Emerging adulthood among former system youth: The ideal versus the real

Early Adult Identification Among Youth With Foster Care Experience: Implications for Emerging Adulthood

“…These advantages include the opportunity to develop human, social, and identity capital. Yet, certain disadvantaged subgroups of the population are more likely to experience an accelerated path to their adult identity, limiting their experiences of emerging adulthood (Foster et al, 2008;Johnson & Mollborn, 2009;Munson et al, 2013). Using cumulative advantagedisadvantage (CAD) as a theoretical lens, this study focuses on one such vulnerable subgroup: youth with foster care experience.…”

“…Namely, these youth may not be afforded the time to acquire skills and knowledge to support a successful career path. In fact, Munson et al (2013), when studying youth involved with social service systems, found that situational contexts had a large impact on the opportunity to explore during the transition to adulthood. This time spent as an emerging adult exploring one's identity and amassing human and social capital is not only beneficial, but also increasingly necessary to get a secure start in life (Settersten & Ray, 2010).…”

“…The other groups included accelerated adults (36.3%), struggling parents (25.2%), and troubled and troubling young adults (17.5%). Munson et al (2013), in a qualitative study with young people involved with social service systems, found that the ideals of an emerging adulthood such as identity exploration, lack of roles and responsibilities, and gradual emergence into adulthood, did not match with their realistic opportunities and experiences. In particular, many of these young adults based their definition of adulthood on managing adult responsibilities and policies regarding leaving systems of care (Munson et al, 2013).…”

“…As mentioned, two recent studies show that youth with foster care experience do, in fact, have a diversified route to adulthood Munson et al, 2013). Courtney et al (2010) found four distinct classes of former foster youth; only about one-fifth of these youth were actually considered emerging adults (21.1%).…”

“…Empirical evidence shows that those who lack a lengthened transition to adulthood are often those youth who were previously disadvantaged because of structural and cultural factors or life course events (Bynner, 2005;Munson et al, 2013). Both sociocultural disadvantages and those related to child welfare system involvement may lead youth with foster care experience to take on adult responsibilities and establish independence at earlier ages.…”