7 Young Adulthood 201
Another theme of young adulthood is finding a place in the world of
work. Most are unprepared for the possible barriers of the economy. When
they fail to find work, lose their jobs, or need to move from their work for other
reasons, they lose a marker of young adulthood while also losing a salient
aspect of identity. These work losses resonate in ways that impair confidence
and detract from self-esteem just as the young adult is finding a place in society.
Most young adults assume that they will be able to procreate so a dis-
covery of infertility is shocking to them. Because childbearing is a “normative
transition,” infertility thwarts a step in adult development. The transition to
parenthood presents the heterosexual, gay, or lesbian young adult with an
abrupt, dramatic change/loss in their relationship with their partner, which
is unexpected and a loss/change for which they are generally unprepared.
Young adults benefit from group support that allows them to interact with
other young adults who are also dealing with off time losses. This removes
the isolation and sense of oddness many young adults feel as they cope with
their losses. Additionally, helping young adults to stay focused on future goals
and plans seems to assist them with managing their grief and moving forward
into the future where they can find their place in the world, the critical task of
young adulthood.
Discussion Questions
- Discuss the similarities and differences between young adults who lose a
parent and those who lose a spouse or partner. What differential strategies
for intervention would you employ for each type of loss? If pertinent, please
describe differential interventions for heterosexual and homosexual part-
ners whose romantic partners die.
- Describe how the maturational loss of transitioning to parenthood is similar
or different among gay, lesbian, and heterosexual couples. How would you
intervene to support young couples making this transition?
- How would you help a young adult veteran and his or her family when
they reenter their home environment following combat? Please note in your
discussion the developmental tasks of young adulthood as they apply to
your work. What resources are already in place to help families during this
transition and how can they be improved?
