Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties.
Abstract
Emerging adulthood is proposed as a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties, with a focus on ages 18-25. A theoretical background is presented. Then evidence is provided to support the idea that emerging adulthood is a distinct period demographically, subjectively, and in terms of identity explorations. How emerging adulthood differs from adolescence and young adulthood is explained. Finally, a cultural context for the idea of emerging adulthood is outlined, and it is specified that emerging adulthood exists only in cultures that allow young people a prolonged period of independent role exploration during the late teens and twenties.
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Identity formation is often viewed as a key developmental task for adolescence and emerging adulthood and as a prerequisite for healthy adult functioning.
“Identity formation is often viewed as a key developmental task for adolescence and emerging adulthood, and a prerequisite for healthy adult functioning (Arnett, 2000; Erikson, 1968; 1950; Marcia, 1966; Meeus, 2011).”
From Implications of identity resolution in emerging adulthood for intimacy, generativity, and integrity across the adult lifespan. (2021) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Increases in partner commitment, cohabitation, and shared finances may explain why dating violence peaks or persists in emerging adulthood.
“potentially due to increases in commitment to partner, cohabitation, and sharing of finances (Arnett, 2000).”
From Understanding the Role of Alcohol, Anxiety, and Trait Mindfulness in the Perpetration of Physical and Sexual Dating Violence in Emerging Adults. (2018) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) is a theoretically and empirically distinct developmental period.
“this study examines EAs (18–25 years), which is a theoretically and empirically distinct developmental time period (Arnett, 2000)”
From Understanding the Role of Alcohol, Anxiety, and Trait Mindfulness in the Perpetration of Physical and Sexual Dating Violence in Emerging Adults. (2018) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Past research has demonstrated that each life stage exhibits its own unique trajectories, goals, and influences, and activities can therefore differ from being of no impact, to being adaptive or maladaptive depending on which developmental period one examines.
“Past research has demonstrated that each life stage exhibits its own unique trajectories, goals, and influences19,45–47, and activities can therefore differ from being of no impact, to being adaptive or maladaptive depending on which developmental period one examines46,48.”
From Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media (2022) · cites this paper as [45]
Emerging adulthood is characterised by change and exploration as young people make enduring choices in love, work, and worldviews.
“This period is characterised by change and exploration as they make enduring choices in love, work, and worldviews, which merits further scholarly attention.”
From Maladaptive Perfectionism, Disguised Distress, and Help Seeking in the Culture of 'Saving Face': Links to Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Asian Youth (2019) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Emerging adulthood is a distinct period in the life course of young people aged 18 to 25.
“Arnett (2000) argued that 'emerging adulthood' is a distinct period in the life course of young people aged 18 to 25.”
From Maladaptive Perfectionism, Disguised Distress, and Help Seeking in the Culture of 'Saving Face': Links to Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Asian Youth (2019) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Emerging adulthood is a novel developmental stage that starts in the late teens and expands through the 20s.
“These changes have resulted in a novel developmental stage, termed “emerging adulthood”, that starts in the late teens and expands through the 20s [1].”
Less than 30% of college students affected by mental disorders receive minimally adequate treatment.
“Unfortunately, less than 30% of the affected students receive minimally adequate treatment [1, 5, 12].”
Sexual and romantic exploration are fundamental and valuable aspects of emerging adulthood and are part of the college experience that many students seek.
“This is despite knowledge that sexual and romantic exploration are fundamental and valuable aspects of emerging adulthood (Arnett 2000) and are part of ' the college experience ' that many students seek (Wade 2017).”
From Coming Out Queer: Sexual and Romantic Exploration and Identity Development of LGBQ+ College Students (2025) · cites this paper as Arnett 2000
Emerging adulthood is a period of intense identity exploration by young adults aged 18-25.
“LGBQ+ students have a good reason to envision college as a valuable space for identity development as it coincides with emerging adulthood, a period of intense identity exploration by young adults aged 18 -25 (Arnett 2000).”
From Coming Out Queer: Sexual and Romantic Exploration and Identity Development of LGBQ+ College Students (2025) · cites this paper as Arnett 2000
College has come to be seen as an incubator for identity exploration in two ways: questioning worldviews and using romantic and sexual relationships to develop a sense of self.
“While the process of emerging adulthood is not exclusive to those who attend college, in the last few decades, college has come to be seen as an incubator for this identity exploration in two ways (Arnett 2000).”
From Coming Out Queer: Sexual and Romantic Exploration and Identity Development of LGBQ+ College Students (2025) · cites this paper as Arnett 2000
Feelings of bonding and support may in turn promote important developmental needs for the college student, such as the development of increased autonomy, competence, and confidence.
“These feelings of bonding and support may in-turn promote important developmental needs for the college student such as the development of increased autonomy, competence, and confidence (Arnett, 2000;Hill et al., 2023).”
From Daily Communication Between First-Year College Students and Their Parents: Associations With Perceived Relationship Positivity (2024) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
The negative association between parental initiation and positive feelings is consistent with recent findings suggesting that frequent parent-initiated contact may be indicative of hyper-involvement and could impede the development of student autonomy and independence.
“consistent with recent findings suggesting that frequent parent-initiated contact may be indicative of hyper-involvement (Wieland & Kucirka, 2020) and could impede the development of student autonomy and independence, important developmental tasks for emerging adults (Arnett, 2000).”
From Daily Communication Between First-Year College Students and Their Parents: Associations With Perceived Relationship Positivity (2024) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Adolescents and emerging adults may be particularly vulnerable to media multitasking effects because cognitive, academic, and socioemotional skills continue to develop during this period.
“Moreover, these age groups may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of media multitasking because important aspects of cognitive, academic and socioemotional skills continue to develop during this period (Arnett, 2000;Crone & Dahl, 2012;Steinberg, 2005).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Arnett, 2000
Arnett proposed emerging adulthood as a phase of life between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, with distinctive demographic, social, and subjective psychological features.
“Arnett proposed emerging adulthood as a phase of life between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, with distinctive demographic, social, and subjective psychological features (6, 7).”
From Emerging Adulthood, a Pre-adult Life-History Stage (2020) · cites this paper as [6]
Emerging adulthood applies to individuals aged between 18 and 25 years, the period during which they become more economically independent by training and/or education.
“This life- history stage applies to individuals aged between 18 and 25 years, the period during which they become more economically independent by training and/or education.”
From Emerging Adulthood, a Pre-adult Life-History Stage (2020) · cites this paper as [6]
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- Authors
- Arnett, J. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Corresponding author
- Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen
- Venue
- American Psychologist
- Published
- 2000
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 469-480
- ISSN
- 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
- 1935-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2012186625
- Semantic Scholar
- 4c7246df56eea108d50ecc0038ff89a28b3ab69f
- Cited by
- 16,843
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1350 · 2025: 1296 · 2024: 1095 · 2023: 1067 · 2022: 1111 · 2021: 1184 · 2020: 1219 · 2019: 943 · 2018: 940 · 2017: 844 · 2016: 872 · 2015: 856 · 2014: 774 · 2013: 631 · 2012: 556
- FWCI
- 108.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Clark Digital Commons (Clark University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Ego Development and Educational Practices
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- emerging adulthood, developmental theory, identity exploration, adolescence, early adulthood, cultural context of development, coming of age
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Adult, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Female, Humans, Male, Personality Development, Role, Self Concept, Socialization
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