Naslov
Dimensions of emerging adulthood and depression in Croatian young people.

Autori
Živčić–Bećirević, Ivanka ; Smojver-Ažić, Sanja ; Martinac Dorčić, Tamara

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Skup
SSEA Thematic conference: Self and Identity in Emerging Adulthood

Mjesto i datum
Cluj-Napoca, Rumunjska, 17.05.2018. - 19.05.2018

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
emerging adults, dimensions of emerging adulthood, depression, professional status

Sažetak
Introduction and aim: The research on emerging adulthood are mainly focused on college students, while less is known about perception of this period in employed or unemployed and its relations with well-being. The focus on young people with different professional status is especially important in countries with high unemployment rate like Croatia. The main aim of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood in Croatian sample of young people and check the differences in the dimensions of emerging adulthood and depression regarding gender and the professional status (students, employed and unemployed). Additionally, we wanted to check the contribution of dimensions of emerging adulthood to depressive symptoms after controlling for demographics (age and gender) and transitional markers (professional status, living with or away from parents, having a romantic partner). Methods: The sample of 579 Croatian students, employed and unemployed young people (age 19 to 28) have been assessed. The measures included Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Results: The factor analysis resulted with four interpretable factors: possibilities, instability, self-focused and identity exploration. The effects of gender and professional status, after controlling for age, are different for specific dimensions of emerging adulthood. Females and unemployed perceive this period more as time of self- focusing. The unemployed perceive this period as time of instability the most, while students perceive it more than employed youth. Even if females in average see this period more as time of instability and identity exploration, among unemployed gender differences are in the opposite way. The unemployed young people report more depressive symptoms comparing to students and employed, with men being more affected by unemployment than women. All dimensions of emerging adulthood were significant predictors of depression, after controlling for age, gender and transitional markers, with all the predictors explaining 31% of the variance. Perceiving this period more as a time of instability and identity exploration and less as a time of possibility and self- focusing predict higher depression. Discussion and implications: Different factor structure of IDEA in Croatian sample of emerging adults may reflect development in specific cultural and societal context. Our results confirm that perceptions of Emerging Adulthood vary across demographics and transitional markers such as gender and professional status. Gender differences are more pronounced among unemployed emerging adults. Unemployment has more detrimental effects on males than females. These results may be helpful in development of the preventive programs for emerging adults, especially in societies with high unemployment rates.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA