Transition to Adult Life

Question 1

What is the typical timeline of transitioning to adult life?

Answer 1

16-24 yrs.
Varies by culture, class, environment.
Driving, alcohol, marriage, vote, military
Adult hood, not established by age of consent.

Question 2

Transitioning in adult life is typically a time of what dramatic changes?

Answer 2

Education
Self-supporting
Marriage
Children

Question 3

What makes an adult?

Answer 3

16-year mother vs 23-year college student
Moving out (this doesn’t mean a dorm)
Exploring possibilities (reasonable), developing an adult identity
Forming a dream
Forming a mentor relationship of at least 2-3 years
Choosing and occupation, finding love (not lust)

Question 4

What lifestyle changes occur in young adulthood?

Answer 4

Experimental
Risky behavior
- Sex
- Gonorrhea and AIDS, continue to increase despite prevention.
- Drug and alcohol abuse
* Coping mechanism
Ability to bounce back.
- All nighters
- Physical stress
- Stress
* Drama

Question 5

Risk factors in transitioning into adult life result in…

Answer 5

Spinal cord injuries: 56% between19-30
TBI: 15-24
Males
Sports, care accidents, falls, violence
Increase difficulty due to changes currently.

Question 6

Describe the stress in transitioning into adulthood.

Answer 6

First opportunity to deal with stress.
Stress related disorders
Peak time for psychosis
Good coping skills
- Positive attitude
- Knowledge
- Expression of feelings in healthy manner
- Develop a plan.
- Take care of health
- Support network
- Limit activity and say no.
- Relax
Importance of stress management
- An ADL
- Healthy vs unhealthy

Question 7

Describe psychosocial and emotional development that occurs during the transition into adult life.

Answer 7

Intimacy vs isolation
Other changes
- Decisiveness and assertive
- Persistence and understanding of what it takes to succeed.
- More in control
* Feel less victimized and are less inclined to seek revenge.
* Emotional control

Question 8

Describe cognitive development that occurs during the transition into adult life.

Answer 8

Piaget talked about formal operational: occurred in adolescence.
Abstract thought
Others disagree.
- MRI: brain changes into adulthood
- Specifically increased myelination of the frontal lobe
Adolescent to adult, there is shift.
- Black and white to contextual
* Adaptive cognition: more than one answer
- Maturing of emotional processes
- Better coping skills
- Better problem solving
- Less impulsive
- More self-aware

Question 9

Describe leaving home during the transition to adult life.

Answer 9

Typically, around age 18
- Education
- Job
- Marriage/cohabitation
- Cultural impact
Leaving home early usually has a negative impact.
Leaving later, the child often comes home frequently.

Question 10

Describe Ginzberg’s theory of occupational choice.

Answer 10

Fantasy (10-12 yrs.)
- Usually based on personal experience
Tentative (13-14 yrs.)
Realistic career exploration
- Information
- Self-awareness
Experimental period
- Crystallization of vocational choice

Question 11

Describe Holland’s theory of occupational choice.

Answer 11

The closer the match the more likely to be satisfied.
Doesn’t consider:
- Multiple areas
- Dynamics of place
- Social and cultural influences

Question 12

Describe Super’s theory of occupational choice.

Answer 12

Ideas = to self-concept
More specific after investigation
Skills training/school…
Working in desired field
- May change and start over
Content and productive

Question 13

Describe intimacy and marriage during the transition to adult life.

Answer 13

Looking for the right person
- Often long process
- Dating, courtship, engagement
What makes a relationship successful?
- If you know, you are set to be wealth.
- Look at your parents, income, education etc.
What if it’s not heterosexual
- DSM 4: “gender identity disorder”