A Typology of U.S. Emerging Adults' Online and Offline Connectedness with Extended Family
Emerging adulthood has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, in part due to the widespread adoption of communication technology. Despite studies showing that youth in the United States are communicating with extended family using technology, research on online interactions with non-parental relatives is lacking. Framed by intergenerational solidarity theory, this study identifies subgroups of U.S. emerging adults ( = 532; 18-29 years old) based on eight indicators of connectedness with extended family. Latent class analysis revealed four group: (1) Highly connected (18%), (2) Distant; technologically connected (36%), (3) Close; technologically connected (17%), and (4) Distant (28%). Participants identified cousins and aunts/uncles most frequently as extended family. Results show that 72% of participants are connecting with extended family online, even when they do not feel close to them. Findings support the idea that technology could be the means by which extended family members continue to play a role in the lives of young adults, especially when they are not seeing them frequently in-person.
Empowered to Stay Active: Psychological Empowerment, Retirement Timing, and Later Life Work
Motivating older employees both to prolong their working lives and to stay active even after retirement has become increasingly important due to rising old-age dependency ratios. Later life work-including both paid work and volunteering-has thus become an important topic for scholars and practitioners. We aim to extend research on later life work by hypothesizing that psychological empowerment at work increases not only desired and actual retirement ages but also levels of later life work. Second, we test differential effects of psychological empowerment on later life work, expecting it to be more strongly related to paid work after retirement (i.e., bridge employment) than to volunteering. Third, we suggest that the relationship between psychological empowerment and bridge employment depends on the employees' level of physical limitations. We used data from a longitudinal panel study in Germany in which structured telephone interviews were conducted. A sample of older individuals who had retired between two waves of measurement was drawn (time lag: three years; = 210). The results of a path analysis support the postulated mediation. Furthermore, as expected, psychological empowerment more accurately predicted bridge employment than volunteering, and physical limitations moderated the relationship between psychological empowerment and bridge employment. Lastly, additional analyses on the individual empowerment facets revealed that only the competence facet played a significant role in the proposed hypotheses. Overall, our findings suggest that psychological empowerment may help to increase older employees' motivation to delay retirement and to stay active even after retirement.
Starting University at the Time of COVID-19: Psychoemotional Adjustment of a Group of Italian Students
The transition from school to university typically occurs during emerging adulthood; this coming together of multiple challenging development tasks at the same time may be stressful for some students. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and above all the health measures implemented to deal with it, may have been an additional factor contributing to the difficult adaptation of first-year students to academic life. This study evaluated the role played by emotional processing and differentiation of self for psychological well-being in a sample of 218 Italian students (78.4% women) who began their 1st year of college during the pandemic. The results showed that higher levels of differentiation of self, combined with fewer signs of unprocessed emotions, predicted lower psychological distress. The data support the importance of these variables as protective factors in promoting psychological well-being along with the transition to adulthood and adaptation to new life challenges. These findings draw attention to the relevance of support services aimed at university students and of emerging adults in general in considering and promoting the role of self-differentiation and the style of emotional processing for addressing well-being and mental health during the transition to adult life.
Future Time Perspective and Psychological Well-Being for Older Canadian Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Relevant literature indicates that one's perception of future time is related to their psychological well-being, particularly for older adults. However, more research is needed to understand this relationship in the context of COVID-19. Older adults may be especially vulnerable to the psychological impacts of the pandemic, but findings on their psychological well-being during COVID-19 are mixed. The current study examines relationships between Future Time Perspective (FTP), COVID-19 impact, and Psychological Well-Being, and how these variables change over 8 months during the earlier period of the pandemic. The current study explored these relationships in a sample of older women in Ontario, Canada, at two time points ( = 70.39 at T1), who completed online Qualtrics surveys. We used hierarchical linear regressions to test our expectations that COVID-19 impact would be negatively associated with psychological well-being, whereas FTP would be positively associated with psychological well-being, and that FTP would moderate the relationship between COVID-19 impact and psychological well-being. We found partial support for these hypotheses. Our knowledge of the relationship between FTP and psychological well-being would benefit from research that continues to explore different contexts and diverse samples, to enhance understandings of important differences.
