The quarter-life crisis and its experience in young adulthood
Abstract
The study explores the quarter-life crisis, characterised by a re-evaluation of identity, life direction, and decisions, which can manifest during young adulthood. In this study, we draw on O. C. Robinson's model, which describes two types of crisis: the „locked-out“ crisis, typically occurring in the early stages of young adulthood, and the „locked-in“ crisis, more common in its later stages. The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of the quarter-life crisis and examine the differences in psychosocial functioning between two age groups (18 to 29 and 30 to 40) with respect to their experience of the crisis. The sample comprised 514 people between 18 and 29 years of age and 152 between 30 and 40 years of age (73.9% female), who completed an online questionnaire battery. These assessed the experience of the quarter-life crisis (DCQ-12), life satisfaction (SWLS), social support (MOS), meaning in life (MLQ), perceived stress (PSS), and negative emotionality (PHQ-9; anxiety and depression). The findings revealed that the quarter-life crisis was more prevalent among participants aged 18 to 29 (33.7%) compared to those aged 30 to 40 (18.4%). When comparing the psychosocial functioning of the two age groups based on the presence or absence of the crisis, people aged 18 to 29 experiencing the crisis reported lower life satisfaction, higher stress, and greater levels of anxiety. In contrast, participants aged 30 to 40 differed only in anxiety levels, which were higher among those experiencing the crisis.
https://doi.org/10.29364/epsy.525
(Fulltext in Czech)
Keywords
quarter-life crisis, young adulthood, locked-out crisis, locked-in crisisLiterature
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