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The Developmental Context of Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood
Abstract and Figures
The theory of emerging adulthood has been proposed as a way of conceptualizing the developmental characteristics of young people between the ages of 18 and 25. Here, the theory is applied to explaining the high rates of substance use in this age group. Specifically, five developmentally distinctive features of emerging adulthood are proposed: the age of identity explorations, the age of instability, the age of self-focus, the age of feeling in-between, and the age of possibilities. Then, each of these features is applied to an explanation of drug use in emerging adulthood.
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... Emerging adulthood is a particularly vulnerable period during which substance abuse and mental health problems are likely to escalate, posing substantial risks for the development of chronic conditions, such as substance addiction, that may affect young people later in life (Kirst et al., 2014). According to Arnett (2000Arnett ( , 2005, emerging adulthood, defined as the age range between 18 and 25, is marked by an intensified search for identity, career, and romantic relationships, as well as experimentation and decision-making about one's role in the world. Epidemiological studies indicate that the prevalence of substance use increases during adolescence and peaks in emerging adulthood (Palmer et al., 2009). ...
... In other words, substance use might serve as a means to achieve some form of significance. As previously mentioned, emerging adulthood is a particularly risky period for substance use (Arnett, 2005;Kirst et al., 2014). Therefore, examining the relationship between the quest for significance and substance abuse tendencies in emerging adults is expected to provide valuable insights for prevention strategies related to substance use and addiction. ...
In this study, the aim was to determine the mediating effect of the quest for significance on the relationship between ambition and substance use tendency in emerging adults. Data were collected from emerging adults studying at various universities in Turkey through both face-to-face and online processes. A total of 506 emerging adults ( X ¯ age = 21.62) participated in the study. The Ambition Scale, Significance Quest Scale, Substance Initiation Tendency Scale, and a demographic form were used to gather data. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. The results revealed a positive and significant relationship between ambition and the quest for significance, as well as between the quest for significance and substance use tendency in emerging adults. Furthermore, the quest for significance was found to mediate the relationship between ambition and substance use tendency in this population. Suggestions were provided based on the findings of the study.
... He claimed that the surge in college attendance created a need for this new stage as most 18-25-year-old adults were no longer pursuing child-rearing, marriage, or full-time employment. Studies of health risk have shown that young adults are vulnerable to their own drive to be "risky" and a need to dissociate themselves from older adults (Arnett, 2005;Lefkowitz & Gillen 2006;Peralta 2007). This blending of self-discovery and partner seeking has yet to be experienced in the context of quarantine and social distancing. ...
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in individuals living through mandated lockdowns, quarantines, and social isolation. Yet, many individuals were involved in romantic relationships. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 and quarantining on the sexual relationships of Black college women. Methods: We conducted 39 semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews with Black college aged women (18–25). Women primarily were asked questions about how COVID-19 and quarantining impacted their sex lives and communication with their partners. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for themes. Results: The major themes that emerged from this analysis included obstacles related to proximity and distance, anxiety around contracting COVID-19, improved communication, greater emotional intimacy, and those who were not in relationships mentioned taking time to work on themselves. Conclusions: Future work should consider the long-term impact of COVID-19 on intimacy and whether the short-term improvements like greater intimacy and time for self-care are sustained.
... Jeffrey Jensen Arnett theorized that risk-taking behavior during emerging adulthood is a fundamental component of identity exploration. The PAP consumption reflects young adults' desire to accumulate diverse experiences before transitioning into the roles and responsibilities of adulthood (Arnett 2000(Arnett , 2005Arnett et al., 2014). The friendships formed or deepened during this period exert limited influence in terms of social control, further enabling such behavior. ...
The use of psychoactive products by young adults is usually described as part of their exploratory identity devel-opment. This behavior is facilitated by social and structural contexts where these substances are perceived as legal and easily accessible. While the motivations for initiating and continuing the use of tobacco and alcohol are well-documented, the same cannot be said for e-cigarettes. The primary objective of this systematic review was to describe the reasons for initiation and continuation of e-cigarette use among adults aged 18 to 30. A secondary objective was to categorize these reasons into intrinsic (i.e., personal motivations) and extrinsic factors (i.e., soci-ocultural or structural influences). Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, SocINDEX full text, PsycAr-ticles, PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Cochrane Library and gray literature. Studies involving humans, published in English or French up to June 2024 were eligible for inclusion. After removing 594 duplicates, 1,123 articles were screened by title and abstract, with 37 articles published between 2015 and 2024 ultimately included in the review. These comprised 21 cross-sectional studies, eight qualitative studies, six cross-sectional analyses of cohort data, one cohort study and one mixed methods study. The appeal of e-liquid flavors emerged as one of the most frequently reported extrinsic factors driving both initiation and continuation of e-cigarette use. Other reasons varied across intrinsic and extrinsic domains: smoking cessation was a commonly cited intrinsic motivation, often reported alongside other factors. Structural extrinsic factors such as regulatory policies appeared to be less recognized by young adults, suggesting a gap in awareness or compliance to such regulations. These findings indicate the need for further research to better understand young adults' perceptions of and interactions with regulatory measures concerning e-cigarette and tobacco use.
