Recent research has proposed a new stage in human development, termed emerging adulthood by Jeffrey Arnett, which is characterized by a prolonged journey to adult roles and responsibilities. This thesis explores the experience of Chinese emerging adults, university students aged 20-25 years using Erikson’s and Levinson’s developmental theories as a theoretical framework. These authors proposed that three major developmental tasks are necessary for the transition to adulthood: separating from family of origin, forming an adult identity and finding the place for the self in the larger society. Qualitative interviews were conducted virtually with 12 Chinese university students to understand their perceptions and lived experience. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview transcripts. The results suggest Chinese emerging adults (a) have a low level of separation from parents; (b) have not formed a clear sense of identity and have not achieved a self-definition in adulthood; and (c) have not made initial commitments to love and work. It is speculated that the Chinese sociocultural context may further postpone its young adults’ independence and autonomy, and this prolonged transition to adulthood is both positive and problematic to Chinese young adults. This study lends support to Arnett’s emerging adulthood theory through its exploration of emerging adulthood in China, where, to date, little research has been done on this subject. It provides rich descriptions of the experience of Chinese emerging adults’ lives and enhances understandings of the role of culture in influencing the emerging adulthood period.

Sexual health is related to sexual experience and the accurate understanding of HIV and STIs modes of transmission, symptoms, and prevention. An examination of the influence of sociocultural factors provides a greater understanding of the determinants of sexual health given that sexual conduct is socially and culturally constructed. Consequently, this study sought to examine the influence of acculturation as it related to identity, behaviours and values, and the effects of religiosity and perceived discrimination in Haitian-Canadian, Franco-Ontarian and Anglo-Canadian emerging adults on their level of sexual experience and knowledge of HIV and STIs. The results indicated that Haitian-Canadians were the least sexually experienced group. Haitian-Canadian women in particular, were less experienced than Franco-Ontarian and Anglo-Canadian young women. The three groups did not differ in their level of knowledge regarding HIV. Yet, Anglo-Canadians were the most knowledgeable regarding STIs, followed by Franco-Ontarians. The level of religiosity experienced by participants was the only significant predictor related to sexual experience for all three groups. More religiosity predicted less sexual experience. Furthermore, greater religiosity also predicted less knowledge of HIV for Franco-Ontarians. These findings suggest that more specific measures regarding sexual norms and values should be used to examine sexual acculturation.

The current study examined how multiple dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) were associated with alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and how these relations varied by individuals’ ethnic-racial group among 1850 diverse emerging adults (M = 18.46, SD = .38). Further, measurement invariance of the Ethnic Identity Scale-Brief (EIS-B) was tested across Latinx, White, Black, Asian, and Multiracial students. Additionally, alternative models were examined that tested whether family factors (i.e., parent education and family history of alcohol problems) moderated the relations between ERI and alcohol problems to further examine nuances in these relations. Results indicated that the EIS-B functioned differently across White students and students of color; therefore, all research questions were tested separately for White students. Findings indicated that there were significant differences by race/ethnicity. ERI affirmation was negatively associated with AUD symptoms for Asian individuals and Black individuals. ERI exploration was positively associated with AUD symptoms among Black individuals. ERI resolution was negatively associated with alcohol use for Latinx individuals and positively associated with alcohol use for Multiracial individuals. For White individuals, ERI exploration was negatively associated with alcohol use and ERI affirmation was negatively associated with AUD symptoms. Regarding the alternative models, parent education was a significant moderator, such that at high parent education, ERI resolution predicted more alcohol use among White students and less AUD symptoms among Minority students. Family history of alcohol problems was not a significant moderator of any relations between ERI dimensions and alcohol problems. Overall, continued research and finding ways to translate findings into interventions with college students that incorporate these nuanced mechanisms underlying alcohol problems is a fruitful and important endeavor.

