Does a Quarterlife Crisis Exist?

Abstract

In this study, the authors examined quarterlife crisis, defined in the popular press as an identity crisis that leaves recent college graduates depressed, anxious, and full of doubt. To determine if a unique crisis exists, 4 groups of young adults (recent high school [n = 23] and college [n = 117] graduates in the workforce, present undergraduate [n = 75], and graduate [n = 57] students) completed self-report measures assessing identity development, future time perspective, social support, coping, depression, anxiety, and job and life satisfaction. No support was found for a quarterlife crisis among these 4 groups. Working high school graduates displayed the highest anxiety, followed by present undergraduates. Depression was predicted by family support and identity commitment. Job satisfaction was associated with income and support from friends. Life satisfaction was associated with income, social support from friends and family, and identity commitment.

Psychological and existential vulnerability among clinical young women: a quantitative comparison of depression-related subgroups

“…Finally, salutogenic factors were: (1) coming from socially and societally engaged families and (2) being in a functional existential meaning-making process. Regarding Rossi's and Mebert's (2011) findings pertaining multilevel inferior emotional and social support, the High group with the multilevel psychological and existential vulnerabilities, including less engagement in both social life and societal activities, would be more vulnerable to a crisis in emergent adulthood.…”

“…1-14), as a response to instability, too many choices, a panicked sense of helplessness, and fear of failure in emerging adulthood. In the Rossi and Mebert (2011) study, using an operationalised description of a quarterlife crisis, no evidence for a general quarterlife crisis for emergent adults (n = 272, in USA) was found. Depression was instead predicted by impairments in family support and in identity commitment.…”

Identity and an Identity Crisis: The Identity Crisis of First-Year Female Students at Latvian Universities and Their Sociodemographic Indicators

“…They must study their new future opportunities when it comes to relationships, work, political orientations and life goals (Arnett, 2000). They must launch their professional careers (Rossi & Mebert, 2011). Shaffer (Shaffer, 2009) agrees, pointing out that female college students are more concerned about their professional identity than schoolchildren are, adding that they are concerned about aspects of identity such as sexuality and relationships, because the issue of striking a balance between work and family goals is important.…”

Psychospołeczne uwarunkowania funkcjonowania i zdrowia psychicznego... w okresie wczesnej dorosłości

“…Przedstawione badanie rzuca światło na trudną sytuację młodych dorosłych w okresie końca studiów, co odzwierciedla się w zwiększającej się popularności pojęcia "kryzysu ćwierćwiecza" (Robbins & Wilner, 2001;Rossi & Mebert, 2011;Pande, 2011;Rachowska, 2011;Robinson, Wright & Smith, 2013;Robinson, 2015). Rosnące zainteresowanie badawcze tym konstruktem stanowi potwierdzenie powszechnie obserwowanych trudności młodych dorosłych około dwudziestego piątego roku życia.…”