The Theory of Emerging Adulthood 20 Years Later: A Look at Where It Has Taken Us,What We Know Now,and Where We Need to Go

Abstract

For 20 years, the theory of emerging adulthood has shaped how we think about the third decade of life. In honor of that I would like to revisit the distinct features of emerging adulthood outlined in the theory but then discuss them in light of what we know now via a lens that looks not at what those distinct features are but what they afford, or offer, young people for good and for ill. By thinking about what emerging adulthood affords, we can better capture the heterogeneity of paths young people take through the 20s. Specifically, it is my hope to have us think about the potential positive and negative implications of emerging adulthood on the lives of young people throughout the 20s and into subsequent life stages. Finally, I will underscore the obligation we have to take what we now know to help emerging adults.