What Does it Mean to be an Adult?: A Qualitative Study of College Students’ Perceptions and Coping Processes

Abstract

Emerging adulthood (ages 18 – 25) has been proposed as a dynamic developmental period within industrialized societies, distinct from both adolescence and young adulthood and marked by significant identity-related explorations (Arnett, 2000, 2004). In this qualitative study of the subjective experience of this period, we explored our college-aged participants' conceptions of adulthood as well as their experiences in coping with change at this point in their lives. Inter-view transcript data were analyzed following the procedures of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Core themes and ideas within two broad domains (Associations of Adulthood, Negotiating Adulthood) are presented and discussed. Findings un-derscored the salience of adaptive career development and the significant roles of parents and peers in shaping participants' conceptions of adulthood and in affecting their transitional coping.