Young Adults and adulthood
Emerging adulthood is a hypothetical phase of the life span between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood which encompasses late adolescence and early adulthood. The term describes young adults who do not have children, do not live in their own home, or do not have sufficient income to have gained Independence in their early to late 20's.
Emerging adulthood is characterized by a reevaluation of the parent-child relationship, primarily in regard to autonomy. As a child switches from the role of a dependent to the role of a fellow adult, the family dynamic changes significantly. At this stage, it is important that parents acknowledge and accept their child's status as an adult.
For a variety of reasons, timeliness on young adulthood cannot be exactly defined—producing different results according to the different mix of overlapping indices. Young adults in today's society face many new issues and challenges that did not exist 10 to 20 years ago. Society has changed and the issues facing young adults have changed too. See the search results below for more articles and information regarding young adult issues.
While young adulthood is filled with avid quests for intimate relationships and other major commitments involving career and life goals, there is also a "parallel pursuit for the formulation of a set of moral values."
Areas of greatest change facing young adults today
- The need for more education - in order to compete for jobs in almost every career
- Fewer entry-level jobs are available regardless of education
- Waiting longer to get married due to education and career pursuits
- Women are delaying childbirth to focus on careers
- Less social interaction because social media, smart phones, texting, etc
- Living at home with parents
- Drug and substance absue
Choices today for both men and women are more complicated for young adults than any other time. Expectations are less clear about what the next step after finishing school (high school, college, or graduate school). In times past, young adults? paths were often predetermined by role expectations, family expectations, and clearer gender expectations. The new normal is that there are new expectations and less clarity in what they actually are.
In many ways the issues young adults face today are - the main concerns still being sex, drugs, and rock and roll. What's changed more than the issues themselves is how they are dealt with by the media, and the arts, including literature.
For more information about Young Adult issues please see the search results below.