The current study employed a mixed methodology to investigate whether emerging adulthood differs based on vocational setting. Quantitative questionnaires were completed by 18-29 year-olds from university, vocational college/trade school, and the labour force (without post-secondary) to examine conceptions of what marks adulthood, perceptions of having reached adulthood, perceptions of having reached markers of adulthood, identity development, identification with themes of emerging adulthood, and the importance of vocational setting in shaping emerging adulthood. Qualitative interviews exploring the same areas were undertaken with a subset of participants. Results revealed few associations between vocational setting and conceptions of adulthood or perceptions of having reached adulthood, with most emerging adults feeling ambiguous about their adult status and viewing independence as the most important marker of adulthood. Those from the labour force did perceive reaching independence, role transitions, and family capacities to the greatest degree; earlier adverse circumstances seemed relevant in reaching these markers. Fewer than expected from the labour force had achieved identities, yet identity development appeared to be a gradual process for all. Participants generally identified with themes of emerging adulthood, although university students did so to a greater degree in some ways. Emerging adulthood was identified as a time of fewer possibilities and diminished agency for those from the labour force. Unique life experiences and social interactions were also deemed important factors in emerging adulthood. Together, findings largely support emerging adulthood as a valid theory of development, while also suggesting some diversity in its full expression across vocational settings.

The aim of this dissertation is to provide a comprehensive examination of crime and delinquency over the early life-course through an informal social control perspective. Specifically, the dissertation examines how sources of informal social control (including family, school, work, peers, and community) influence the development of, and continuity and change in antisocial propensity and behaviour. Using a three-wave panel model with lagged and synchronous effects, estimated by a series of structural equation models, I follow a nationally representative birth cohort (born 1984-1985) from the age of 10 to the age of 19, through the first five cycles of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). The analyses are done in three life-stages: childhood, adolescence and emerging adulthood. This study represents the first national-level examination of the influences of informal social control on the development of, and continuity and change in, crime and delinquency in Canada. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, criminal responsibility begins at age twelve. Considerable evidence shows that prior to this age, children exhibit signs of aggressive and antisocial behaviour which may lead to teenage delinquency and crime in adulthood. The theoretical foundation of my dissertation integrates age-graded informal social control theory, collective efficacy, and social disorganization theory. Traditionally, social control theories of crime such as Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) general theory of crime have assumed that deviance is stable over the life course. During childhood, social bonds to institutions such as the family and school teach children to internalize the norms and values of society. Deviance arises when these social bonds are weak and remains stable over the life course. Age-graded theory of informal social control by Sampson and Laub (1993) challenges the assumption of stability. This theory argues that deviant behaviour has elements of both stability (continuity) and change (discontinuity) over time. Under this life course perspective, social bonds are relevant at all life stages. Individuals may modify antisocial trajectories during adolescence or young adulthood with new age-appropriate social bonds such as a positive relationship with school or with nondelinquent peers. The results of the research confirm that antisocial propensity and behaviour are characterized by stability and change over the life course. Social bonds are the primary mechanism through which antisocial behaviours are developed or regulated, in childhood. Informal social control further mediates effects of community disorganization characteristics and family background characteristics on antisocial behaviour in childhood. There is stability in antisocial behaviour from childhood to adolescence to early adulthood, suggesting continuity in an underlying propensity. At the same time, there are changes in antisocial behaviour at each life-stage. The importance of social bonding extends beyond childhood into adolescence, as age-graded sources of informal social control contribute to changes in antisocial and delinquent behaviour. Furthermore, individuals are subject to varying levels and sources of informal social controls as they age: during childhood, informal social controls from families and school have the greatest influence on the development of antisocial behaviour, but during adolescence, school bonds and peer associations account for most of the variation in antisocial behaviour. Finally, emerging adults do not appear to be as subject to the effects of social control as children or adolescents. In emerging adulthood, changes in antisocial behaviour may be the result of a process of maturation. The results suggest that social bonds are dynamic and different sources of informal control are more or less important during different stages of the life course.

Mental health issues are widespread on college campuses. However, the majority of these individuals do not seek help. Prior research suggests many factors which may be related to mental health help-seeking including age, gender, and prior treatment experience. There has however been little work considering the context of the college campus on mental health help-seeking, specifically the influence of campus culture. Accounting for the context of mental health help-seeking may help to determine which social groups have the greatest influence on mental health treatment processes. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived peer, student body, and faculty/administrator perspectives on different aspects influencing mental health help-seeking including attitudes towards treatment, stigma, and treatment barriers. Two hundred and twelve participants were recruited for the study. Data supported mediation for personal attitudes and barriers for the relationship between campus culture variables and mental health help-seeking. Implications for campus mental health policy efforts and directions for future studies are discussed.

