The present study used a sample of 9,100 youth from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to identify how early socioeconomic adversity and BMI-related genetics combine to influence youth BMI and academic achievement/failure across successive life stages (i.e., adolescence, emerging adulthood, young adulthood), resulting in adverse economic outcomes in young adulthood. The results

Many emerging adults report experiencing mental health challenges (e.g., depressive symptoms and perceived stress) during the transition to university. These mental health challenges often coincide with increased engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI; e.g., self-cutting or burning without lethal intent), but longitudinal research exploring the nature of the associations among depressive symptoms

Many modern emerging adults undertake the task of identity development while navigating life on a post-secondary campus, where they assimilate to new social and learning environments. Emerging adult newcomers (i.e. immigrants) must navigate additional developmental challenges as they reconcile their cultural, ethnic, and personal identity development simultaneously while facing systemic barriers to

Covid-19 emerged in December of 2019 and continues to overwhelm the world. To date (June 21, 2021), there have been 178,118,597 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 3,864,180 deaths due to COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2021). The United States of America, Brazil, and India have been hit especially hard. However, few places around the world have escaped the devastating effects of COVID-19. The desolation

Researchers have begun examining changes in recreational marijuana use among emerging adults (EAs), however, no studies have examined the influence of parents on EA children’s marijuana use due to legalization. We sought to address this gap by using a 2019 cross-sectional online survey of 404 EA students (18–25 years; M = 20.7, SD = 1.9) about their behavioral observations and conversations with parents

The psychological effect of the pandemic and measures taken in response to control viral spread are not yet well understood in university students; in-depth qualitative analysis can provide nuanced information about the young adult distress experience. Undergraduate students (N = 624) in an early US outbreak “hotspot” completed an online narrative writing about the impact and distress experienced due

This qualitative study explores the benefits and risks associated with living with companion animals during the transition to adulthood among 117 sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults living in the U.S. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using template analysis. Thematic analysis identified several risks (caregiver burden, pets as barriers to relationships, animal-related psychological

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the college experience and substantially impacted emerging adults’ navigation of this life stage. This concurrent mixed-methods study used an online survey, distributed to a southeastern university shortly after the transition to remote learning, to explore and understand college-attending emerging adults’ experiences during COVID-19. A total of 1,220 students (Mage =

While effects of COVID-19 on physical health are the subject of much research, it is also important to understand risk factors for negative psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. Undergraduates (N = 490, M age = 20.4) completed measures regarding prior trauma, COVID-19 infection indicators, stressors and trauma, coping, loneliness, social support, sleep behaviors, and negative emotionality. Results

While the healthcare aspects of chronic conditions have been well researched, the issues experienced in the workplace for emerging adults with chronic conditions are less understood. With the increase in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and changing technology for self-management, such research is essential. This qualitative study integrates Arnett’s features of emerging adulthood with a social-ecological approach

Exposure to parental problem drinking (PPD)—symptoms of alcohol use disorder, heavy and hazardous drinking—is associated with mental health problems in emerging adults, but mechanisms of risk are not fully explicated. The current study explores the role of parental emotion socialization, a key factor in the development of emotion regulation, in the context of PPD. A sample of 377 U.S. college students

Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) is associated with adaptive outcomes in emerging adulthood, but more research is needed on factors that may inform ERI, such as receiving one’s genetic ancestry results. The current study examined changes in ERI using a pre-test post-test design in which 116 emerging adults 18–25 years were randomly assigned to either receiving their genetic ancestry results before the

This study examines how music functions in relation to identity development for African-, Caribbean- and Black-identified emerging adults who have immigrated to Canada. Eleven ACB-identified emerging adults, recruited from music schools, community, and student organizations took part in semi-structured interviews adapted from McAdams’ Life Story Interview protocol to focus on music practices and memories

The present study examines the five principles of the life course perspective—life span development, time and place, agency, timing, and linked lives—and their interplay on the experiences of 26 emerging adults (11 males and 15 females) during their transition from college completion into the STEM labor force in Spain. Findings derived from the in-depth interviews focus on the multilevel challenges

