Psychology

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

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Since 1960 demographic trends towards longer time in education and late age to enter into marriage and of parenthood have led to the rise of a new life stage at ages 18-29 years, now widely known as emerging adulthood in developmental psychology. In this review we present some of the demographics of emerging adulthood in high-income countries with respect to the prevalence of tertiary education and the timing of parenthood. We examine the characteristics of emerging adulthood in several regions (with a focus on mental health implications) including distinctive features of emerging adulthood in the USA, unemployment in Europe, and a shift towards greater individualism in Japan.

Publication Title

The Lancet Psychiatry

Publication Date

2014

Volume

1

Issue

7

First Page

569

Last Page

576

ISSN

2215-0366

DOI

10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00080-7

Keywords

mental health, marriage, age differences, parenthood

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