Predictors of Positive Development in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

This article responds to recent calls for a focus on successful development in young people and examination of its developmental precursors, in order to identify potentially modifiable targets for interventions. The current study examined child and adolescent precursors of positive functioning in emerging adulthood, including individual characteristics, relationship factors, and connections to the community, using a multidimensional positive development measure at 19-20 years. The sample consisted of 511 males and 647 females who were participants in the Australian Temperament Project, a population based longitudinal study that has followed young people's psychosocial adjustment from infancy to early adulthood. Higher levels of positive development in emerging adulthood were associated with stronger family and peer relationships, better adjustment to the school setting, higher family socioeconomic status, and better emotional control. Some significant gender differences were observed, with emotional control, family relationships, and community orientation all being stronger predictors of males' than of females' positive development. The findings provide possible targets for child and adolescent interventions to promote positive development in early adulthood.

Investigating the Factors Related to Substance Use in the Iranian High School Students Using the Positive Youth Development Model

“…Bahr et al showed that the effect of hazardous factors on creating tendency to drug use is similar for girls and boys (15). In the present investigation, no significant relationship was observed between economic status and tendency to drug abuse; but O'connor et al showed a better social-economic status and some sexual differences were stronger anticipants in boys than in girls (18).…”

Autoestima y apoyo social como predictores de la resiliencia en un grupo de adolescentes en vulnerabilidad social

“…A su vez, Dumont y Provost (1999) reportaron en su estudio que en aquellos preadolescentes que informaron una baja satisfacción con su apoyo social, la probabilidad de tener problemas de ansiedad, depresión o trastornos del sueño fue alta. Además se ha planteado que mantener relaciones sólidas con los padres puede facilitar el desarrollo positivo a través de su contribución al desarrollo del control emocional (O'Connor et al, 2011).…”

Mexican-origin parents’ latent occupational profiles: Associations with parent–youth relationships and youth aspirations.

“…The quality of youth’s relationships with parents has been linked to positive development during adulthood (e.g., O’Connor et al, 2011). For Mexican-origin youth, the quality of parent-youth relationships may be particularly salient because of the cultural emphasis on family relationships (Cauce & Domenech-Rodriguez, 2002).…”