Objective: Implicit cannabis associations (ICAs) inconsistently predict cannabis use (CU), and little is known about their formation. Personality, behavioral approach and inhibition, were tested as predictors of ICAs, which in turn, was expected to predict CU (mediation). Peer context was tested as a moderator. Method: Data were taken from three annual assessments of a larger longitudinal study. The

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the associations between social isolation, social contextual factors, and behavioral and psychological health during emerging adulthood. Methods: Participants (n = 1,568) were drawn from EAT 2018 (mean age = 22.1 ± 2.0). Logistic regressions tested the associations between social isolation, contextual factors, and behavioral and psychological health. Results: Approximately

Childhood peer victimization (CPV) has been associated with clinical and subclinical forms of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs). However, less is known about the mechanisms involved in this association, especially in emerging adulthood. The present study examined the relationship between harmfulness of the CPV experiences, identity diffusion and DEBs using Structural Equation Modeling. Emphasis was

College students with children are a unique subset of emerging adults, whose lives were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, challenging their pursuit for education and financial independence. We sought to understand barriers and facilitators to their academic persistence during the first wave of COVID-19 in New York City. We conducted 37 in-depth interviews with students, faculty, and staff at six

Our aims were to (a) examine whether emerging adults on the schizophrenia spectrum (schizotypy) differed from non-spectrum peers in social, emotional, and academic adjustment to university; and (b) determine the role of the basic and narrative selves in adjustment. Schizotypy (n = 30) and non-schizotypy comparison (n = 29) participants, who were selected from a larger pool of undergraduates (n = 310)

Emerging adulthood is an important period for managing the pressing developmental tasks of identity exploration and formation. Affiliation with a religion can inform how emerging adults understand themselves and commit to aspects of their identity, which may have implications for well-being. The present studies tested the ways in which identification with and commitment to Christianity inform identity

The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting emerging adults during a crucial developmental period, which may have long-lasting effects on their developmental task progression and psychosocial adjustment. Because self-efficacy is a well-researched psychological resource to deal with substantial challenges, the present study examined the link between emerging adults’ life- and domain-specific satisfaction during

Emerging adults, including post-secondary education students, are disproportionately affected by the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The speed with which society moved in attempt to minimize the spread of the virus left many students with uncertainty and concern about their health, mental health, and academic futures. Considering that post-secondary students are a population at

The present study examined the relationships of career adaptability and self-esteem with life satisfaction among emerging adults and the mediating effect of work values on these relationships. Five hundred and twelve emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 25 who graduated from vocational education and training were enrolled. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing study variables during

Financial identity formed during emerging adulthood is important for the regulation of youth financial behaviors, decisions, and long-term financial goals. This three-wave short-term longitudinal study investigates how youth develop a distinct manner of approaching and managing personal finances and reveals the structure and dynamics of financial identity development during emerging adulthood. Using

Mentors that guide young people in their transition to adulthood provide support in a variety of domains that set the stage for happier adult lives. While mentoring during emerging adulthood is associated with shorter-term social and professional success—less is known about whether mentoring for career and committed relationships, specifically, are linked to downstream well-being. This study uses nationally

The present study employed a narrative identity analysis to the examination of identity development in relation to major choice for college-going emerging adults. We focused on underrepresented minorities (URMs) who expressed an interest in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) majors. In a qualitative, longitudinal, case-based study of URMs at two different campuses (n = 26), we followed

The present study adopts a normative approach to examine the context-specific dilemmas and strategies experienced by individuals returning to their parental home after living independently. Through 31 in-depth interviews with individuals ranging in age from 22 to 31, we identified that the central communicative dilemma participants experienced was articulating the decision to move back home as an investment

Emerging adults are especially vulnerable to experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault. While bystanders play a critical role in preventing sexual assault, little is known about how bystander alcohol intoxication affects the intervention process—particularly in naturalistic settings. We recruited 315 emerging adult bargoers ages 21–29 (46% women; 28% non-college attending; 81% White) from a high-density

