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Where does adolescence end and adulthood begin? -

The term adolescence, introduced in the early 20th century by G. Stanley Hall, describes the distinct period between childhood and adulthood in which biological, cognitive, and psychological changes occur, as well as a period of changing social roles and increasing independence.

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How does one become an adult? -

Scholars have largely come to define adulthood very generally by a series of five core transitions: finishing school, leaving home, entering the workforce, finding a life partner, and becoming a parent.

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A combination of transitions -

None of these transitions alone is sufficient or necessary to determine someone as an adult, but together they’re regarded at large as the mark of the adult stage of life.

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Delayed as compared to previous generations -

Compared with the mid-20th century Boomers, young adults in the US are taking longer to reach those five markers. According to a 2018 study by the Congressional Research Service, fewer young adult men ages 16-24 are settled into permanent jobs, and fewer men and women are married with children today than in the 1950s.

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People are getting married later -

According to The Atlantic, the median age that men have their first marriage rose from 23 in 1950 to 30 by 2018, and for women it rose from 20 to 28 over the same period.

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The accusations -

Because of this "delayed adulthood," many have pointed fingers at Millennials and Gen Zers, calling them immature, apathetic, lazy, lacking responsibility, and self-indulgent. There’s an outcry due to these generations not following the same steps at the same time (or even at all) as their parents or grandparents.

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Reimagining our twenties -

Some think the modern concept of what one’s twenties should look like have caused the delay in adulthood. Though many young people are still finishing school "on time," they are putting off marriage and childbearing to enjoy being young and single.

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Modern dating -

Though there is little evidence to back it up, many also point to modern dating, bringing hundreds if not thousands of options to one’s fingertips, as part of the reason people are settling down later.

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Longer life expectancy -

Some suspect that a longer life expectancy may have a part to play, especially since the concept of a biological ticking clock for women has been pushed to around 35 years old, and there are many more options available to start families later in life.

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Different values and lifestyles emerging - Everyone has heard the criticism that Millennials can’t buy homes because they’re spending too much money on avocado toast, and while that’s been proven false, there are some things younger people are spending more money on. Travel is a huge one, as it has become much more accessible than in the mid-20th century and has also become an experience many young adults view as essential.

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Extending adolescence? -

Since adulthood is delayed, is adolescence then extended? A study called ‘Delayed Adulthood, Delayed Desistance? Trends in the Age Distribution of Problem Behaviors’ published in the NCBI looked at whether negative behaviors associated with adolescence—like substance use, crime, and violent death (particularly in the US)—spilled over into those exhibiting delayed adulthood, but found no convincing evidence.

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A new phase emerges -

Instead, some scholars determined that the increasing length of the transitional period before adult status required the development of a new life stage, labeled "emerging adulthood"—an extended journey to adulthood that seems never to arrive, or what Millennials half-jokingly refer to as "adulting."

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"Emerging adulthood" -

Emerging adulthood was first proposed by Jeffrey Arnett and is supposed to span the ages of 18 to 29. In post-industrial societies, it has become a culturally institutionalized period of self-focus, instability, identity exploration, feeling neither adolescent or adult, with a sense of anxiety but also of possibility.

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But many don’t think we need a new phase -

Nancy E. Hill and Alexis Redding, co-authors of ’The End of Adolescence: The Lost Art of Delaying Adulthood,’ wrote a piece in The Atlantic called "The Real Reason Young Adults Seem Slow to ‘Grow Up,’" where they argue that the changes in the young generations are not a new developmental stage, but rather a symptom of the economy. "Delayed adulthood is an expected response to the economic conditions shaping the period when young adults enter the workforce," they write.

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What if delayed adulthood is actually the norm? -

When compared against people in the mid-20th century, today’s young adults might seem like the outlier to their parents and grandparents, but Hill and Redding note that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, youths achieved the markers of adulthood at ages similar to youths today. In 1900, 41% of adults ages 18 to 29 lived with their parents, which dipped to 29% in 1960 and then rose steadily again, reaching 47% in early 2020. The average age of childbearing shows similar parallels, dropping lower in the mid-20th century before going up.

