Emerging and Young Adulthood

The most distinctive feature of the Second Edition is its theoretical orientation coupled with a focus on understanding emerging and young adulthood from multiple perspectives. The updated and expanded book offers readers an opportunity to “listen to the voices” of emerging and young adults, parents, and employers, which is key to understanding this particular developmental period. In addition, the case studies provided throughout the book are diverse and detailed.

The issues of emerging adulthood are complicated, nuanced, and defy easy characterizations. This book provides an opportunity to debunk many established pernicious stereotypes about emerging and young adults. The presentation of diverse voices and case material serves as a springboard for discussion and engages readers with material depicting emerging adults in the throes of working through developmental challenges characteristic of this period. In addition, the recent economic downturn has created havoc and further instability in the lives of emerging and young adults. The Second Edition focuses on the effects of – as well as possible solutions to – unemployment on emerging and young adults. A new chapter focuses on career experimentation versus career floundering, which is an important distinction. Additional new chapters address the effects of technology as well as depression and anxiety on emerging and young adults.

The Second Edition examines emerging and young adulthood within a larger developmental and ecological context. In addition, it ensures that readers are well positioned to understand how the developmental demands of this period intersect with current economic, social, and political realities. It is a must-have resource for developmental, clinical child and school psychologists, rehabilitation counselors and therapists, I/O psychologists, and sociologists as well as for researchers and graduate-level students across these various disciplines.

• Affluence and emerging adulthood
• Career paths for emerging and young adults
• Clinical practice and emerging and young adults
• Contextual theoretical model of emerging adulthood
• Cultural considerations of emerging adulthood
• Cultural differences and emerging adulthood
• Depression and anxiety in emerging and young adulthood
• Developmental trajectories and emerging adulthood
• External contingencies and emerging adults
• Friendships and romantic relationships and emerging adults
• Happiness and emerging adulthood
• Identity and young and emerging adults
• Mental health of emerging adults
• Narrative and emerging adulthood
• Parental influences and emerging adults
• Positive psychology and emerging adulthood
• Social networking and emerging and young adults
• Social-emotional development of emerging adults
• Transitioning to young adulthood
• “Helicopter” parenting and young adults

"A wonderful read that provides a detailed qualitative picture of the lives of a group of emerging adults in the U.S as well as an overview of the broader scientific literature. This volume highlights the heterogeneity in the lives of individuals in this age-group. This new edition includes timely additions of new chapters on technology and work careers."

Manfred H. M. van Dulmen, Ph.D.
Kent State University

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"From authors to scholars to the media, a lot of people have had much to say in recent years about emerging and young adults. Noticeably absent in nearly all of this work has been the voice of young people themselves.  Much has been said (much of it negative) about young people putting off adulthood in favor of selfish pursuits.  Again, however, very few opportunities have been given to young people to give "their side of the story."  The genius of this book is that the complexity of entering, developing through, and leaving the third decade of life is captured via the actual lives of young people. Dr. Konstam not only presents the most important and best scholarship on emerging and young adults but brings it to life via excerpts from interviews with dozens of young people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The result is a brilliant empirical book that not only describes what scholars know about young people but does so while also allowing us to hear from young people."
 
Larry J. Nelson, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Family Life
2091 JFSB
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT  84602

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“Dr. Konstam’s book brings emerging adulthood to life through the voices of young people and those who interact with them. Through their stories we learn about the ways in which emerging adulthood plays out differently across cultural, gender, family, and socioeconomic contexts. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the emerging adult ageperiod.”

Seth J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
University of Miami

• University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, USA

  Varda Konstam

Varda Konstam, Ph.D., Professor Emerita at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in the Counseling and School Psychology Department, brings range and depth to understanding emerging and young adults. Her extensive teaching, research, and clinical background bring focus to the diverse perspective of the major stakeholders – parents, employers, and individuals – who are negotiating their 20s as well as those individuals who have newly emerged from this decade. Dr. Konstam weaves a tapestry that is grounded in research, nuanced in capturing the voices of multiple stakeholders, and provides guidance for understanding and navigating new patterns of behavior associated with people in their 20s. She has published more than 30 articles and two books on emerging adults.

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