Internalized racism, or the acceptance of negative stereotypes about one’s own racial group, is associated with psychological distress; yet, few studies have explored the longitudinal impact of internalized racism on the psychological well-being of African American emerging adults. Furthermore, racial identity’s role as a protective factor in the context of internalized racism remains unclear. This

While 75% mental health problems emerge by young adulthood, there is a strong reluctance during this developmental stage to seek professional help. Although limitations in mental health literacy, such as incorrect problem recognition, may hinder professional help-seeking intentions, the relationship between these variables has been understudied among young adults in the United States (U.S.) and racial/ethnic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific and public health communities have become increasingly focused on understanding young adults’ physical distancing behaviors and the role that young adults have on viral potentiation and community spread. In the present study, we surveyed a group of 560 young adults (ages 22-28) from the greater Seattle area in April 2020, during statewide “shelter-in-place”

Asian and Latinx emerging adults in the United States typically hold stronger values and expectations regarding their duty to support and respect their families than their White peers. Yet, research has not fully explored how meeting familial expectations is associated with psychological well-being in these populations. This study examined ethnic-racial differences in perceptions of meeting familial

Rates of suicidal ideation and behavior are high and increasing in emerging adulthood. Research focused on suicidal ideation as a predictor of suicidal behavior has nearly exclusively conceptualized suicidal ideation as verbal thoughts about suicide. Emerging research suggests, however, that mentally imagining suicide may be even more impairing than verbal thoughts about suicide. Thirty-nine emerging

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and college campus closure in early 2020, students returned to live at home in unprecedented circumstances. A sample of 336 college students reported about their experiences living at home and the extent to which they perceived their mental health declining during the stay-at-home order (quarantine). Multiple regression analysis indicated that being a freshman (compared

We aim to identify typologies of parenting among emerging adults and describe how parenting typologies are related to their life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and parent-child relationship. Using a three-step latent class approach, we analyzed 472 mother-child and 426 father-child relations. We recruited the students from a private university in Upstate New York. We confirmed four parenting classes

With widespread concern for increased alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a pressing need to examine changes in young adults’ alcohol use and to identify antecedents of increased use. We tested the hypothesis that self-reported changes in alcohol use during the pandemic (frequency, quantity, heavy episodic drinking) would relate to perceptions of peers’ changes in alcohol use. In April

Attachment theory articulates that social and personal interactions influence individuals’ attachment characteristics. Although research has revealed various negative consequences of overparenting among offspring, very few studies have looked at the attachment features of overparented emerging adults. Relying on cross-sectional data collected from 231 emerging adults (M age = 24.22 years, 57.1% females)

Work-family conflict can create challenges for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Little is known, however, about how young women in STEM reason about future work-family conflict. The current study examines work-family conflict expectations among undergraduate and graduate women in STEM. Participants (N = 156) responded to open- and closed-ended survey questions about

Although it is widely acknowledged that emerging adulthood is experienced differently by various groups, few studies have directly examined the theoretical features of emerging adulthood in vulnerable subpopulations of low-income young people in the United States. This study addressed this gap by exploring the salience of the five features proposed in emerging adulthood theory—identity exploration

Intimate partner violence is a serious social and public health problem for women. Researchers have shown the context in which intimate partner violence occurs matters, yet, prior work has not examined specifically whether motherhood, and the relationship context of motherhood, are associated with physical violence. Drawing on the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) (n = 492), and the stress

This study examines how, for emerging adults attending residential colleges, family incomes and the socioeconomic status (SES) composition of high schools are jointly associated with academic behaviors in college. Using a one-time survey, daily surveys, and additional data collection on high school SES composition, this study measured 221 college students’ (17–25 years old) SES backgrounds and academic

Women are outperforming men on many academic achievement metrics in tertiary education. Contributing factors may include the hegemonic masculine expectations for boys and men to be successful, strong, and unemotional. The aim of this qualitative study was to therefore investigate how American emerging adult men may perpetuate expectations of stoicism and silence when discussing their academic struggles

