The Transition Between Adolescence &

Adulthood

Transitions in life are inevitable. The transition between adolescence and

adulthood is a process in which adolescents experience several important
changes as they grow into adults. During the process of this transition,
adolescents engage in self-exploration, develop new skills, make major
adjustments, and learn to cope with new experiences. Adolescence is
that period of life when individuals start experiences new changes in
their bodies and minds whereas adulthood is that period of life when
individuals start accepting these changes and form a perspective about
themselves. Adolescence brings the physical development of puberty, as
well as cognitive, social, and emotional changes. Following adolescence,
transitions are less obvious, but still significant throughout emerging
adulthood and adulthood. Finally, growing older means confronting
many psychological, emotional, and social issues. This is a very
important and exciting time for all young people.

During this period most individuals take steps to explore their

personality, their interests, their capabilities, their needs, and most
importantly to live more independently and freely. These steps, which
involve completing school and training, launching work lives, and
developing relationships with others, can greatly influence much of their
future adult life. In the course of this transition to adulthood, individuals
are neither children nor mature adults. Their understanding, perspective,
and needs are quite different from those who are older or young. During
this transition, individuals undergo a lot of developmental changes,
mainly psychosocial, that influence their personality. Psychosocial
development mainly occurs in 5 main areas – cognitive development,
social development, moral development, social-sexual development, and
identity formation. 
Cognitive development includes – abstract thinking, hypothetical
thinking (assumptions), having insight or self-awareness, generating
multiple ideas, future planning, calibrating risks and rewards, making
judgments, etc. Delay or hindrance in cognitive development may lead
to poor self-image, low self-esteem, inability in developing and
executing plans, self-doubt, poor concentration, lack of focus, etc. 

Social development includes – complex friendships involving

mutuality, intimacy, and loyalty, increased perspective-taking, influence
of peer relations peak, then decline into adulthood, Social context shifts
from lots of daily contact with many classmates to smaller social
networks and work social settings, etc. Delays or hindrances in social
development result in complex peer relationships, difficulty in
expressing, poor communication skills, low convincing power,
emotional pain due to social repercussions, etc.

Moral development includes – increased knowledge of the difference

between rights and wrongs, more able to understand “mitigating
circumstances” of moral rules, more empathetic responses, ability to
sacrifice, the desire of doing something good and productive, etc. Delay
or hindrance in moral development may lead to reduced quality and
quantity of friendships, low success in the workplace, increased criminal
behavior, low understanding of other people’s emotions, etc.

Social-sexual development includes – development of new forms of

emotional intimacy, sexual orientation and gender identity resolves,
Skills to negotiate sexual relationships typically on par with social
development, Sexual behavior can impact roles in peer groups, etc.
Delay or hindrance in social-sexual development may lead to the
inability in having healthy sexual relationships or practicing safe sex.
Individuals who have alternative gender identities or sexual orientations
are at greater risk of physical abuse, homelessness, and suicide. Also,
individuals with histories of sexual abuse have more difficulty in
forming healthy sexual relationships.
Identity formation includes – asking questions about self, feeling of
uniqueness while connected to others, produces boundary-pushing,
developing perspective about self, ownership of identity choices, etc.
Delay or hindrance in identity formation may lead to existential crisis,
self-doubt, difficulty in making role choices; occupation, friend or
spouse, poor self-image, validation-seeking behavior, undue influence of
others on self-evaluation, etc. 

Some teens go through the transition quickly and easily than others,
adapting to responsibilities that come with the freedom of adult choices.
Parents might think that their children’s life has changed drastically in
the spur of a moment but, these transitions are slow and it is incredibly
important to give time to an individual to adjust with new experiences,
feelings, and ideas. Some ways to ease this transition can be - 
provide yourself choices, stay firm in your values and beliefs, talk to
someone who listens to you, be patient, accept your mistakes, learn to
forgive, take new responsibilities, put your ego aside, and become
assertive.