Young People Who Transition Into Adulthood

Whenever an individual is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the individual and the family members often wonder what the future holds for them, and the diagnosed individual. Although there is no statistical evidence on the life expectancy for the community of people with ASD, most premature deaths that do occur are related to the lack of care in an institution, infection, and/or poor medical supervision (Van Hecke, 2010). Premature deaths can also be linked to suicide by individuals in the ASD community, often those with a less severe version of the disorder. Suicide can most commonly occur when the individual develops a mental illnesses, often as the cause of a disconnect from society. Common mental illnesses associated with ASD

One day she came to school and we noticed slash marks on her neck and she told us she had attempted suicide. We abruptly told her parents and they signed her up for therapy. Through the combination of antidepressants and psychotherapy, she slowly recovered and now is free of any traces of depression. She was diagnosed with major depressive disorder which according to the National Institute of Mental Health, “ . . . is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities” (“Types of Depression”). Looking back, even she does not know how her condition deteriorated so quickly, which shows how powerful depression is and how easily it can completely change the mind of the person experiencing it.

Emerging Adulthood is a fascinating period of development with the shifting of life choices thanks to people living longer in countries such as the US. The 18 to mid 20-year-old person has a different outlook on life with the competitive job market, and the decision to try to attend college at the risk of not being able to find the job they need. The days of getting married before adulthood are long gone as people try to have a social life before settling down with a single individual. Trying new things and meeting new people is exciting and has taken a stronger meeting than to buy a home and start a family. With the healthier trends, people are living longer, and the age bracket has expanded and shifted for when settling down begins. Many

There are many different cultural factors that have led to the emergence of emerging adulthood (the transition to adulthood has become so delayed and prolonged that it has spawned a new transitional period extending from late teens to the mid- to late-twenties). First, entry-level positions in many fields require more education than they did in the past, prompting young adults to seek higher education in record numbers and thus delaying financial independence and career commitment. Secondly, wealthy nations with longer-lived populations have no pressing need for young people’s labor, freeing those who are financially able for extended exploration.

What is emerging adulthood? What makes young adults go through this stage, and why should it be considered a stage? Robin Marantz Henig, a freelance journalist, author, and science writer, explains in her article, “What is it about 20-somethings?”, along with Dr. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a psychology professor at Clark University. Henig and Arnett discuss the reasons why many 20-somethings struggle to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Arnett calls this period of time “emerging adulthood”, and believes that it should be considered a stage of life. Because many young adults go through this and feel different, emerging adulthood should be recognized as a new stage of life, as it explains to people why it is okay to transition into adulthood

In the past, the transition from adolescence to adulthood occurred very quickly. Adolescents graduated from high school or completed whatever training they needed, got a job, and married in a span of several years, officially becoming an adult through these events. However, in recent times this transition has slowed down and extended, leading to a stage known as emerging adulthood. Emerging adulthood is defined as the period from late teens to mid-twenties, when many teenagers are unsure of their future and exploring other life options.

Some might say that their transition into adulthood happens when they turn eighteen, as if something magically changes overnight. Being an adult consists of a more mature way of thinking and being able to overcome difficult situations. In my case, there have been several events throughout my life that, unbeknownst to me at the time, were a part of my transition into adulthood. These events would go on to include the birth of my brother and how my family moved forward in light of numerous difficult circumstances. At the time, I never saw taking care of my brother as anything particularly life changing, until recently when I was faced with having to deal with my father leaving. It was then that I realized taking care of my brother taught me much more than just babysitting

The transition to adulthood always seemed to be some momentous or celebratory event; something which everyone should be able to look forward to. While that's what is brought to mind when the transition is brought up, that isn't always the reality. I became an adult more than ever as a 15-year-old in the second semester of my freshman year.

