Daily Subjective Age in Emerging Adults: “Now We’re Stressed Out”

Abstract

During the emerging adulthood years, individuals explore their identities and often report feeling in-between adolescence and adulthood. These characteristics may correspond to greater variability in how old individuals feel. This study examined the daily variability in emerging adults’ subjective ages, as well as its association with daily stressors and the psychological dimensions of identity exploration and feeling in-between. Using a 9-day daily diary design, the study measured 106 emerging adults’ (18–22 years old) daily stressors, daily subjective ages, and endorsement of the Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood. Findings indicated that over half of the variability in emerging adults’ subjective ages occurred within person, and daily stressors could predict this variability. Furthermore, those high in identity exploration and feeling in-between were most likely to respond to daily stressors by feeling older. Results suggest that psychological identification with emerging adulthood amplifies responses to daily stressors and predicts feeling subjectively older.