Variations in patterns of developmental transmissions in the emerging adulthood period.

TLDR

Adult role assumption has been studied mainly through school attendance, leaving home, and marriage, yet autonomy and individuation vary widely within these milestones. The authors collected narrative behavioral descriptions across financial, residential, romantic, and family formation domains from ages 17 to 27 and analyzed trajectories in relation to socioeconomic status, parental divorce, gender, and race. Subgroup differences were largely unrelated to educational enrollment, and many participants exhibited dramatic shifts in adult role assumption, sometimes reverting to dependent, other‑determined roles for brief or prolonged periods.

Abstract

The assumption of adult roles has largely been examined as status changes in school attendance, leaving the parental home, and marriage. Nevertheless, levels of autonomy and individuation vary considerably within these states. This study obtained such information through narrative behavioral descriptions within financial, residential, romantic, and family formation domains covering ages 17 to 27 years. Analyses of data from 240 members of a community-based longitudinal study investigated the association of trajectories in these domains with family socioeconomic status, parental divorce, gender, and race. Findings indicated that subgroup differences were not generally attributable to educational enrollment. Both within and between domains, many individuals showed dramatic changes in the assumption of adult roles, returning to more dependent, other-determined roles for short or even extended periods.