Emerging Adults’ Psychopathology in Seven Countries: The Impact of Identity-Related Risk Factors

Abstract

The impact of identity-related risk factors on psychopathology was analyzed in 2,113 emerging adults ( M = 22.0 years; 66% female) from France, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Peru, Pakistan, and Poland. Identity stress, coping with identity stress, maternal parenting (support, psychological control, and anxious rearing), and psychopathology (internalizing, externalizing, and total symptomatology) were assessed. After partialing out the influence of stress, coping, and perceived maternal behavior, country did no longer exert a significant effect on symptom scores. The effect for gender remained, as did an interaction between country and gender. Rather unexpected, on average, males reported higher internalizing symptomatology scores than females. Potential causes for the higher scores of males are therefore discussed. Partialing out covariates resulted in a clearer picture of country-specific and gender-dependent effects on psychopathology, which is helpful in designing interventions.

Body Image and Self-Esteem in Female College Students of Healthy Weight and Excess Weight: The Mediating Role of Weight Stigma

“…Emerging adulthood is a particularly important time for identity development and development of life long physical and psychological health. 5,10 With greater awareness of increasing trends in overweight and obesity, significant prevention and intervention efforts have been targeted for children, adolescents, and adults. 11 However, given the vulnerable nature of emerging adulthood as a life course turning point, 25 combined with the health and weight implications of transitioning out of the family home and into independent living (in college or otherwise), 26,27 focusing these efforts on women between the ages of 18-25 in ways that address unhealthy youth behaviors and shape adult health practices might have the most impact on national obesity trends and correlated health outcomes.…”

“…9 For example, those that struggle with their own identity may be at risk for low self-esteem, depression and anxiety, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors. 5,10 Additionally, other psychosocial characteristics, like selfefficacy, developed during this time and become important in the establishment of healthy behavioral patterns. 6 Thus, the unique nature of this developmental period makes it an important age group to study.…”

Challenges in Emerging Adulthood Related to the Impact of Childhood Bullying Victimization

“…This group of emerging adults did, indeed, perceive several negative consequences from their experiences of childhood victimization, and as such, their stories help to illustrate possible relationships between victimization and poor psychological health. As described by Persike et al (2020), emerging adults are the next generation in a society to take on the collective responsibility of participating in the workforce, contributing to political and social progress, and generally moving society forward. From this perspective, the mental health of – and hence the long-term consequences of victimization for – emerging adults are not only an individual matter but also a matter of interest to the collective society.…”

Trauma resilience on campus: The moderating effect of developmental assets in the link between trauma exposure and posttraumatic symptomatology in college emerging adults.

“…Whether called “young adults,” “late adolescents,” “delayed adults,” “emerging adults,” or some other phrase to capture the range of approximately ages 18–29 in those experiencing an extended moratorium of adult identity, this group warrants specific focus for a variety of reasons. Their propensity for risk-taking behaviors can land them in dangerous situations (Bradley & Wildman, 2002), their frequent changes and instability across multiple life domains can evoke distress and mental health issues (Persike et al, 2018), and the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2022) shows their age range as including the emergence of numerous major forms of psychopathology. While Arnett (2007) has been careful to refute the myth of emerging adulthood as a universally disturbing gloom-and-doom misadventure featuring nothing but suffering and dysfunction, he and other developmentalists acknowledge that it is a phase wrought with enormous potential for changes in course—to deteriorate, stabilize, or even improve one's life path (Masten et al, 2004).…”