Gradual transition to adulthood: Is emerging adulthood the only main road?

Abstract

Emerging adulthood is a new life period which considers between the ages 18-29. In human development, the most important criteria is “quantitative change” for existing stage or substage. In this context, it is necessitate to investigate whether this period has substages or not. Does emerging adulthood have substages? Basically, this descriptive study aims to answer these questions. Data were collected 453 people who are between the ages 19-26. The Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (Reiffman, Arnett and
Colwell, 2003) was used for gathering data. In analysing data, One-way ANOVA test was used. There are significant relationships between total score of scale and age and subscales and age. It seems there are three substages which are might called “pseudo emerging adulthood”, “middle emerging adulthood”, and “adulthoid”. Findings were discussed in the context of emerging adulthood theory, and the concept of “recentering”.