This study examined how cluster B personality disorder traits (borderline, histrionic, antisocial, and narcissistic) relate to cyberbullying perpetration among young adults (18 to 21) in Iran and the United States controlling for face-to-face bullying perpetration. It also explored the roles of gender and cultural differences in these associations. A sample of 380 Iranian and 408 American participants completed questionnaires on Cluster B personality traits, cyberbullying perpetration, and face-to-face bullying perpetration. Results from the MANOVA indicated that American young adults reported higher rates of cyberbullying perpetration than Iranian young adults. Significant cultural differences were also observed for Cluster B personality traits, with higher levels of antisocial, narcissistic, and histrionic personality disorder traits among American participants, whereas Iranian participants reported higher borderline personality disorder traits. Gender differences were observed for antisocial personality traits, and a significant Country × Gender interaction was found for borderline personality disorder traits. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that antisocial personality disorder trait was significantly associated with cyberbullying perpetration in both countries, with a stronger effect in the United States.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are an established risk factor for substance use (Dube et al., 2003), but limited work has tested the moderating role of cultural factors. The current study tested whether ACEs were related to cannabis use, and whether ERI components moderated this relation among 733 emerging adults. We also tested ethnic-racial group differences between Black, White, and Asian participants. A series of nested multigroup path analysis models were used, and findings indicated that among all participants, ACEs were associated with more cannabis use ( p = .03), but ERI exploration moderated this association for Black participants ( p = .01) and White participants ( p = .00). At low ERI exploration, ACEs were associated with greater cannabis use, but at high ERI exploration ACES were not associated with cannabis use. Further, among Asian participants, ERI exploration ( p = .00) and resolution ( p = .02) were directly associated with less cannabis use.
The aim of this study was to explore how self-determination is expressed in young people with autism, a scarcely studied area despite its importance. Focus groups were conducted with 28 young adults with autism without intellectual disability, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our findings highlight how the main characteristics associated with the three dimensions of self-determination are expressed in young adults with autism and the main barriers that they encounter in acting in a self-determined manner. Autonomy and self-knowledge stand as strengths in the expression of self-determination, and self-initiation and pathways thinking stand as weaknesses. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of the expression of self-determination in young adults with autism and offers a first-person perspective on the construct. Supports for young people with autism should focus on promoting self-initiation and self-management skills, anticipating problems and barriers, and offering support for inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
A sample of 334 college students reporting a highly stressful event completed the Scales for Transformational Change, an instrument assessing transformative, positive, and negative changes from prior to the stressful event to the present. They also completed measures of the quality of identity functioning. Transformative change correlated positively with both positive and negative change and the stress level experienced. Transformative change was more strongly associated with positive as opposed to negative change. Cluster analysis revealed three patterns of change: (a) Positive Transformative Change, (b) Decompensational Change, and (c) Relative Stability. The Positive Transformative Change group was associated with reports of improved identity functioning and the Relative Stability group tended to improve as well. The Decompensational Change group showed only a modest decrease in identity functioning. The results indicate that experiencing stress is associated with subsequent positive identity functioning among emerging adults more so than disruptive decompensation.
Research typically examines Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement as a consequence of poverty rather than testing whether institutional contact represents an independent pathway to material hardship. Using prospective data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 2,868), this study examined whether caregiver material hardship and CPS involvement during adolescence are independently associated with material well-being during emerging adulthood. We measured caregiver hardship across food, housing, medical, and utility domains and young adult material deprivation 7 years later. Multivariate regression models revealed that both caregiver hardship (β = 0.124, p < .001) and CPS involvement (β = 0.310, p = .025) are independently associated with young adult material hardship, confirmed through structural equation modeling. Results advance Life Course Theory by demonstrating that institutional contact during adolescence operates as a distinct structural inflection point compounding vulnerability independent of familial poverty. Child welfare policies must account for how surveillance itself generates lasting material hardship during the transition to adulthood.
The development of sibling relationships across the life course can be context and culture specific. The current study aimed to adapt and validate a new measure of sibling relationship quality the Emerging Adults’ Relationship with Sibling Scale (EARSS) to assess Turkish emerging adults’ sibling relationships. In Sample 1 ( n = 407), factor structure with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was investigated. In Sample 2 ( n = 283), the factor structure of EARSS was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA results showed that EARSS had four-factor structure: closeness, parent-mediated relationship, ill-wishes, and conflict. CFA results indicated that four-factor structure model showed acceptable fit. Convergent validity analysis demonstrated strong correlations between depression, life satisfaction, and the sub-scales of EARSS. Findings show that sibling relationships are influenced by developmental stage and cultural context, impacting dimensions such as closeness and parent-mediated interactions.
