Transitions in emerging adulthood and stress among young Australian women

Background: Emerging adulthood involves major transitions in social roles and high levels of stress, which may affect later health.Purpose: To examine cross-sectionally and longitudinally the relationships of stress to roles in four life domains — residential independence from family of origin, employment, relationships, and motherhood — among young adult women.Method: 8,749 young women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health provided data at Survey 1, ages 18–23, and Survey 2, ages 22–27.Results: Contrary to expectation, major life transitions were associated with low and reducing levels of stress. Cross-sectionally, living independently, not being a student, being married, and being a mother were associated with the lowest stress. Normative transitions such as moving out of home, finding work, or motherhood were associated with no change in stress, while marrying was associated with a decrease in stress. Three types of transition were associated with increases in stress: non-normative transitions to more “adolescent” statuses, no transition, and transitions occurring earlier than normative.Conclusion: High levels of stress at this age are associated with unusual changes, delays in changing, or changing earlier than one’s peers. The normative transitions of young adulthood are not associated with high levels of stress. The research on which this article is based was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, The University of Newcastle and The University of Queensland. We are grateful to the Australian Department of Health and Aging for funding, and to the women who provided the survey data.