Emerging Adulthood and The Changes It Causes

Jeffrey Arnett defined the theory of emerging adulthood as a developmental period of identity exploration, instability, self-focused behaviors and thoughts, a feeling of being in-between adolescence and adulthood, and an overwhelming sense of optimism for the future. Furthermore, there is time throughout life for improving and changing one’s mindset and behavior. Emerging adults explore who they are or want to be, tend to no longer feel like adolescents but do not yet consider themselves as having reached adulthood, are extremely optimistic about their own life goals and opportunities, focus on their own needs and desires, and experiment with different life pathways. To my belief the theory is indeed an accurate reflection of the experiences of 18 to 25-year-olds.

The developmental stage discovered the decreasing of expression of angry and high levels of depression, especially for women (Zimmermann et al, 2014). Also emotional stability has not been established during emerging adulthood. Relationships with parents and peers are essential aspects in adolescents’ identity development. Young adolescents must be confident that they have parental support, must have an established sense of industry, and must be able to take a self-reflective stance toward the future. A study by Sussman et al discovered that poor communication between mothers and adolescents, as well as with friends, was linked to less positive identity development. A recent study found that an open, active exploration of identity when adolescents are comfortable with close friends contributes to the positive quality of the friendship.

Depending on age-specific biological, social, or environmental resources, and their age-specifically associated options, goals, and restrictions, emotion regulation strategies vary in functionality for different emotions. A 124 studies discovered that during adolescence and emerging adulthood, identity, temporary, prohibition status rose steadily to age 19 and then declined; identity achievement rose across late adolescence and emerging adulthood; and foreclosure and diffusion statuses fluctuated in emerging adulthood.

Increased complexity in the reasoning skills of college students combined with a wide range of new experiences that highlight contrasts between home and college and between themselves and others stimulate them to reach a higher level of integrating various dimensions of their identity. Such behaviors include binge drinking, marijuana use, uncontrollable sleep schedules, or anything to raise their popularity status. Sussman et al suggested students moving out of the parental home and attending college have been related to increased substance use. Emerging adulthood is perhaps the only or main period of life in which risky behavior is most tolerated or promoted as a means to maximize “growing up emerging adults are at an increased risk of experiencing problems if they are male, have substance-dependent parents, demonstrate externalizing behaviors during adolescence, have favorable attitudes toward substance use, exhibit a lack of belief in conformity or the moral order, have low commitment to school, or if they had used substances during adolescence (Zimmermann, 2014). One study discovered that entry out of emerging adulthood into young adult social contexts may be predictive of lower levels of substance involvement such as engaging in work, marriage, and graduating from college.

East Asian adolescents and emerging adults may develop their identity through identification with and imitation of others in their cultural group. Identity development may take longer in some countries than in others. It has been discovered that Italian youth may postpone significant identity exploration beyond adolescence and emerging adulthood, settling on an identity until their mid- to late-twenties. In addition, many Italian youths live at home with their parents until 30 years of age and older.

Certain factors have influenced the occurrence of emerging adulthood. the decision between two or more sources of identification—their own ethnic group and the mainstream, or dominant, culture. The time of your birth and generation is another influence. First-generation immigrants are likely to be secure in their identities and unlikely to change much; they may or may not develop a new identity. For second-generation immigrants, ethnic identity is likely to be linked to retention of their ethnic language and social networks. Third generations and after are considered to be more influenced by social media and major social groups.

A study developed by Seiter et al, revealed that the majority of the 18- to 26-year-olds studied felt that they had achieved adulthood and emphasized attributes needed to fulfill family roles as characteristics necessary for adulthood. Differences in optimism levels were found between students and nonstudents. Hinduism, caste, gendered socialization, and the educational system, are discussed as being possible explanations for the discoveries.

To conclude, some view emerging adulthood as a period of insightful transitions and others view it as being one of the most freighting periods they will have to go through. Major population‐level demographic shifts including increases in postsecondary education and delays in marriage and childbearing have occurred, which has opened space for the emerging adulthood developmental phase (Nelson et al, 2012). Researcher have discovered that emotion regulation is a hard manner to overcome in emerging adulthood, but an individual may show signs of increased stability, and growth. Emerging adulthoods’ level of seeking social support in fearful situations is compared to early adolescents’ level. Allem et al discussed that further understanding of transition-to-adulthood themes among emerging adults may lead to better informed prevention programs that will eventually lead to a decrease in the prevalence of substance use among this target population. Nelson et al also discussed that there is work that needs to be done to understand better how the unique characteristics of emerging adulthood may contribute to establishing long‐term behavioral patterns and the possible vulnerability of this life stage to various influences.

Works Cited

1. Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469-480.
2. Zimmermann, P., Iwanski, A., & Stone, A. A. (2014). Congruence of identity in the life course: Theoretical and methodological implications. European Psychologist, 19(3), 177-187.
3. Sussman, S., Arnett, J. J., Edwards, C., Ritt-Olson, A., & Mislowsky, J. (2006). Prevalence of substance use among emerging adults: Analysis of cross-sectional national representative data. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(2), 221-228.
4. Kroger, J. (2007). Identity development: Adolescence through adulthood. Sage Publications.
5. Allem, J. P., Ayers, J. W., Unger, J. B., & Hofstetter, C. R. (2013). Implications of beliefs about electronic cigarettes and marijuana alternatives on future marijuana use intention. Journal of Health Psychology, 18(11), 1325-1331.
6. Seiter, J. S., Waddoups, G. L., Smith, R. A., & Bossard, E. A. (2012). Emerging adulthood: Comparing first-year college students and nonstudents. Emerging Adulthood, 1(3), 210-217.
7. Nelson, L. J., Padilla-Walker, L. M., Carroll, J. S., & Madsen, S. D. (2012). Associations between emerging adults’ religiousness and substance use: Exploring the moderating effect of religious denomination. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74(2), 269-286.
8. Schwartz, S. J., Côté, J. E., & Arnett, J. J. (2005). Identity and agency in emerging adulthood: Two developmental routes in the individualization process. Youth & Society, 37(2), 201-229.
9. Waterman, A. S., Schwartz, S. J., & Conti, R. (2008). The implications of two conceptions of happiness (hedonic enjoyment and eudaimonia) for the understanding of intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(1), 41-79.
10. Crocetti, E., Rubini, M., & Meeus, W. (2008). Capturing the dynamics of identity formation in various ethnic groups: Development and validation of a three-dimensional model. Journal of Adolescence, 31(2), 207-222.