Major life transitions of today’s emerging adults unfold alongside unprecedented global events, such as environmental crises. Eco-anxiety is reported to compromise mental health of youth and may be linked to a range of behavioral responses to environmental problems. Resilience and perceived dynamic social norms may serve as protective factors. Therefore, in Study 1, cluster analysis was conducted in an emerging adult subsample ( N = 373; M age = 22.40, SD = 3.79) drawn from a representative survey of Lithuanian adults, identifying four profiles characterized by configurations of eco-anxiety, resilience, dynamic social norms, and environmentally-responsible consumption (everyday- and activism-oriented). These profiles were replicated in Lithuania in Study 2 using an independent convenience sample of emerging adults ( N = 423; M age = 21.16, SD = 2.50). Across both studies, profiles included Mobilized Distressed , Adaptive Engaged , Resilient Reserved , and Disengaged . Findings highlight the need for tailored support approaches for emerging adults navigating environmental distress.
This study aims to enrich the sparse body of knowledge on the unique situation of marginalized young women, who receive welfare support services, regarding their integration into post-secondary education (PSE). The study was based on interviews with four focus groups of 21 young women, recipients of welfare support services, from Israel’s socio-economic periphery. The marginalized young women described the importance of the structural resources required for integration into PSE: guidance in selection of the field of education, accessibility of education, access to information, support in realising rights, and financial aid. The findings indicate that their perceptions of the meaning of PSE and the resources required to achieve it are influenced by multiple marginalisation factors.
Most emerging adults, whether attending college or not, engage in multiple casual sex relationships and experiences (CSREs). CSREs are not inherently risky, but subsequent CSREs can increase risk for STIs and unplanned pregnancies. Understanding predictors of subsequent CSRE engagement is important to ensure emerging adults are engaging in CSREs safely. This study examined whether peer approval was positively associated with subsequent CSRE engagement and if the riskiness of a CSRE moderated this association. Peer approval and riskiness of a CSRE were assessed using five daily diaries, and subsequent CSRE engagement was assessed one month later. Riskiness included five indicators: individual and partner alcohol consumption, marijuana and hard drug use, and condom use. Peer approval was positively associated with subsequent CSRE engagement, but the riskiness of the CSRE did not moderate this association. Findings highlight the importance of peer approval in understanding subsequent CSREs for emerging adults, regardless of college status.
Emerging adulthood is a concept largely grounded in Western contexts. This study explored the lived experiences of emerging adults in Pakistan and examined how these experiences shape their mental health. A purposive sample of ten emerging adults aged 18-25 years was selected from universities in Lahore. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to capture participants' narratives. Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was used due to its flexibility and suitability for exploring subjective experiences. Five major themes emerged: unprecedented experiences, sense of self, social wellness, parent-emerging adult relationship, and emotional and psychological well-being. Findings indicate that uncertainty about the future, struggles with social integration, and parental expectations contribute to psychological pressures, while supportive relationships and adaptive coping strategies promote mental health. Overall, the study provides culturally relevant insights into transitional challenges faced by Pakistani emerging adults and highlights the interplay of personal, familial, and societal factors shaping mental health.
Social identification with family and friends may offer beneficial consequences for psychosocial adjustment. This three-wave longitudinal study with approximately three-month intervals between successive time points aimed to investigate whether social identification with family and friends might improve psychosocial adjustment among 291 emerging adults from Turkey (76.3% female; M age = 23.34, SD age = 2.85). Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models resulted in mostly between-person associations. Specifically, social identification with both groups was positively related to psychological and social well-being. At the within-person level, all cross-lagged associations were non-significant, with the exception of a significant positive effect from social identification with family to social identification with friends. Moreover, social identification with friends was concurrently positively associated with social well-being. As such, the current study clarifies the links between social identification and psychosocial adjustment by disentangling between- and within-person dynamics and proposes further examination of their interplay in future longitudinal research with shorter (e.g., daily) and longer (e.g., yearly) intervals.
College student alcohol and cannabis use is associated with negative and positive consequences, the latter of which is associated with greater subsequent use. This study tested a parent-based handbook intervention on first-year students' alcohol and cannabis consequences. Parent-student dyads were randomized to control (n = 309) or handbook (n = 609). Parents received the handbook before college. Students completed surveys in their senior year of high school (baseline) and first semester of college (time 2). Zero-inflated Poisson regression models examined intervention effects on negative and positive alcohol and cannabis consequences at time 2 and potential gender moderation. Compared to controls, intervention students were more likely to report zero negative and positive alcohol and cannabis consequences, fewer negative and positive cannabis consequences, and fewer positive alcohol consequences, with some associations more pronounced for males compared to females. Findings suggest this low-cost handbook is an effective strategy to reduce alcohol- and cannabis-related harms among college students.
First-generation college students from historically marginalized backgrounds often face a cultural mismatch between interdependent family obligations and independent academic demands during the transition to college. Guided by cultural mismatch and biculturalism theories, this study examined whether internalizing symptoms mediated the association between cultural mismatch and academic problems, and whether this indirect effect was moderated by cultural harmonization (tendency to balance family and academic obligations). Participants were 561 first-generation college students from historically marginalized backgrounds (93.4% Latinx; M age = 18.0) attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions in California. Greater mismatch between family and academic obligations was associated with greater internalizing symptoms, which in turn were associated with more academic problems. However, the cultural mismatch → internalizing symptoms → academic problems indirect effect was not significant among students who harmonized. Students who harmonized also reported lower internalizing symptoms and fewer academic problems. Findings identify cultural harmonization as a protective factor, informing individual- and institutional-level efforts to support first-generation college students.