Emerging adulthood has been emphasized as a time of exploration generally and of religious or faith-identity specifically, and successful resolution of this aspect of identity holds important consequences related to risk behaviors. The goal of this investigation was to better understand the types of faith-identities found in college, how emerging adults' relationships with parents related to their own faith-identities and how each faith-identity was related to risk behaviors. Spiritual Modeling, a type of modeling rooted in social learning theory, (Bandura; 1977; King, 2003; Oman & Thoreson, 2003) was expected to be predictive of emerging adults' faith-identities, while parent-emerging adult relationship quality and parental conflict were thought to moderate the relationship between spiritual modeling and faith-identity. Faith-Identity was expected to differentiate across binge drinking, marijuana use and number of sexual partners, and sensation seeking was thought to moderate the relationship between faith-identity and risk behaviors. Seven hundred ninety students completed an online survey across 11 large public and private religious universities. Spiritual Modeling was strongly predictive of both religious and commitment oriented faith-identities. The relationship between Spiritual Modeling and Faith-Identity was not moderated by relationship quality or parental conflict. A more religiously oriented faith-identity was predictive of fewer sexual partners and less binge drinking, while a more commitment oriented faith-identity was predictive of less marijuana use. High levels of sensation seeking amplified the relationship between a more secular faith identity and binge drinking. Commitment and Religious faith-identities significantly moderated the relationship between faith-identity and both binge drinking and number of sexual partners. Evidence is suggestive that a religiously oriented faith-identity may be more protective in combination with high levels of commitment while a faith-identity characterized by secularism and high commitment appears least protective. The potential utility of a faith-identity construct in emerging adulthood and future research directions are discussed. / text

Religion’s influence on fertility behavior has long been discussed. This paper examines the consequences of family size for the intergenerational transmission of religiosity. Using the first and third waves of the National Study of Youth and Religion, I find that family size is a positive predictor of religious salience and service attendance, particularly in emerging adulthood. While parents remain strong influences on both family size and their children’s religiosity, family size appears to provide additional support to religious commitments in emerging adulthood by fostering a more conservative orientation towards family formation. This study adds nuance to our understanding of the dynamics of religiosity in emerging adulthood and provides new evidence of the close connection between religion, family, and fertility. / text

Emerging adulthood is a new concept that identifies the span of time between 18 and 24 as a unique period of human development. The recognition of this stage as distinct and meaningful established a framework to better understand this under researched group. Yet more research needs to be conducted to address what factors and resources that are conducive to transition from this period into healthy and capable adults. A sample of 464 college students between 18 and 24 was gathered from three social science courses, two hard science courses, and two performing arts walk-in sessions. In order to assess differences in identity exploration and commitment, the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ) was utilized. Of these 464 participants, 6 participants took part in qualitative interview sessions. Interview questions asked participants to state their past experiences and expectations before coming to college, how those expectations had changed, what experiences and events were viewed as beneficial or detrimental toward becoming an adult, and their future plans and aspirations.No statistically significant differences were found in commitment and exploration scores between course enrolled, academic year, gender, and ethnicity. These results suggest that identity status should be regarded as a separate construct. The analysis of qualitative interviews 1) supported the validity of the EIPQ to assess identity statuses, 2) recognized developing competence and establishing autonomy as common goals among college students, 3) identified social support and the unique opportunities available at college as crucial resources and experiences conducive to adult growth, 4) identified academic difficulties and managing emotions as valuable challenges to student's development while financial difficulties and personal crises posed detrimental obstacles, and 5) recognized that achieving individual and cultural criteria was more important in establishing adult status than biological age.Thus, college can be recognized as a source of both difficulties and opportunities toward interpersonal and professional development. More exploration should be conducted in order to address how colleges can bolster its benefits while reducing negative outcomes. Furthermore, exploring the differences within identity status may provide a better understanding of the services, resources, and experiences that may support emerging adults toward adult development.

The present study examines three non-marital, romantic relationship dissolution types: (1) normal dyadic dissolution, (2) fatal attraction dissolution, and (3) social allergen dissolution among a sample of 321 emerging adults, who are between ages eighteen and twenty-nine. Results of an online survey revealed that normal dyadic dissolution occurred in 62%, social allergen dissolution occurred in 27%, and fatal attraction dissolution occurred in 11% of the participants’ relational demises. Results also revealed that there is a surprising amount of overlap between the three dissolution types, and that age is not specifically correlated with a particular dissolution type. However, there are two predicators of dissolution type within an emerging adult population: perceived family support and whether or not the couple cohabitate.

The focus of this research is on the specific relational and particular circumstances that result in an emerging cancer identity expressed through the daily lived- experiences of emerging adults via personal weblogs. Identity, a complex term in its own right, is discussed here under the rubric of social identity as processual, therefore it is expected that an emerging cancer identity will develop as the participants begin to narrativize their daily experiences with cancer on their weblogs. By critically engaging with notions of emerging adulthood theories with theories on the sociology of death and dying and illness narratives, this research seeks to understand the specific psychosocial changes that occur as the participants engage with their illness on their weblogs, which arguably contributes to an emerging cancer identity.

