Emerging Adults in America: Coming of Age in the 21st Century

Emerging Adults in America: Coming of Age in the 21st Century portrays the lives of young Americans between adolescence and young adulthood, a distinct developmental stage that editor Jeffrey Jensen Arnett describes as emerging adulthood. Over the past 40 years, the average age of marriage and parenthood has risen dramatically, and the years from the late teens through the mid-20s are no longer dedicated to settling into traditional adult roles. Instead, the focus has shifted to pursuing higher education, self-exploration, and shaping a future that best suits personal goals and desires. Along with coeditor Jennifer Lynn Tanner, Arnett has compiled a collection of chapters in this groundbreaking work that cover a range of topics from relationships with parents to views about love, sex, and marriage; from experiences in college to those in the work place; and from religious beliefs to beliefs about the concept of adulthood. This insightful book will be a valuable resource for developmental psychologists, therapists, and mental health practitioners who work with emerging adults and will appeal to young people and their families.