This study aims to identify perceived adult status and to explore the criteria for adulthood of young people in Sabah (East Malaysia). The differences in such criteria based on gender and student status are also examined. Data collected from 208 respondents were analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The empirical results of CFA revealed six criteria for adulthood: family capacities, norm compliance, interdependence, biological transitions, role transitions, and chronological transitions. However, the independence factor was discarded for further analysis because of having weak item loadings. In addition, the ANOVA test showed that women have higher interdependency and higher family capacities than men. Traditionally, women are more “other-oriented”—frequently thinking about the perspectives and needs of others—and are acknowledged as the main caregivers for children. Students are found to emphasize role transitions and biological transitions in determining their adulthood more than nonstudents. The present findings enable policymakers to obtain current emerging adults’ views regarding the differences in criteria for adulthood based on gender and student status. Present findings permit a better understanding of the value of emerging adults’ mental health as they encounter social, emotional, psychological, and physical challenges. This awareness would facilitate the provision of appropriate developmental programs for emerging adults to assist them in achieving adulthood. Directions for future research are also provided.

这项研究旨在确定感知的成年人身份，并探索沙巴州（东马来西亚）的年轻人成年标准。还检查了基于性别和学生身份的此类标准的差异。通过确认性因子分析（CFA）和单向方差分析（ANOVA）分析了从208位受访者那里收集的数据。CFA的实证结果揭示了成年的六个标准：家庭能力，规范遵守，相互依存，生物学转变，角色转变和时间顺序转变。但是，由于项目加载较弱，因此放弃了独立因素以进行进一步分析。此外，方差分析测试表明，女性比男性具有更高的相互依存度和更高的家庭能力。传统上，妇女更“以他人为中心”-经常考虑他人的观点和需求-被认为是儿童的主要照顾者。发现学生在确定成年时比非学生更强调角色转变和生物学转变。本研究结果使决策者能够根据性别和学生身份，获取当前新兴成年人对成年标准差异的看法。目前的发现使人们能够更好地理解新兴成年人在面对社交，情感，心理和身体挑战时的心理健康价值。这种认识将有助于为新兴成年人提供适当的发展方案，以帮助他们实现成年。还提供了未来研究的方向。