MARKERS OF ADULTHOOD AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN EMERGING ADULTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH POLICY AND PREVENTION

Abstract

“Emerging Adulthood” is an independent and distinctive phase of development in human life, a crucial transition between adolescence and adulthood proposed by Arnett (2000). It is characterized by identity formation, seeking autonomy, adopting adult roles and responsibilities but also the period of heightened uncertainty, role strain, confusion and increased vulnerability of mental health challenges. This narrative review synthesize the collected evidence on objective and subjective markers of adulthood and examine the interplay of  factors and markers  with wellbeing of young adults, with a critical focus on structural and sociocultural transformations impacting this phase of development in Pakistani context. For this purpose, peer-reviewed studies in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Google Scholar over the last 30 years were included, specifically targeting objective and subjective markers of adulthood and their associations with adult mental health outcomes. The analysis of the researches indicated that both objective (i.e., education, employment, financial autonomy, marriage) and subjective markers (i.e., identity, responsibility, and perceived independence) of adult status interact with each other in a complex way to determine an individual's level of well-being. Individuals who experience delays or interruptions during their transition to adulthood often experience increased stress and anxiety and report lower levels of life satisfaction than those who transition without delay (especially in lower-middle income contexts). In conclusion, marking adulthood serves as one social determinant of mental health during emerging adulthood. The inclusion of developmentally appropriate transitions in public health policy and preventive strategies may improve emerging adults' ability to cope, develop resilience, and improve overall health and well-being. In lower middle income countries like Pakistan, where socio-cultural expectation and economic constraints intersect each other, the culturally relevant interventions may play a significant role in prevention of alarming rise in mental health issues while reducing the economic burden on health care systems, consequently promoting wellbeing.