A few weeks ago, I attended the annual conference of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood. I gave a poster presentation of the work that I am doing. Jeffrey Arnett, a developmental psychologist, has coined the term “emerging adulthood” to describe this age group of 18-29 which cuts across Millennials and Gen Zers. Here are some things I learned at the conference that may be helpful to understanding this segment of society especially if you are a parent of an emerging adult.
Failure to Launch
- 18 to 29-year-olds make up 19% of the population in the US.
- 52% of young adults between the ages of 18-29 are living at home with one or both parents, according to a PEW study in 2019.
- According to an Ipsos Global Marketing Survey, 3.3 million young adults need to launch. One definition of failure to launch is declining independent living and economic self-sufficiency. In other words, they need to move forward on the traditional milestones of adulthood – career, marriage, independent living, etc.
- It’s estimated that 5.5 million parents are affected by the young adult’s failure to launch. The burden to families of young adults living at home is estimated to be $490 monthly. The burden to society is 18.6 billion.
Parent and Emerging Adult Relationships
- 55% communicate almost every day.
- They get along better than during their teen years.
- 78% enjoy time together with young adults.
- Conflict occurs primarily around money.
- Emerging adults prefer to live on a tight budget rather than take money from their parents.
- Emerging adults are more inclined to discuss personal concerns with their parents than their peers.
Impact of Covid-19
- Emerging adults had a higher rate of Covid-19 infection than other groups.
- Anxiety and depression increased for emerging adults and remain higher than in any other group.
- Loneliness is a problem today, according to the surgeon general, and today’s emerging young adults are the loneliest segment of society.
- Emerging adults are estimated to have lost 10% of future earnings due to Covid-19.
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Licensed Psychologist at Parents Letting Go
Dr. Stoltzfus’ mission is to provide information, education, guidance and resources to parents of young adults who are struggling to launch or let go while maintaining a positive, caring relationship with their young adult.
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