title: Variations in patterns of developmental transitions in the emerging adulthood period.
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.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology of Mental Disorders Research Unit, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, USA. prc2@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasen
authors.forename: Henian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartmark
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007207:Individuation; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D010553:Personality Development; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012380:Role; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors