Permanent Identifier: https://hdl.handle.net/10919/142129
Maham Khan, Ph.D. is a researcher and educator whose work focuses on cognitive aging, resilience, and the diverse factors that shape well-being in later life. She completed her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science (Adulthood & Aging) at Virginia Tech in 2025. Her research examined cognitive superaging and lifestyle behaviors that contribute to healthier cognitive trajectories among older adults. She has also worked on chronic conditions and cognition, and functional limitations among older adults and unmet needs for caregiving. Her work draws on large-scale longitudinal datasets and advanced latent-variable modeling to better understand the behavioral, biological, and social determinants of optimal aging. During her doctoral training, Maham taught Adulthood and Aging at Virginia Tech as Instructor of Record and contributed to cognitive wellness initiatives for older adults through her work at the Engagement Center for Creative Aging. She has also served as a Visiting Lecturer in Pakistan, teaching healthcare management and primary healthcare, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary education and global perspectives on aging. Her publications span cognitive health, unmet needs, mobility limitations, and biomarker-informed aging research. She is now pursuing postdoctoral research training at Northwestern University, where she is expanding her work on cognitive resilience, aging trajectories, and translational approaches to cognitive health.