How Grandparents Inform Our Lives: A Mixed Methods Investigation of Intergenerational Influence on Young Adults
While it is well documented that grandchildren benefit from strong, positive relationships with grandparents, less is known about the influence of these relationships as individuals establish their lives in early adulthood. Further, how this impact varies based on grandparent type (i.e., whether grandparents take on a "traditional" non-caregiving or "custodial" caregiving role) has not been investigated, despite the growing number of youth raised, at least in part, by their grandparents. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study explores the influence of grandparent type during childhood on life satisfaction, perceived relationship quality, and life building in early adulthood. Descriptive and comparative analyses of survey data captured in the quantitative strand ( = 94) informed the subsample that completed semi-structured interviews in the emphasized qualitative strand ( = 9). The integrated findings revealed that past and present grandparent relationships remain salient in early adulthood, though the context and substance of these relationships is often nuanced with shifts over time and across individuals. Despite the importance of context, we failed to observe significant differences in life satisfaction or perceived relationship quality by grandparent type. Taken together, the findings suggest the substance of the relationship, more so than the structure, may be impactful for individuals building their life and reflecting on their values in early adulthood. In addition to elucidating areas for continued exploration, this work highlights the need for researchers and practitioners to consider variation in family structure when designing research and developing supports to reinforce positive, mutually beneficial grandparent-grandchild relationships.
The Role of Personality Risk and Protective Factors in Living with Covid-19: A Longitudinal Study
Earlier research has shown the significant role of personality in serving as risk or protective factors in psychological wellbeing. However, it is less clear the extent to which personality plays in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of a personality risk factors such as self-criticism, and personality strengths such as efficacy and intrinsic motivation representing resilience in predicting psychological outcomes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of a broader longitudinal study, personality measures were assessed at ages 23 and 29, and Covid-19-related outcomes were measured at age 41 on a subsample of 83 Israeli participants, who were approached after the first lockdown that was implemented (April 2020). Findings showed that self-criticism measured at age 23 anticipated greater Covid-19-related distress and lower satisfaction at age 41. Decrease in self-criticism from age 23 to 29, which indicates developmental progress toward maturity, explained lower non-adaptive emotional reactions at age 41- lower distress and lower anxiety. In addition, a higher level of intrinsic motivation at age 29 explained a greater likelihood to expect post pandemic growth. Findings highlight the role of personality in addressing unexpected stressful events such as the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The Generation Gap Revisited: Generational Differences in Mental Health, Maladaptive Coping Behaviors, and Pandemic-Related Concerns During the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic
The purpose of this study was to assess differences in mental health symptoms, pandemic-related concerns, and maladaptive coping behaviors among adults in the United States across generations during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic. A social media campaign was used to recruit 2696 U.S. individuals to participate in an online survey in April 2020, assessing various validated psychosocial factors, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), perceived stress, loneliness, quality of life, and fatigue, along with pandemic-specific concerns and changes in alcohol use and substance use. Participants were grouped based on generation status (Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, and Baby Boomer) and statistical comparisons were conducted based on demographics, psychosocial factors, pandemic-related concerns, and substance use. During the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the younger cohorts (Gen Z and Millennials) rated significantly worse on mental health indices, including major depression, GAD, perceived stress, loneliness, quality of life, and fatigue. Further, the participants in the Gen Z and Millennial generational groups exhibited greater increase in maladaptive coping with substance use, specifically alcohol use and increased use of sleep aids. Our results indicate that during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Gen Z and Millennial generational cohorts were considered a psychologically vulnerable population due to their mental health and maladaptive coping behaviors. Improving access to mental health resources during early stages of a pandemic is an emerging public health concern.
Becoming a Caregiver: Experiences of Young Adults Moving into Family Caregiving Roles
While the vast majority of family caregivers struggle to find balance between different roles in their lives, young adult caregivers are faced with the atypical challenge of caring for family member while simultaneously accomplishing developmental tasks typical of this stage in life (e.g., establishing career, developing romantic relationships). This exploratory, qualitative study examined strategies used by young adults to adopt family caregiving roles. These strategies can be described as embracement, compromise, and integration. While each approach allowed for the young adult to facilitate their caregiving role, additional research is needed to understand how the strategy affects the emerging adult's development.