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Regardless, anxiety among young adults remains the same -

Research at Harvard from the 1950s to the 1970s revealed that despite different historical contexts and increased demographic diversity in their samples of students through the decades, everyone in college reported feeling anxious, lost, pressured, and uncertain about the transition into adulthood—much like today.

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Money is at the center of it -

Finishing school and finding a job—in other words becoming financially stable and independent—are key to adulthood, as they allow people to leave home, find a partner, and start a family. For example, a Pew Research Center study reportedly found that lack of financial readiness is a key reason young adults delay marriage today.

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It’s not apathy -

While young adults are often blamed for their failure to enter the workforce, it’s important to note that in the 1950s there were many well-paying manufacturing jobs and jobs that required only a high school diploma, which made entering the workforce significantly easier. Today, however, jobs that enable financial independence are scarce or require additional training or education (even many entry-level jobs require a degree).

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Women are also outliers -

According to a 2016 US Census Bureau report, per APM Research Lab, young women stand out from the data, as they have actually increased their entry into the workforce, with 70% aged 25-34 employed in 2016 compared to 49% in 1975.

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Further education delays adulthood -

More people are attending college or university in hopes of landing a better job, and data reportedly shows that those who earn a degree have a median age of first marriage that is two to three years older than their peers who didn’t attend college or university—many of whom also take on the responsibilities of adulthood at an earlier age in general.

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Student debt delays adulthood -

But a degree can also put young adults behind, as Hill wrote for The Atlantic that while many earn a post-secondary credential in the hopes of finding financial security, the weight of loans can set them back. The typical student who borrows to attend college in the US carries nearly US$25,000 in debt, according to an analysis by the Department of Education.

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Student debt delays adulthood -

Student debt can lead many people to delay important life decisions and milestones, including moving out, getting married, having kids, and buying a home, AKA "adulthood."

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Housing costs delay adulthood -

Very few twenty-somethings actually want to live with their parents, but it’s because most can’t afford a home of their own that they don't move out. And they do want their own homes! A Bankrate survey conducted by research firm YouGov found that 74% of American adults still view homeownership as a hallmark of success, and nearly two-thirds said affordability was the main reason they hadn’t yet purchased a home, per CNBC.

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It’s not emerging adults, but the world in which they grow up -

"When young adults take longer to achieve the markers of adulthood, it is not that something has changed about them; it is that the world has changed," Hill and Redding explain.

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Delaying adulthood can also be a luxury -

While delaying adulthood is being criticized, and it can be a symptom of lack of privilege, it’s also important to recognize that in some ways it can be a luxury for some that others cannot afford. For example, going to college or university gives you the chance to expand your horizons and take time to think about and craft the life you want—but not everyone has the luxury of going to school to figure themselves out and gain social capital.

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Why is adulthood taken so seriously? -

Beyond the way the capitalist economy relies upon people spending money within the industries of real estate, marriage, and family, the concept of adulthood, specifically regarding the five core transitions, is put on the pedestal of "tradition" and treated as though it is the only way to live a meaningful life.

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Redefining adulthood -

Once we understand the criteria upon which adulthood is now based, we can begin redefining it. The US Census Bureau report itself notes that over half of Americans surveyed did not feel marriage and parenthood are determinants of adulthood (instead education and employment took the honors), per APM Research Lab.

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Many more factors of responsibility -

A lot of what the criteria of adulthood depends upon is responsibility, but responsibility—and agency over that responsibility—has many different variables beyond age such as income, gender, and racial or ethnic background. Since Millennials and Gen Z are the most diverse generations we've ever seen, there are many more factors that change what responsibility looks like beyond partnership and childrearing.

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The "kids these days" narrative -

Interestingly, Hill points out that the "kids these days" narrative that provides the foundation for this research into "delayed adulthood" goes back as far as Socrates, who complained of youth in ancient Greece: "Youth now love luxury. They have bad manners and contempt for authority." She argues that, in addition to a lack of recognition around the current economic climate, much of the disdain and criticism actually stems from older generations forgetting about how nerve-wracking the transition to adulthood can be.

Sources: (The Atlantic) (NCBI) (Congressional Research Service) (APM Research Lab) (Harvard Gazette) (CNBC)

See also: Emojis that make you look old

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