Young Adults' Perceived Purposes of Emerging Adulthood: Implications for Cohabitation

ABSTRACT

The authors investigated associations between young adults' perceived purposes of emerging adulthood and their attitudes toward and participation in cohabitation. In a sample of 775 never married individuals, ages 18–29 (69% female, 69% white) from the United States, young people's perceptions of this period of life were associated with their acceptance of cohabitation, their reasoning for accepting cohabitation, and the likelihood of cohabiting. Results showed that the perception that emerging adulthood is a time to prepare for future family roles was negatively associated with acceptance of cohabitation whereas the perception that emerging adulthood is a time to take risks was positively associated with acceptance of cohabitation. The perception that emerging adulthood is a time to prepare for future family roles was associated with an increased likelihood of having cohabited while the perception that emerging adulthood is a time of possibilities was associated with a decreased likelihood of having cohabited. Implications for future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• attitudes toward cohabitation
• cohabitation
• emerging adulthood
• views of emerging adulthood

Author Notes

Adam A. Rogers is a graduate student in the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University. Rogers' research focuses on the promotion of adolescents' and emerging adults' health behaviors through positive family processes.

Brian J. Willoughby is an Assistant Professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Willoughby's research focuses on couple and family formation, as well as healthy relationship and sexual development.

Larry J. Nelson is a Professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Nelson's research focuses on children's and emerging adults' social and emotional development as it relates to social withdrawal.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Carolyn McNamara Barry and Stephanie Madsen for their extensive help on Project READY data collection. The authors also express appreciation to the instructors and students at all Project READY data collection sites for their assistance.

Funding

We are grateful for the grant support from the Family Studies Center at Brigham Young University, as well as a junior faculty sabbatical grant from Loyola Marymount University.