Relationship-specific Satisfaction and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood: The Moderating Role of Adult Attachment Orientation
Highly satisfying social relationships make us happy and healthy-they fill us with joy and a sense of meaning and purpose. But do all the relationships in our lives contribute equally to our well-being and do some people benefit more from certain relationships? The current study examined associations between the satisfaction of specific relationships within a family (i.e., with parents, siblings) and adjustment (i.e., life satisfaction and depressive symptoms) among 572 emerging adults aged 18-25 ( = 19.95, = 1.42; 77.4% female). Overall, relationship satisfaction with mothers and fathers was associated with better adjustment. Attachment anxiety and avoidance moderated associations between relationship-specific satisfaction and adjustment. We discuss the findings in the context of the shifting of attachment functions during emerging adulthood and the dynamic nature of close relationships across the lifespan.
Relational Competence in Emerging Adult Adoptees: Conceptualizing Competence in Close Relationships
Little research has focused on the positive adjustment of emerging adult adoptees (Palacios & Brodzinsky, 2010). Given the developmental context of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000), it is important to select an indicator of adjustment that reflects the associated ambiguity. The present study aims to provide empirical support for the construct of , or competence in one's closest relationship regardless of relationship type (i.e., romantic vs. nonromantic) among emerging adult adoptees. Participants included 162 adoptees who had been adopted before the age of one in the United States through private domestic adoption in to same-race families. Relational competence was measured by adapting a measure of romantic competence in emerging adulthood (Shulman, Davila, & Shachar-Shapira, 2011). Indicators of relational competence were coded from interviews in which participants discussed their self-identified closest relationship (White, Speisman, Jackson, Bartis & Costos, 1986). Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the proposed model of relational competence was a good fit to the data and was invariant across relationship type and gender. No differences in relational competence scores were found by relationship type or by gender (all 's >. 552). Relational competence was positively associated with adaptive functioning (β = .325, = .006) and negatively associated with internalizing (β = -.246, = .035) and externalizing behavior (β = -.347, = .003).
Aging Parents' and Middle-Aged Children's Evaluations of Parents' Disability and Life Problems
This study examined discrepancies in aging parents' and middle-aged children's evaluations of aging parents' problems and how these discrepancies were associated with relationship characteristics. Using data from the (dyad ), discrepancies in the parents' disabilities and life problems reported by parents and their offspring were examined. Children reported a greater number of disabilities and life problems in their parents' lives than parents did. The discrepancy in the number of disabilities was associated with the frequency of phone contact, but not the frequency of in-person contact between generations. Findings confirm the gap in the evaluations of parents' problems between generations, indicating that children may overestimate their parents' problems, whereas parents may underreport their own problems. Frequent phone calls between aging parents and middle-aged children seem to play a positive role in conveying aging parents' problems. The gap in knowledge of parents' problems may lead to unmet needs and/or undesirable support exchanges between parents and offspring. Future research needs to consider both generations' reports and to develop reliable methods to assess parents' problems.
Emotional Well-being During the First Four Months of COVID-19 in the United States
Relative to younger adults, older adults have demonstrated higher emotional well-being in the face of the threats of COVID-19 (e.g., Bruine de Bruin in J Gerontol 10.1093/geronb/gbaa074, 2020) and other events (Bonanno and Diminich in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 54:378-401, 2013). Thus, we predicted that levels of well-being would show minimal change in the first 4 months of COVID-19, with older adults faring better than younger adults. Adults ( = 325, age = 39.7, SD = 12.3) were surveyed before the pandemic began and at four additional time points throughout the first 4 months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Participants provided demographic information and completed measures of positive and negative affect. Latent growth curves were used to analyze changes in well-being over time, with age as a covariate. There was a significant linear increase in positive affect. Older age was positively associated with initial levels, but age was not associated with the slope. There was a significant curvilinear pattern in negative affect, with an initial increase, which, although remaining elevated, exhibited slow decreases over time. Age was significantly and negatively associated with initial negative affect, but age did not influence the shape or rate of change over time. We detected changes in both positive affect and negative affect during the first 4 months of COVID-19. The magnitude of these changes suggests that the stress of COVID-19 does not lead to an immediate decrease in well-being. Moreover, although older adults showed higher positive affect and lower negative affect relative to other adults, age differences in the trajectory of change did not emerge. Delayed and long-term effects on well-being and whether those effects are age-invariant should be examined over longer periods of time.