The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) is a multidimensional measure of executive functioning (EF). Yet, no work has validated the 20-item BDEFS short form (BDEFS-SF) among individuals at risk of EF deficits, including college students who consume alcohol. The current study evaluated the factor structure and measurement invariance of the BDEFS-SF in 867 undergraduates from 12 colleges/universities who endorsed past-month alcohol use. The bifactor model best fit the data, supporting the use of the general factor over the five subscales for measurement models, and measurement invariance was partially supported across sex assigned at birth. Four subscales were uniquely associated with alcohol use, consequences, and alcohol protective behavioral strategies. The BDEFS-SF total score appears to be a valid measure of EF among undergraduates who use alcohol; however, more research is needed to increase the clinical utility of the measure given the lack of support for the use of the subscales in measurement models.
Background:
Alcohol use among emerging adults is a public health concern, as it has been associated with numerous negative consequences. Poor sleep has repeatedly been associated with alcohol-related consequences in this age group, yet factors impacting this relationship and potential moderators remain largely unexplored.
Objectives:
The primary objective of this study was to examine the indirect effect of poor sleep quality on alcohol-related consequences through alcohol craving and to determine whether depression moderates this association.
Methods:
Emerging adults (N = 371, 56.9% White; 53.9% Male) were recruited through Prolific Academic. Participants answered questions related to alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, alcohol craving, depression symptoms, and sleep habits.
Results:
Bivariate correlations indicated there were significant positive associations between sleep quality, depression symptoms, alcohol craving, and alcohol-related consequences. There was an indirect effect of poor sleep quality on alcohol-related consequences through alcohol craving. Depression symptoms did not moderate this indirect effect.
Conclusion:
These findings indicate that alcohol craving may be important to consider when investigating the relationship between poor sleep quality and alcohol-related consequences in emerging adult populations.
Patterns of nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use, and
relationships with intolerance frustration beliefs were
examined in a sample of 765 French university students
(mean age = 18.71 years, SD = 1.41). We analyzed selfreported
use of NMPD and responses to a questionnaire
assessing frustration intolerance beliefs (i.e. discomfort
intolerance; entitlement; emotional intolerance and
achievement frustration). TwoStep cluster analyses identified
four patterns of NMPD use nonusers (82%), hypnotic
users (8%), anxiolytic users (7%) and poly-NMPD users (3%).
Compared with nonusers, poly-hypnotic users and anxiolytic
users scored higher on emotional intolerance, and poly-
NMPD users and anxiolytic users scored significantly higher
on entitlement. Implications for prevention and clinical
intervention are discussed.
Emerging adulthood is proposed as a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties, with a focus on ages 18–25. A theoretical background is presented. Then evidence is provided to support the idea that emerging adulthood is a distinct period demographically, subjectively, and in terms of identity explorations. How emerging adulthood differs from adolescence and young adulthood is explained. Finally, a cultural context for the idea of emerging adulthood is outlined, and it is specified that emerging adulthood exists only in cultures that allow young people a prolonged period of independent role exploration during the late teens and twenties.
National studies indicate that alcohol and drug involvement increases during transition from adolescence to young adulthood. The present study evaluated change in alcohol and drug use as Youth move from living with their family of origin to independent living environments. Two samples of youth, those who had previously been treated for alcohol and drug problems (n = 102), and a sample of non-abusing youth (n = 70) with comparable socioeconomic backgrounds and family history of alcohol dependence, were compared as they transitioned into their first independent living environment. There was a 35% increase in the number of monthly drinking episodes across this transition to independent living, and a 46% increase in number of drinks per week. Drug involvement was less affected by this developmental transition, however a larger proportion of teens with a history of substance problems reported use of drugs (31% vs. 48%) following transition to independent living. Both level of exposure to substances in the new environment and peer substance use were significant predictors of post-transition substance involvement. Findings highlight significant changes in alcohol involvement in relation to this critical developmental transition of late adolescence and young adulthood.
The present study tested a social learning model designed to specify the nature of the associations between various constructs shown in previous research to be related to adolescent substance use. The model was tested using a sample of 61 families, each of which included a seventh grader. The results largely supported the hypothesized model. Aggressiveness, low commitment to prosocial values, and problems at school were associated with involvement in a deviant peer group. Low commitment to prosocial values and involvement with deviant peers were related to feelings of depression. Finally, involvement with deviant peers and feelings of depression interacted to increase the probability of substance use, suggesting that depressed adolescents may use substances as a form of self-medication when such behavior is supported by their peer group.