A major event in my life that marked my transition to adulthood was the summer of my 9th grade year when I was accepted into a pre-college program called the Young Scholars Program offered at the University of Maryland. Upon arrival they told us you are a college student working for college credit, which scared me because this experience was totally foreign to me. This program had a class called CMSC 198B: Computer Science– A Hands off Approach. This class was an eye opener because I had no indication on what computer science was at the time. I lived on campus with over 100 different students, we were all taking classes there for the summer to gain more educational experiences beyond high school. I was alone without any friends or family for the first time in my life. This was also the first time I had done

We all enjoyed those days when we were children, free to play outside and run around all day with no hint of responsibility. When we are children, we are motivated to be like our parents and taking what we admire about them. Then when we hit the teenager stages, we think we know everything and that the entire world is looking at us for attention. Slowly but surely, we realize that the adult world is not all that we thought it would be, as we got older. Starting college, learning how to take care of rent and bills, figuring out your career path and taking care of your parents is not all that fun when you get down to it. We do what we do every day to take care of the ones that we love, especially our parents and

Prior to entering the field, the aim of the research was to undertake a qualitative, interview based study of young people’s transitions. However, as this chapter will begin to outline, participant observation at Crayville and Realclub unearthed high aspirations which young people found difficult to achieve and the problematic stigmatisation that their communities faced through gang and deprivation labels. It was through such discussions that it became apparent that young people were more equipped to identify issues that were important to them. In consideration of these questions and the inert nature of youth transitions today being experienced differently by different groups of young people, it is of critical importance for this research that the voices of young people transitioning to adulthood are prioritised in ensuring the same generalisations about youth transitions are not made to the young people within this research. Without this priority there is a danger the research would, to an extent, serve to reinforce the power dynamic between those in power (youth workers, education providers and researchers) and those subject to it (the participants of this study) subsequently shaping the research design and ultimately its findings.

For most people, the transition from childhood to adulthood technically occurs whenever you turn eighteen years old. For myself, I believe that my transition to adulthood occurred within my family and community on the day I got my car. I have learned many lessons from having my own car, about many things, including life, money, and trust. Having your very own car teaches you lots of things, and these lessons will stay with you for the rest of your life.

The definition of postformal thought is a type of thinking that is flexible, logical and allows young adults to think in way that can prepare them to solve their problems (Steinberg, Bornstein, Vandell, & Rook, 2011). I am in postformal thought stage of development because I have demonstrated acts of flexible, relativistic thinking when it comes to thinking of ways to pay for my college. For example, someone demonstrating postformal thought might way their options of staying with their current job or applying for a better paying job.

In sociology, emerging adulthood is the period in time of an person’s life where they are between adolescence and adulthood. This term was proposed by Jeffrey Arnett, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Clark University, in an article called American Psychologist. In the article he describes emerging adults as young individuals who do not have their own children, don’t own a home, or do not have a sufficient source of income to become completely independent (Arnett, 2000). There is another article that also describes these young individuals who are living in developed countries, however it is also experienced by young people who are in wealthy families in other areas of the world like Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East (Galambos, 2007). Arnett suggests that emerging adults are between the ages of 18 and 25 years of age. Emerging adults are a step up from childhood but are not in a position to take on adulthood responsibilities. During this time in life many are open to new experiences which can be a positive to the morality of this upcoming generation of adults. Some people find themselves deciding to switch majors in college or even enrolling into different types of classes to explore their own interests in search for the best fit for their future careers. In many situations emerging adults take on a lower standard of living in order to leave home earlier, which allows that person independence and sense of self reliability they have yet to

The age that defines adulthood varies from one culture to the next. In the contemporary United States, adulthood is most often marked by turning eighteen and gaining the rights to vote, sign a contract, enlist in the military, serve on a jury, etc. But has any consideration gone into why eighteen is the age of adulthood? Most will answer that it marks when an individual is able to support themselves on their own, yet it marks no significant physical or mental development. Studies have shown that full brain development doesn’t even occur until the mid-twenties. So with this information combined with statistics about the effects of war and combat on young adults, and the new trends in society that make it difficult for people that age to live