Parent-Child Relationships and the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Qualitative Study with Parents in Early, Middle, and Late Adulthood
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families is currently unknown. Parents and children have experienced a variety of changes as public health interventions have been implemented to slow the spread of the virus. The current exploratory qualitative study recruited parents ( = 365) in early (ages 20-34), middle (ages 35-64), and late (ages 65 and older) adulthood to understand how the early weeks of the pandemic influenced their parent-child relationships. Participants completed an online survey between March 21 and 31, 2020. Three themes emerged through qualitative content analysis: (1) relational steadiness, (2) navigating COVID-19 challenges in relationships, and (3) relational enhancement.
Effects of Goal Appraisals and Goal Motivation on Dimensions of Identity Development: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Analysis of European American Emerging Adults
In the present study, we investigated the ways in which the ideographic goal descriptions and goal appraisals of European American high school seniors reflect potentials for intentional self-development during emerging adulthood (EA), a lifespan phase characterized by increasing levels of freedom and decreasing age-graded, socially sanctioned developmental norms. Additionally, we investigated whether variation in participants' goal appraisals and the motivational qualities emergent in their goal descriptions would predict variation in dimensions of identity development, both concurrently at age 18 and prospectively at age 23. Results of an exploratory, mixed method analysis of participants' ( = 129, 56.6% male, = 18.24, SD = 0.37) goal data revealed diversity in education and work goals, strong potentials for intentional self-development reflected across goal appraisals, and more nuanced reflections of intentional self-development across the motivational qualities emergent in goal descriptions. Results partially supported the hypothesis that goal appraisals and motivational qualities that reflect potentials for intentional self-development would predict kindred processes of identity development across the first five years of EA. These findings contribute to a nascent empirical literature focused on the interrelationship of goal and identity constructs during EA and suggest new avenues for future research.
Financial Problems in Established Adulthood: Implications for Depressive Symptoms and Relationship Quality with Parents
Using two waves of data from the (2008 and 2013), this study examined changes in financial problems before and after the Great Recession and investigated the implications for adults' depressive symptoms and relationship quality with parents. Participants in established adulthood ( = 170, age 30-46 in 2013) provided information about their financial difficulties and depressive symptoms, as well as negative relationship quality with each parent (parent-child tie; = 316) at baseline and 5 years later. Results showed that a growing number of participants experienced financial problems between the two waves, rising from 16 to 72% of participants. Moreover, 14% of participants indicated continuing financial problems and 33% reported decreased income over the 5 year observation period. Financial problems at baseline, continuing financial problems across the observation period, and decreased income over time were associated with participants' increased depressive symptoms, after controlling for their baseline depressive symptoms. Results from multilevel models also revealed that adult participants had more strained relationships with their parents if they experienced more financial problems at the follow-up interview. The harmful effect of financial problems on relationship quality with parents was partially explained by adult participants' depressive symptoms. Findings of this study highlight the important role of financial hardship for persons in established adulthood and their intergenerational ties.
Resilience, Life Events, and Well-Being During Midlife: Examining Resilience Subgroups
Developmental midlife processes involve resilience, changing challenges, and perceptions of getting older. In Study I and II, the Managing Life Survey resulted in growth, managing uncertainty, objectivity, adversity, and strategy use subscales. In Study II, resilience subgroups were identified. High and non-religious resilience groups had significantly higher averages for MLS subscales, time orientations, grit, life satisfaction; and significantly lower averages for adversity and negative event scores, compared to other groups. Noteworthy findings herein consist of (1) differences across resilience groups, with spiritual strategies emerging as an important discriminator; (2) the role of future perspectives on well-being characterizing early midlife; (3) the influence of growth and purpose on well-being characterizing late midlife; and (4) the cumulative effect of education on life satisfaction in late midlife. The results herein are consistent with the psychological benefits of moderate levels of challenge; with developmental differences across early and late midlife, and with Socioemotional Selectivity Theory.