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<p>  </p> <p>LGBTQIA+ young adults face systemic and interpersonal marginalization and minoritization. These experiences occur not only in offline spaces but also in online contexts. However, online contexts also allow for LGBTQIA+ individuals to access social support that extends and bolsters the support they may receive offline. Previous studies tend to examine the relation between stress and support for LGBTQIA+ individuals using cross-sectional methods, despite the emphasis of previous theories such as minority stress theory on the occurrence of stressors on a daily, cumulative basis. The current study investigated how daily online marginalization stress experiences related to online experiences of social support for LGBTQIA+ young adults. Participants included 177 young adults, ages 18-29 and who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Participants completed baseline measures of demographics, lifetime experiences of marginalization stress, social media use and attitudes, perception of online social support, self-esteem, and mental health symptoms. Next, participants were prompted twice daily for 21 days to complete a survey about online marginalization stress experiences, general and LGBTQIA+-specific online social support experiences, and positive and negative affect. Finally, participants completed a follow-up survey measuring internalized stigma, community connectedness, self-esteem, and mental health symptoms. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Results suggested that online marginalization stress was related to daily affect but not to follow-up well-being outcomes. Online marginalization stress was also related to online general social support, but not LGBTQIA+-specific online support. General social support online was related to higher positive affect and lower negative affect, and LGBTQIA+-specific online support was related to higher positive affect, but both types of online social support were generally unrelated to follow-up outcomes. Low marginalization stress and low general social support together were associated with higher internalized stigma and lower self-esteem at follow-up. Differences in these effects generally emerged for individuals with marginalized sexual orientations and less so for individuals with marginalized gender identities. The results of the study suggest that daily online marginalization stress experiences are likely related to online social support, and that online social support is beneficial for daily affect. However, online social support may not be particularly beneficial for ameliorating the effects of online marginalization stress on affect or well-being. </p>

Background: Nearly 750,000 adolescents and emerging adults with special health care needs (AEA-SHCN) enter into adulthood annually. The linkages to ensure the seamless transfer of care from pediatric to adult care and transition to adulthood for AEA-SHCN have yet to be realized. Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the state of the science of health care transition (HCT) service models as described in quantitative investigations. Methods: A four-tier screening approach was used to obtain reviewed articles published from 2004 to 2013. A total of 17 articles were included in this review. Discussion: Transfer of care was the most prominent intervention feature. Overall, using the Effective Public Health Practice Project criteria, the studies were rated as weak. Limitations included lack of control groups, rigorous designs and methodology, and incomplete intervention descriptions. Conclusion: As the findings indicate, HCT is an emerging field of practice that is largely in the exploratory stage of model development.

Background: Health care transition (HCT) for adolescents and emerging adults (AEA) with special health care needs is an emerging field of interdisciplinary field of practice and research that is based upon an intergenerational approach involving care coordination between pediatric and adult systems of health care. Informed understanding of the state of the HCT science pertaining to this group of providers is needed in order to develop and implement service programs that will meet the comprehensive needs of AEA with special health care needs. Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature on the transition from child to adult care for adolescents and emerging adults (AEA) with special health care needs from 2004 to 2013. Fifty-five articles were selected for this review. An adaptation of the PRISMA guidelines was applied because all studies in this review used descriptive designs. Results: Findings revealed lack of evidence due to the limitations of the research designs and methodology of the studies included in this systematic review. Study findings were categorized the following four types: adult provider competency, provider perspectives, provider attitudes, and HCT service models. The discipline of medicine was predominant; interdisciplinary frameworks based upon integrated care were not reported. Few studies included samples of adult providers. Conclusions: Empirical-based data are lacking pertaining to the role of providers involved in this specialty area of practice. Evidence is hampered by the limitations of the lack of rigorous research designs and methodology.

Background: A better understanding of the needs of adolescents and emerging adults with special health care needs (AEA-SHCNs) is essential to provide health care transition services that represent best practices. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the research on health care transition for AEA-SHCNs from their perspectives. Methods: A comprehensive literature review of research publications since 2005 was performed using the PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and EBSCO databases. Thirty-five studies met the final review criteria. Results: The process of transition from child to adult for AEA-SHCNs is complex. Individuals experiencing the transition desire to be a part of the process and want providers who will listen and be sensitive to their needs, which are often different from others receiving health care at the same facility. Conclusions: More research that considers the voice of the AEA-SHCNs related to transition from pediatric to adult care is needed.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the current culture of marriage preparation among emerging adults and the primary factors that influence their attitudes about marriage and family life. A total of 254 students from five universities in the United States completed questionnaires on criteria for marriage readiness and criteria for adulthood. The results indicate that we are witnessing the formation of a unique culture of marriage preparation in the rising generation of educated young adults in comparison to the one experienced by their parents and grandparents. This study supports the notion that marriage still matters for the majority of young people and that they are both planning and expecting to marry in the future. Although they continue to maintain a strong marriage ideal, it appears that a growing number of emerging adults believe that they will not be ready for marriage until they go through an extended period of single adulthood that permits them to explore and experiment in various areas of life. In addition, the results indicate that emerging adults may be as much preparing for divorce as they are preparing for marriage during this period of exploration and experimentation. Most importantly, the findings from this study present evidence that some emerging adults are taking certain pathways to marriage readiness that result in unintended consequences. Indeed, this study suggests that the single period of life known as emerging adulthood may be contributing to attitudes and behaviors that will be problematic for marriage readiness. Emerging adults may be establishing unstable foundations for their later marriages and scholars need to pay more attention to this critical period in order to prepare better emerging adults for marital success and family life.