Transitioning to Adulthood: How Do Young Adults Fare

Screen Shot 2014-05-15 at 9.40.46 AMPublication number: 2014-18

Author(s): Mary A. Terzian; Kristin A. Moore; Nicole Constance

A new Child Trends research brief seeks to identify patterns and transitions during emerging adulthood to obtain a better understanding of the likelihood that young adults will experience a lower-risk transition to adulthood. We analyzed panel data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health, N=12,166), using person-centered analyses, to examine the odds of youth engaging in lower-risk patterns/trajectories, specifically, minimal problems with heavy alcohol use, illicit drug use, criminal behavior, and financial hardship. Lower-risk transitions were defined as avoiding or overcoming problems by adulthood. We found considerable variation among young adults in reaching these milestones.

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