Emerging adulthood, the period between 18 and 30 years of age, is particularly relevant for identity development. During this time, relational disconnections such as intimate partner violence (IPV) can inhibit the growth that occurs within interpersonal relationships. There has been little in-depth exploration of how emerging adult women describe the impacts of IPV on their sense of self. Using qualitative case study methodology, six young women shared their stories of IPV during open-ended narrative interviews and completed an exploration of their Possible Selves. Thematic analysis identified impacts of IPV relating to participants’ sense of self, future possible selves, and subsequent intimate relationships. The findings highlight participants’ self-descriptions of strength and resilience, as well as accounts of challenges and growth since the relationships ended. The findings have meaningful implications for theory and research on IPV for young women, and for counselling practice. / Graduate / kateborsato@gmail.com

Abstract The majority of young Australian women aspire to be married with at least one child and in some form of paid employment by the time they are 35 years of age. In an age of increasing female labour force participation, it seems then that young women really can have it all. However, while younger generations of women are now more likely than their male counterparts to go to university, Australian women, compared to women in other countries, have low workforce participation rates after childbearing; and many move to part-time positions characterised by lower earnings, less responsibility and less opportunity for training and promotion. Further, there continues to be significant occupational segregation in the workplace, and women continue to earn significantly less than men. Why are Australian women not utilizing their skills to their full potential? The issue of balancing paid work with family responsibilities is central to this debate; and crucial is the role of Australian work-family legislation, which has previously focussed on improving Australia’s low fertility rate through financial aids rather than recognising women’s increased attachment to the paid workforce. This underscores the need for further research on how young Australian women negotiate work and family, to contribute to the evidence base for the formation of policy that supports the needs of young Australian women. This thesis takes an innovative approach of examining the work and family aspirations of a new generation of young Australian women negotiating work and family, transitioning from their late teens/early twenties to their early 30s. A prominent theoretical model of women’s work and family preferences, Lifestyle Preference Theory, postulates that women’s work and family outcomes are primarily the result of what they had always aspired, and that all women living in contemporary society can ‘choose’ their preferred type of lifestyle. However, as argued in this thesis, this model doesn’t take into account women’s circumstances, systemic-level supports and life changes that impact upon women’s decisions. Further, compared to previous generations of women, when most of the research on women’s aspirations was conducted, there is a new development process bridging adolescence and early adulthood, termed Emerging Adulthood. Using a mixed-methods approach of quantitative and qualitative analyses, this thesis examines young Australian women’s work and family aspirations according to their life experiences and within the social and structural constraints on their lives, during this developmental period of the life course and new socio-historical context. Chapter 1 provides a historical context to women’s changing roles and increasing workforce participation over past decades, while also discussing the pervasiveness of gender stereotypes and gender differences in the workforce. Chapter 2 discusses the Australian context in more depth; including work and family trends and systemic-level work-family support. This section also introduces theoretical contributions in the area of women’s aspirations, and developmental changes likely to affect young women. Chapter 3 then provides an analysis of young Australian women’s work and family aspirations, including the consistency of their aspirations over time, using nationally representative data from the younger cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). Chapters 4 and 5 examine the representativeness of Lifestyle Preference Theory as a model of young Australian women’s work and family aspirations. Chapter 4 investigates whether Australian women can be categorised as ‘types’ committed to pursuing a particular lifestyle while Chapter 5 investigates whether women’s aspirations are independent of context, as theorised by Lifestyle Preference Theory, or correlated to women’s circumstances and the constraints on their lives. Chapters 6 and 7 aim to give voices to the experiences of young Australian women forming their aspirations during this period of the lifespan, by analysing qualitative comments from the younger cohort of the ALSWH. Chapter 6 provides a context of what is important and happening in the lives of young Australian women, while Chapter 7 provides a more thorough discussion of women’s comments about their aspirations and with a comparative discussion of their comments to current theoretical models. Through an analysis of focus group material, Chapter 8 continues to examine the experiences of young women during this developmental period of the lifespan. This Chapter reviews young women’s thoughts on their aspirations for work and family, how they anticipate making work and family decisions, and how they perceive and experience this developmental period of the lifespan. Chapters 9 and 10 return to the quantitative data of the ALSWH to investigate why women change their aspirations over time, and specifically look at the impact of first birth and life events on women’s motherhood and employment aspirations. These Chapters discuss the role of systemic-level work-family support on women’s changing aspirations. Chapter 11 provides an integrative conclusion of findings, which show that women are forming and adjusting their aspirations as best they can within their circumstances and the constraints on their lives, and the broader context of Australia’s work and family support systems. This Chapter provides recommendations for policy and directions for future research.