The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18-29 years: implications for mental health - Arnett et al. - Universiteit Utrecht

The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18-29 years: implications for mental health 

Arnett, Zukauskiene, Sugimura 

Introduction 

Conceptions of the transition to adulthood have shifted from a focus on events such as leaving home to the gradual attainment of psychological markers such as accepting responsibility for one's self and making independent decisions. Transition to adulthood has become longer, and in developed countries happens later in life than previously, as measured by the timing of traditional markers such as the entry to stable work, marriage and parenthood > new life stage between adolescence and young adulthood: emerging adulthood. Cross-national indicator of changes in the demographic patterns of the transition to adulthood is mother's age of first birth.  

USA: five features of emerging adulthood 

Identity explorations entail trying out various possibilities for what kind of person to be and what kind of life to live. Traditionally, identity explorations have been associated with adolescence. However, today identity explorations occur mainly during the period of emerging adulthood. Emerging adulthood is the most unstable period of the lifespan. It is the time when changes in love relationships and work are most frequent. This instability is derived partly from their identity explorations. The instability can be troubling, especially when changes are involuntary > anxiety, feeling depressed.  

Emerging adulthood is a self-focused time of life, in the sense that it is the time when people have the fewest daily social roles and obligations to others. Emerging adults in the USA often thrive on their self-focused independence. However, being self-focused might be accompanied by low social support and consequent depression.  

Emerging adults tend to view themselves as being neither adolescents nor adults but somewhere in-between. This feeling might elicit feelings of depression and anxiety, especially for those who believe they should feel more adult at their current age than they actually are.  

Although emerging adulthood is often a time of struggle and mixed emotions, nearly all emerging adults in the USA believe their future is bright > possibilities and optimism. 

Europe: struggle amidst prosperity 

Currently, Europe is one of the most affluent and healthy societies in human history. Difficulties have increased in the aftermath of the 2007-08 global economic recession > youth unemployment. Unemployment is especially high in young people who have little education. Even for people with tertiary education, the entry into the workforce presents some issues. Thus, young workers are susceptible to employment instability even when they are able to find a job. 

In both Europe and the USA, unemployment has been associated with increased risk of depression, especially for emerging adults who do not have strong parental support.  

Japan: movement towards individualism 

Similar to other high-income countries, Japan has had demographic changes that suggest the rise of a new life stage of emerging adulthood, especially with respect to the length of education, and the timing of marriage and parenthood. Arnett has proposed four cultural beliefs that underlie the period of emerging adulthood in high-income countries: 1) the value of attaining independence and self-sufficiency before making adult commitments; 2) the goal of finding a so-called soul mate in marriage who will complement one's own identity; 3) the search for work that will be experienced as an expression of one's own identity; 4) and a view of this period of life as one of self-focused fun. Are these beliefs prevalent in emerging adults in a Japanese culture that has traditionally emphasized collectivistic values? Japanese culture has become substantially more individualistic. Other evidence shows that individualism in emerging adults is prevalent in contemporary Japan. Looking for work that is personally satisfying is an individualistic ideal that is growing in Japan as it has done in other high-income countries.  

Two distinctive features of mental health problems in emerging adults in Japan merit special attention: 

• Suicide rate: a higher suicide rate than in older or in younger age groups. A key reason for suicide is the failure to find a job. 

• Hikikomori: acute social withdrawal: 1-8% of young people withdraw into their homes to avoid failure in making the transition to adulthood and minimize their social contact.