Emotional Intelligence Profiles in College Students and Their Fathers' and Mothers' Parenting Practices
The present study has two objectives: first, to analyze whether the dimensions that make up emotional intelligence (attention, clarity, and repair) give rise to different profiles of university students, and secondly, to determine whether these different profiles are differentially associated with the parenting practices that students report with regard to their fathers and mothers. Results obtained indicate the existence of different profiles of college students. The profile that corresponds to adequate emotional skills presents a lower score in attention, but higher scores in clarity, and especially in mood repair. The other two profiles are inadequate, in the first case because a higher score in emotional attention is accompanied by low scores in mood repair, and in the second case because low scores are presented in all three dimensions. Likewise, we verified the existence of significant differences in the educational practices of parents, the adequate profile is characterized by greater use of parenting dimensions considered to be positive, and at the same time, lower scores on dimensions considered to be negative. One of the dysfunctional profiles is associated with higher scores in positive practices, and is also associated with higher scores in practices considered to produce a negative effect. The second dysfunctional profile is associated with higher scores on the dimensions considered to be negative and lower scores on positive dimensions.
Coping and Post-traumatic Growth Among COVID-19 Patients: A Qualitative Study
Pandemic diseases have caused dramatic changes in people's lives throughout history. Today, the COVID-19 virus spreads rapidly and affects human beings around the globe. This study aimed to discover the coping strategies and post-traumatic growth (PTG) experiences of persons who were infected by the COVID-19 virus using the qualitative research method. The research involved 17 individuals, nine of whom were female. All had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Face-to-face and online interviews were conducted with participants. In the analysis of the data, the thematic analysis method was performed by developing themes and sub-themes. The created themes include coping strategies, existential growth, lessons learned from disease, new opportunities, and social growth. These themes indicated positive changes in the lives of persons who were infected by the COVID-19 virus after the COVID-19 disease. Findings and implications for the practice were discussed.
Positive Relationships have Shades of Gray: Age is Associated with More Complex Perceptions of Relationship Quality During the COVID-19 Lockdown
Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, we examined the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on perceptions of romantic relationships quality among older, compared to younger, adults. During the first lockdown in Israel which involved strict restrictions on movement and association with others, 280 adults aged 25-81 reported positive and negative qualities of their romantic relationship. Of these, 105 participants completed the survey again once lockdown restrictions were lifted. Contrary to our hypotheses, no evidence for age differences in the effect of the lockdown on positive or negative perceptions of relationship quality was detected. In addition, the lockdown did not influence participants' positive and negative perceptions of their romantic partners. However, we did find that, whereas people of all ages represent positive and negative qualities of their romantic partners as separate constructs, the negative association between the two is weaker for older adults compared to younger adults during (but not after) the lockdown. This finding suggests that in stressful times, older adults are better able to avoid negative perceptions clouding positive perceptions and see positive aspects of relationships with romantic partners in the face of negative ones. Findings extend evidence for age associations with complex emotional experiences to emotional aspects of interpersonal relationships. Findings enrich the theoretical understanding of age-related advantages in emotional well-being and may inform potential interventions for improving emotional health and well-being during times of crisis.
The Mediating Role of Affective Empathy in the Relationship Between Insecure Attachment and Depressive Symptoms Among Emerging Adult
Insecure attachment is regarded as a risk factor for depressive symptoms. However, insecure attachment can be divided into attachment avoidance and anxiety, so a better understanding of the relationship between attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and depressive symptoms is needed. The current study applied a structural equation model to verify our hypothesis that different facets of affective empathy mediate the relationship between attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The participants of this study included four hundred and sixty-four undergraduate students who completed the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Questionnaire, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The results indicated that the correlation between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms was mediated by empathic concern, while the correlation between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms was mediated by personal distress. These results implied that attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety work on depressive symptoms through different pathways.
Being Called "Elderly" Impacts Adult Development: A Critical Analysis of Enduring Ageism During COVID in NZ Online News Media
This article examines how "the elderly" is constructed in New Zealand online news media. By employing a critical framing analysis to challenge ageist practices, conceptually, the study adds to our knowledge of research methodologies in the field of adult development. Online news media articles were collected and analyzed to understand constructions of older adults as "elderly" over an 18-month period before, during, and since the COVID pandemic. Results demonstrated that the term "elderly" was framed powerlessly, in predominantly negative (74%) stereotypical messages about older adults. Positive stereotypes (26% of data) used human impact framing. Associations of "elderly" with being vulnerable, declining, and an individual or societal burden have serious implications, notably for the media in their role of both constructing and reflecting societal attitudes and actions towards older adults. Suggestions are offered to encourage reframing societal attitudes and promoting healthy adult development through age-equality messages that do away with the term "elderly."