In this study, two different contexts were examined to identify and describe transition-to-adulthood profiles at age 25 (based on four adulthood markers) and to determine whether these profiles differ in well-being at age 25. Two French-Canadian samples (urban sample, N = 321; remote sample, N = 363) completed questionnaires at age 25 regarding adulthood markers (having left school, being a parent

Social jetlag (SJ)—the shift in sleep timing between workdays and free days—is linked to deleterious cardiometabolic outcomes. SJ is greatest among emerging adults, who are already at high risk for overweight/obesity and experience suboptimal weight loss outcomes. Goals of this ancillary study were to assess SJ among emerging adults enrolled in a 6-month behavioral weight loss trial and examine the

How do young adults get involved in community and political life and what distinguishes those who are engaged from those who are not? In an attempt to answer these questions, the current study examines civic participation (CP) profiles, and their predictors, among 311 French-Canadian youths transitioning into adulthood. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and multinomial logistic regressions were performed

Life scripts dictate the culturally appropriate order, content, and timing of autobiographical events. In the current study, we examined the ethnic-racial life scripts of American emerging adults from three ethnic-racial backgrounds. One hundred ninety-five Asian, 165 Latinx, and 45 White undergraduates produced and rated seven life events they believed to be prototypical of their ethnic-racial group

During the transition from school to university, students are faced with many challenges to their well-being. This is especially true in resource constrained societies like South Africa. While there is extensive research linking well-being with gratitude, less is known qualitatively about what individuals are grateful for. A sample of 933 undergraduate students submitted gratitude lists, resulting

Student exchange is associated with many positive outcomes, however, little is known about the experiences that drive such changes. The aim of the current qualitative study was to explore how exchange students conceptualize the processes of change and development during exchange within an identity framework. Twenty interviews were conducted with Australian and French exchange alumni aged 19–23 years

With the recent evolution of the labor market, emerging adults with no diploma are particularly exposed to unsatisfying jobs and barriers to access decent work. The aim of the research was to identify their representations of work, based on the psychology of emerging adulthood and the psychology of working theory. Differences related to each country’s level of development and to the work situations

The coronavirus pandemic that began in December 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread globally with an increased transmission in the United States beginning in March 2020. Social distancing guidelines were instituted across the country, limiting contact individuals could have with others. This compared the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) emerging adults who completed

Loneliness among emerging adults in college has been primarily attributed to real and perceived socioemotional deficits. We posit that the cognitive underpinnings of loneliness are more complex. Participants were 520 students at a small liberal arts college in the Western United States (M age = 19.97; 69.7% women; 54.6% White) and 551 students at a large university in west-central Poland (M age = 21

Argentina’s labor market conditions hinder the possibilities for social integration and the securing of decent work. This particularly affects vulnerable emerging adults without a high school diploma. This study aims to understand the meanings of work in general, actual work experiences, and expectations for the future of young urban unskilled workers with no high school diploma. Using a qualitative

Recent trend analyses have documented changes over the past decades in psychological and relational variables (e.g., social interaction, empathy, loneliness) for emerging adults. With one exception), however, little research has examined how attachment styles may have changed over time. The present study, which involved data collected from 1997 to 2019 within one university setting, examined whether

Work and wellness have long been linked in the field of psychology, but few researchers have studied this topic with rural emerging adults without a high school diploma. Overall, rural areas in the United States have higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment than nonrural areas. This narrative inquiry illuminates how precariousness in home and school contexts influenced the work trajectories

Desistance from the risky behaviors associated with adolescence is linked to entry into adult roles like marriage and employment. Increases in the age of these transitions may delay desistance from risky behaviors. Using population data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Health Statistics, and tabulated data from Monitoring the Future, we chart trends in six problem behaviors—arrests

For 20 years, the theory of emerging adulthood has shaped how we think about the third decade of life. In honor of that I would like to revisit the distinct features of emerging adulthood outlined ...