Chapter 12: Parenting Young Adult Children

adult

a fully mature, sensible, grown, and not childish person

is a fluid concept that depends upon its usage

time of instability

experiencing flux and uncertainty; young adults may be heading off to school, moving to another city for employment, or spending time in various relationships. challenges and conflicts encountered along the way must eb resolved and revised

time of possibilities 

creating a vision of future goals; exploring and making decisions about options that one wants to pursue, including continued education, employment, finances, relationships, living arrangements, and other personal aspirations 

time of self-focus

making independent decisions and focusing primary attention on satisfying one’s own personal needs and interests

time of uncertainty

feeling sandwiched between two developmental stages: no longer being treated like an adolescent, but not yet considering themselves full-fledged adults. during this time, emerging adults must learn how to balance personal freedom and independence with adult responsibility and cultural obligation to family

time of identity exploration

forming and reforming one’s self-concept as a result of new possibilities and experiences

parental guidance, interaction, advice, and support

what are the most protective and influential factors in helping adolescents’ transition successfully to adulthood?

developmental tasks during early adulthood

learning adult roles; accepting adult responsibilities, establishing and building a career, forming a mature personal and sexual identity, developing mature and meaningful relationships, and becoming emotionally and financially independent

takes more time

in recent years, the process of transitioning from adolescence to adulthood has changed because it…

25

adolescent’s brains continue to undergo structural changes (pruning and strengthening of neural connections) which peak at around age ____ and then gradually continue to occur, but at a slower pace, until the late twenties

negative, positive 

young adults undergo personality changes as well, they begin to experience fewer _____ emotions and and increase in ______ emotions

society

changes in which of the following have most likely contributed to differences in the maturity and transition rates of young adults today versus in the past?

positive

during the transition to adulthood, young adults’ relationships with their parents tend to become more _____ and compassionate and mutually understanding of one another

violence, conflict, and dependency 

children who grow up in economically disadvantaged families often encounter significant challenges like what that make the transition difficult to attain?

independently

high unemployment, expensive housing, and low wages have resulted in fewer young adults who live ______

three general pathways into adulthood 

some young adults (without children) enter higher education or employment; some assume traditional family roles; and some are slow starters who live with their parents for a longer period of time while or until they establish a clearer path to adulthood

overinvolved

what type of parents are more likely to encourage children’s prolonged dependence?

overparenting

this can lead to children giving up their own needs in order to fulfill parental needs, children may be drawn in to mediate the relationship between parents, or they may engage in dependent behaviors due to psychological control

a sense of duty toward their children

parents of young adults who have a mental illness often feel what?

income and education

parents who have higher what are typically able to offer increased emotional and financial support?

parents who have less education and income

these parents are more likely to provide children with intangible support (live together with their child or provide advice and companionship), which leads to young adults and their parents becoming reliant upon each other to meet intermingled emotional and financial needs

financial burden

what do parents face when children move back home?

because children have debt that they are unable to address and parents feel the need to help all while meeting their daily living expenses

why do parents face financial burden when their children move back home?

the needs of parents and their children become intertwined

what is most likely to occur when the parents of a young adult have limited education and financial resources?

establish clear financial and role expectations

parents of adult children who move back home should be sure to what?

estate planning, public assistance, and guardianship arrangements

what kinds of services should parents with limited financial means pursue if they have an adult child with a disability?

depression

caregivers are more likely than non-caregivers to be diagnosed with what?

married, do not work full time, or have not graduated from college

older children are more likely to live at home if they are not…

marriage

this is the strongest predictor of whether an adult child will/will not live with their parents because its less feasible to live at home with a spouse and because a second income provides additional financial resources that make it feasible to live independently

those who move back in

are children who chose to move back in or ones who always wanted to live at home experience more depressive symptoms?

parent and child roles are specified in advance

parents who live with an adult child tend to report the greatest satisfaction when…

their reason for doing so

what is the main determinant of adult children’s adjustment to living with their parents?

true

true/false - young adults in older age ranges are more likely to report dissatisfaction with living at home

when children move back

families that successfully adjust, set explicit rules, roles, and routines are more likely to return to a state of homeostasis

the roles and expectations for parents and adult children should be carefully redefined

parents should discuss, negotiate, and agree upon familial arrangements and practices with adult children before they move in and begin living together

strategies to increase success of parents living with their adult children

discuss and establish explicit roles and responsibilities, develop an agreement related to household financial obligations, set clear expectations for respectful behavior, negotiate limits and rules, use mutual problem solving when concerns arise, use effective communication strategies, allow for privacy within the home, let adult children be responsible for their own behavior, and establish clear reasons to end the living arrangement 

job uncertainty

the most common reason that young adults move back in with their parents is what?

there is less access to education

cultures that encourage an early and rapid transition to adulthood include those in which…

remain longer at the same job

young adults who place a high value on extrinsic job rewards are more likely to…

marriage

the strongest predictor of whether adult children will continue or return to live with their parents is?

daughters

are parents more likely to provide financial assistance to their daughters or sons?

reluctant to be autonomous 

adult children of overinvolved parents tend to be what?

practical motivations

adult children who return home to live with parents are more likely to experience depression if they return home because of what?

false

true/false - the emerging adult phase has become evident in all of the world’s societies?

early transition to adulthood

typical in developing countries where there is less access to education

later transition to adulthood

more prevalent in industrialized nations

young adults seek post-secondary education, delay marriage and family

practical problems with re-nested families

difficulty with employment

more likely to experience depressive problems, family discord

intrinsic problems with re-nested families 

enjoyment in living with parents

fewer negative effects