Psychological Coping and Behavioral Adjustment Among Older Adults in Times of COVID-19: Exploring the Protective Role of Working Memory and Habit Propensity
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, well-being, and behavior is likely influenced by individual characteristics that determine one's capacity for resilience. In this exploratory study, we examined whether individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and habit propensity (HP), measured the outbreak, could predict variation in subsequent psychological coping efficacy (as operationalized by measures of depression, mental well-being, perceived stress, and loneliness) and behavioral adjustment (by evaluating compliance and self-reported automaticity of four COVID-19 guidelines) among Dutch older adults ( = 36) the pandemic (measured April 25 to May 6, 2020). While we found elevated levels of depression and emotional loneliness, overall mental well-being, and perceived stress were not affected by the pandemic. Contrary to our expectations, we found no robust evidence for a protective role of WM in predicting these outcomes, although our findings hint at a positive relationship with perceived change in mental well-being. Interestingly, WM and HP were found to affect the self-reported automaticity levels of adherence to behavioral COVID-19 guidelines (i.e., washing hands, physical distancing), where a strong HP appeared beneficial when deliberate resources were less available (e.g., low WM capacity). These novel and preliminary findings offer new potential avenues for investigating individual differences in resilience in times of major life events or challenges.
Expanding the Self Behind Closed Doors: Exploring the Role of the Lockdown in Self-Realization Among Young Adults
Self-realization or the path which involves the elaborate process of knowing oneself leads people to a meaningful and fulfilling life. The present study aims to examine how the COVID-19-led lockdown proved to be an opportunity for emerging adults to reflect on and eventually discover their true selves. This study particularly explores the factors that facilitated the self-realization process during the lockdown. An online survey was conducted on 1280 Indian university students. The age of participants ranged between 18 and 29 years. An eight-item scale was developed to measure self-realization during the lockdown, which was thereafter administered along with other study variables. The results showed that factors including family bonding, social comparison, self-image, and a positive orientation toward life help young adults in the process of self-realization. Furthermore, the participants who employed adaptive ways to cope with the COVID-19 stress reported higher levels of self-realization. The present study showed that the interaction of young adults with their significant others, solving their daily problems, and having a positive outlook toward themselves and the future, helped them during the COVID-19 imposed lockdown and led them on the path of self-realization.
Daughter-to-Father Attachment Style and Emerging Adult Daughter's Psychological Well-Being: Mediating Role of Interpersonal Communication Motives
This study investigated insecure attachment of emerging adult daughters with their fathers and how it affects daughter's psychological well-being, with interpersonal communication motives taken as mediating variables. A sample of daughters ( = 243) ranging from 18 to 25 years was collected through purposive sampling from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. For this cross-sectional study, data were collected using psychometrically sound tools along with a demographic data sheet. Results revealed that anxiety and avoidance attachment style negatively correlate to young adult daughters' psychological well-being as hypothesized. Moreover, this relationship is partially mediated by interpersonal communication motives. Among communication motives, affection motive is a stronger predictor of psychological well-being scores ( = .31, < .01). Other motives, i.e., pleasure, relaxation, inclusion, escape, and control did not show significant results in mediation. These findings have practical implications for parents, mental health professionals, and family counselors.
Resilience in Times of Economic Boom and Bust: A Narrative Study of a Rural Population Dependent upon the Oil and Gas Industry
How do residents of small towns that depend on oil and gas extraction or processing industries withstand economic boom and bust cycles? To answer this question, this article reports on a narrative analysis of residents' life stories gathered from 37 adults of a small town on the Canadian prairies dependent on the oil and gas industry, employing the theories of narrative inquiry and narrative identity. Participants aged 30 to 76 were interviewed and their experiences of living in an unstable economy that is dependent mostly on a single resource extraction industry were explored. Specifically, we asked participants about the effect of economic change on factors related to resilience like family interactions, work choices, educational pathways, and the quality of their social lives. Our analysis of adult narratives looked for patterns in the relationship between risk exposure, promotive and protective factors at multiple systemic levels (individual, relational, cultural), and functional outcomes such as individual coping, community cohesion, and social and economic sustainability. Results show that a strong identity, in particular expressions of personal agency, communion, and engagement in meaning making are contributing factors to adult resilience in a context of economic change. Our results also highlight how positive attitudes towards a better future may inadvertently undermine the need for residents of oil and gas-dependent towns to commit to economic diversification and other potential resilience-promoting strategies.