This cross-sectional study examined associations among emotional self-regulation, self-care, and quality of life (QoL) among 111 Portuguese emerging adult university students (aged 18-29) with chronic conditions. Participants completed validated measures of emotion regulation (DERS-SF), self-care (SC-CII v4. c), and QoL (WHOQOL-bref). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that self-care maintenance emerged as the strongest positive predictor across all QoL domains (physical, psychological, social, environmental), consistently surpassing emotional regulation factors after controlling for sociodemographics. Emotion regulation difficulties (strategies, goals, awareness, and non-acceptance) showed negative associations, particularly with physical, psychological, and environmental QoL, while age at diagnosis negatively predicted physical and psychological QoL. These findings underscore emotional regulation and self-care as critical intervention targets to enhance well-being during the university transition for emerging adults managing chronic illnesses.
To advance our knowledge on White youth's anti-racism, this preregistered study applies a person-centered approach to identify White Dutch emerging adults' profiles of critical consciousness (critical reflection, motivation and action) and emotional responses to racism (White empathy, guilt, and fear). Additionally, relations between profile membership and subjective wellbeing were examined. Based on data from 338 White Dutch emerging adults (17-21 years old, M = 19.44, SD = 1.28, 73% female, 20% male, 4% non-binary), three latent profiles were identified: "uncritical and insensitive", "average", and "anti-racist". Youth in the "anti-racist" profile tended to feel less positive about the future than those in the "average" profile, but no differences between profiles were found for life satisfaction and future negative emotions. These results highlight the distinct ways in which critical consciousness dimensions co-occur with different emotional responses to racism, and call for further research into the interrelatedness of critical consciousness and emotional processes.
Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) are expanding across the United States (US), yet the role of harm reduction (HR) within these settings remains uncertain despite its potential to reduce drug-related harms. HR encompasses various approaches that aim to reduce negative public health outcomes. CRP stakeholders’ perceptions of HR can offer insight into future possibilities. Thematic and discourse analysis were conducted on 60 interview transcripts completed in Fall 2023 with 8 program directors, 4 administrators, 33 students, and 15 staff members from 5 US CRPs across the US. Five conceptualizations of HR were identified and explored through participant definitions, perception of fit within CRP offerings, and CRP-factors affecting fit. Stakeholders’ HR definitions shaped their perception of fit and factors influencing fit within CRPs. Participants perceived opportunities to include and improve the implementation of compatible HR activities in CRPs. Competing perspectives suggest that synthesizing and/or (re)framing HR narratives may expand future intervention opportunities.
Transitioning from school to work is a critical period that may pose risk for burnout and depressive symptoms. However, few studies employed longitudinal design to track their co-change patterns. Using latent growth curve modeling, we examined burnout and depressive symptoms trajectories across three time-points spaced six months apart among emerging adults transitioning from post-graduation into their first year in the workforce. For burnout and depressive symptoms, there were significant individual variability in both the initial levels and changes over time, although average levels remained relatively stable over time. Burnout and depressive symptoms were positively correlated both at baseline and over time, suggesting their interdependent relationship. Lastly, only the intercept and slope of burnout (but not depressive symptoms) predicted work-related outcomes. These findings suggest that burnout is a key early risk factor and highlight the importance of ongoing monitoring to support occupational well-being.
Neighborhood influences on emerging adulthood (ages 18-29) remain understudied despite their role in shaping identity, independence, and health. This qualitative study examines neighborhood place attachment during this life stage using seated and mobile "go-along" interviews from the Neighborhood and Health at All Ages Study. The analysis focuses on a theory-driven subsample of 14 emerging adults in Minneapolis-St. Paul (MN), analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis with coding, debriefing, and triangulation of interview and observational data. Participants represented diverse racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual identities; analyses explored shared processes rather than subgroup comparisons. Three themes were identified: neighborhoods as foundations of belonging, gateways to independence, and sites of identity formation. Attachment depended less on residential permanence than on alignment between developmental needs and neighborhood opportunities. Findings highlight how mobility, accessibility, and socially welcoming local environments support transitions to adulthood and suggest planning approaches that foster belonging during periods of life transition.
Hope has become an important tool for Black Americans as they navigate anti-Black oppression, especially for Black emerging adult women who use hope throughout college. This qualitative study explores how Black emerging adult women define and experience hope. Semistructured interview data came from 21 Black undergraduates (m age = 20.95) attending 16 selective liberal arts colleges in the United States. Findings from an a priori thematic coding analysis yielded three domains. The first domain was hope as connected to future time points. The second domain was hope as connected to faith, religion, and spirituality. The third domain, hope as perseverance, included three themes (1) contexts, (2) behaviors, and (3) perspectives. Findings highlighted participants' distinct experiences with hope, revealing the metaphors and multidimensionality within their hope. The authors discuss the implications of study findings for supporting Black emerging adult women's well-being during college.
