Emerging Adulthood as a Critical Stage in the Life Course

Abstract Emerging adulthood, viewed through the lens of life course health development, has the potential to be a very positive developmental stage with postindustrial societies giving adolescents and emerging adults a greater opportunity for choice and exploration but also greater challenges with greater educational and social role requirements. The loss of supports and structures offered by schools, families, and child- and family-oriented health and social services means that the emerging adult must rely more on his/her own resources in a less structured environment. This increased agency in the context of less structure is occurring as the human brain is still developing higher-level capacities such as…

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  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

  Award: UA6MC19803