Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood, Criteria for Adulthood, and Identity Development in Greek Studying Youth: A Person-Centered Approach

Abstract

Little research has been conducted on emerging adulthood in Greece, although sociodemographic specificities and constraints due to financial crisis are expected to reinforce prolonged transition to adulthood in this Southern European country. Using a person-centered approach, the current study aimed to examine dimensions of emerging adulthood, criteria for adulthood, and identity development among studying youth in association with personal and structural variables (i.e., gender, age, living arrangement, work experience, steady romantic relationship status, and financial adversity). Participants were 814 university students ( Mage = 19.9 years). Latent profile analysis yielded five profiles: anxious explorers in-between (29.90%), immature explorers (29.58%), emerging adults (18.30%), adult committers (12.58%), and blocked in transition (9.64%). Significant between-profile differentiation was found regarding all variables except from age and work experience. The results support the existence of emerging adulthood in Greece and indicate diverse paths to adulthood within the rather homogeneous population of studying youth in this country.

Μια σύντομη εκδοχή του Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ-SF): έλεγχος των ψυχομετρικών χαρακτηριστικών σε νεαρούς/ές ενήλικες

“…Συνολικά, τα ευρήματα με το EIPQ-SF υποστηρίζουν την ύπαρξη σημαντικών διαφορών φύλου όταν εξετάζουμε τις διεργασίες της ταυτότητας σε επιμέρους τομείς (Fadjukoff et al, 2016. Pastorino et al, 1997 και αντανακλούν το προφίλ που παρουσιάζουν οι γυναίκες κατά την περίοδο της νεότητας σύμφωνα με το οποίο τείνουν να ωριμάζουν, βιολογικά και ψυχολογικά, νωρίτερα από τους άνδρες (Galanaki & Sideridis, 2019). Αξίζει να αναφερθεί ότι το EIPQ-SF εξήχθη από ένα δείγμα στο οποίο άνδρες και γυναίκες συμμετείχαν σε παρόμοια ποσοστά και σχεδόν ανάλογα με αυτά του γενικού πληθυσμού.…”

“…Η αποτυχία των δηλώσεων του θρησκευτικού τομέα να ενταχθούν (με στατιστικώς αποδεκτό τρόπο) στο EIPQ-SF πιθανώς συνδέεται με το γεγονός ότι τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες παρατηρείται μια πτώση του θρησκευτικού αισθήματος στους/τις νεαρούς/ές ενήλικες στην Ελλάδα (Galanaki & Leontopoulou, 2017. Galanaki & Sideridis, 2019 και διεθνώς (Uecker et al, 2007).…”

Love in Crisis? How Young Women’s Ideas and Experiences of Intimate Relationships are Reshaped by Conditions of Economic Austerity in Greece

“…The absence of romantic relationships due to socioeconomic factors, such as unemployment and lack of finances (Galanaki and Sideridis, 2019), are key predictors of emotional loneliness (Odaci and Kalkan, 2010). A poor work-life balance, such as low income, flexible labour and long hours, is associated with higher stress (Gounari, 2014;Yang et al, 2018) and restricted time and energy for leisure opportunities.…”

Future Hopes and Fears of Portuguese Emerging Adults in Macroeconomic Hard Times: The Role of Economic Strain and Family Functioning

“…Furthermore, previous studies with emerging adults indicated that the subjective belief of attaining adult status contributes to greater well-being and better developmental outcomes (e.g., Kins & Beyers, 2010; Nelson & Barry, 2005) and that emerging adults who have successfully coped with transitions show high self-focus and commitment, low anxiety, and low feelings of instability (Galanakis & Sideridis, 2018). Additional research (e.g., Marttinen, Dietrich, & Salmela-Aro, 2016; Nurmi & Salmela-Aro, 2002) demonstrated that goals related to age-graded challenges and demands were associated with better psychological functioning, including increased well-being and fewer depressive symptoms.…”