Advancing Ego Development in Adulthood Through Study of the Enneagram System of Personality
A rapidly growing number of working professionals, academic communities, and businesses have applied the Enneagram personality system of nine types to enhance psychological growth in their personal and professional lives. However, there are no existing studies that measure the effects of the application of Enneagram training programs to promote ego development. This study examined if ego development took place among individuals enrolled in Enneagram training programs in the Narrative Tradition. Two groups of participants ( = 122) were assessed using the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT) at baseline (pretest) before the training began and then again 18 months later (posttest); one of the groups participated in Enneagram Intensive training programs ( = 73) and the other group participated in introductory Enneagram trainings ( = 49). Data revealed an advancement in ego development among some of the participants who received at least 40-50 h of training. The findings suggest that Enneagram Intensive trainings may be beneficial for promoting psychological growth and ego development. Clinical applications and future research directions are discussed.
Monitoring, Scaffolding, Intervening, and Overriding: Adult Children's Perspectives on Supporting Older Parents
When older parents experience age-related functional limitations, adult children may begin to monitor and try to control their parents' behavior. This shift can lead to tension due to differences in values both generations share, with parents prioritizing autonomy and self-sufficiency and adult children prioritizing safety and convention. Although a great deal of research on the transition from adolescence to adulthood focuses on governance transfer and changing boundaries of autonomy, monitoring, and control, less is known about how this happens in later life. The current study used qualitative methodology to explore the dynamic balance of autonomy, safety, and care between older parents and adult children who provide assistance in their daily lives. It focused on which areas adult children were most likely to monitor and try to control and how they did so, how parents respond to those efforts, and the dynamics of information management. Sixteen adult children who had at least one living parent ( = 53, = 6.1) discussed the challenges of managing two conflicting caregiving goals: respecting parents' autonomy and ensuring parents' moral well-being, health, and safety. Data were analyzed using directive content analysis. Although participants were concerned about the negative consequences of their parents' current behaviors and health conditions, they rarely impinged on their parents' autonomy until they were prompted by an authority figure or had clear evidence that their parents' health or safety were threatened. Parents often kept information about their activities and well-being from their children in order to protect their autonomy. Implications for balancing parents and adult children's goals of governance transfer are discussed.
The Rites of Passage Framework as a Matrix of Transgression Processes in the Life Course
This work shows the contribution of concept of rites of passage and theory of liminality to the understanding of transformations in the course of a person's life. The structural-functional analysis of empirical studies of physical changes, changing roles in society, and key changes in the area of mental and physical health conducted from the perspective of these theories has allowed to identify the three fundamental processes that govern the attainment of transformation and transgression into a new phase of life. The aim of this paper is to set out the processes identified in the course of functional-structural analysis of chosen studies and they comprise: (1) preservation of the sequence of the life course; (2) liminality: deconstruction, integration, and transformation; and (3) performativity. These processes provide a structural framework for understanding life crises, thus facilitating their study as phases of dynamic transformations connected with the successive roles and tasks over the life course.
Established Adults, Who Self-Identify as Smartphone and/or Social Media Overusers, Struggle to Balance Smartphone Use for Personal and Work Purposes
Smartphone ownership and use continues to proliferate, allowing people to easily access online communication, entertainment, and information. Importantly, individuals can perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or the social media applications (apps) they access on their devices. Much of the research on smartphone overuse has focused on youth and emerging adults, with little research focusing on individuals in the established adulthood stage of life. This study examines smartphone use among established adults who perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or social media. As part of a larger study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 21 individuals (30-45 years old) who self-identified as smartphone and/or social media overusers. Data were collected through a pre-survey, 1-hour interview, and smartphone use screenshots. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and then coded using NVivo software. Participants' average age was 35.9 years (SD = 4.1). The majority of the sample were female (67%), White (76%), and had a master's degree or higher (76%). Participants spent an average of 215 min on their smartphone daily, primarily using social media, video conferencing, and texting apps. Issues with smartphone use occurred when there was an unclear separation between work and personal use. Participants felt pressure to always respond quickly to work emails. An effort was made to limit smartphone use for work and during family time to be present for their family. Established adults strive to balance smartphone use for personal and work purposes. Creating boundaries for how and when established adults use their smartphone may help them find this balance.