The study shed light on the mechanisms through which identity processes are related to internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and health-risk behaviors. The role of well-being in these associations, and the potentially deleterious "side effects" of exploration and commitment appear to suggest new and important directions for identity research.

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Purpose in life can provide the context through which emerging adults transition into the workplace. According to researchers, career exploration is typical as an individual moves from emerging adulthood into full adulthood. This chapter examined a small sample of emerging adults to assess purposeful work trajectories during emerging adulthood. Six participants were intentionally selected from a larger sample that was collected by researchers at Stanford University (N = 270). Eighty-three percent of participants were female, the sample was ethnically diverse, and all participants were from California. Analysis of change in regards to purposeful work yielded one case of growth, four cases of stability, and one case of decline. Furthermore, cases of stability varied by cohort, purpose form type, or other variables, thus indicating purpose diversity in the sample. Limitations and suggestions for future study are discussed.

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