YOUNG ADULTS
Issues Facing Young Adults
Historically, some of the developmental milestones achieved in young adulthood and indicative of the progression into (true) adulthood have been: achievement of educational goals, living independently (i.e., away from one’s childhood home), attaining financial independence, getting married or maintaining a long-term relationship, and having children. Over time, however, the average age of reaching these milestones has changed. Some factors that have contributed to this change in the twenty-first century include: increased numbers of young adults attending college, rising costs of college tuition leading to young adults beginning their “adult” lives already deep in debt, changes in societal norms with regard to gender roles and stereotypes, and changes in attitudes towards marriage, cohabitation, and child- rearing. As a result, most young adults remain in this developmental phase for longer than in previous generations.