Q.What are the challenges faced by individuals on entry to adulthood?

Individuals entering adulthood face challenges across two main fronts — building a career and entering the world of work, and forming stable adult relationships through marriage and parenthood — all while making the broader shift from dependence to independence. …

Entry into adulthood brings a distinct set of challenges, largely organised around the two major tasks of early adulthood identified in the chapter: exploring the possibilities for adult living, and developing a stable life structure. The twenties represent a 'novice phase' of adult development, during which a young person is expected to make a gradual transition from dependence to independence, forming a clearer picture of the kind of life they want, especially with regard to marriage and career.

One major set of challenges centres on career and work. Earning a living, choosing an occupation, and building a career are central themes for people in their twenties and thirties. Entering work life for the first time is itself a challenging event — there are natural apprehensions about making the right adjustments, about proving one's competence and performance in a new setting, about dealing with competition from others, and about coping with the expectations of both one's employer and oneself. This period also marks the beginning of an entirely new set of roles and responsibilities that a young adult has not previously had to manage. …