Emerging and Young Adulthood

Varda Konstam, Ph.D., Professor Emerita at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in the Counseling and School Psychology Department, brings range and depth to understanding emerging and young adults. Her extensive teaching, research, and clinical background bring focus to the diverse perspective of the major stakeholders – parents, employers, and individuals – who are negotiating their 20s as well as those individuals who have newly emerged from this decade. Dr. Konstam weaves a tapestry that is grounded in research, nuanced in capturing the voices of multiple stakeholders, and provides guidance for understanding and navigating new patterns of behavior associated with people in their 20s. She has published more than 30 articles and two books on emerging adults.

"A wonderful read that provides a detailed qualitative picture of the lives of a group of emerging adults in the U.S as well as an overview of the broader scientific literature. This volume highlights the heterogeneity in the lives of individuals in this age-group. This new edition includes timely additions of new chapters on technology and work careers." Manfred H. M. van Dulmen, Ph.D. Kent State University --- "From authors to scholars to the media, a lot of people have had much to say in recent years about emerging and young adults. Noticeably absent in nearly all of this work has been the voice of young people themselves. Much has been said (much of it negative) about young people putting off adulthood in favor of selfish pursuits. Again, however, very few opportunities have been given to young people to give "their side of the story." The genius of this book is that the complexity of entering, developing through, and leaving the third decade of life is captured via the actual lives of young people. Dr. Konstam not only presents the most important and best scholarship on emerging and young adults but brings it to life via excerpts from interviews with dozens of young people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The result is a brilliant empirical book that not only describes what scholars know about young people but does so while also allowing us to hear from young people." Larry J. Nelson, Ph.D. Professor School of Family Life 2091 JFSB Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 --- "Dr. Konstam's book brings emerging adulthood to life through the voices of young people and those who interact with them. Through their stories we learn about the ways in which emerging adulthood plays out differently across cultural, gender, family, and socioeconomic contexts. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the emerging adult age period." Seth J. Schwartz, Ph.D. Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine University of Miami

• Chapter 1. Emerging and Young Adults: Introduction.- Chapter 2. Identity.- Chapter 3. Culture: Opening Paths, Creating Detours.- Chapter 4. The Virtual Life Alongside: Technology and the Emerging and Young Adult.- Chapter 5. The “Tyranny” of Choice: A Reexamination of the Prevailing Narrative.- Chapter 6. Voices of Emerging and Young Adults: In Pursuit of a Career Path.- Chapter 7. Floundering or Experimenting: Finding a Vocational Home.- Chapter 8. Voices of Emerging and Young Adults: From the Professional to the Personal.- Chapter 9. Parental Voices: “Adjustment Reactions to Children’s Adult Life”.- Chapter 10. Voices of Employers: Overlapping and Disparate Views.- Chapter 11. Running on Empty, Running on Full.- Appendix A. Methods.- Appendix B. Emerging and Young Adult Questionnaire.- Appendix C. Parent Questionnaire.- Appendix D. Employer Questionnaire.