Eme
erging Adultho
ood Research
h Area
Bennett Pierrce Preventio
on Research C
Center
The
e Pennsylvaniia State Univversity
EMERGIN
NG ADULT
THOOD
The research program on preven
nting risk be
ehaviors in e
emerging adu
ulthood has been evolviing
in the Be
ennett Pierce Prevention
n Research Center
C
for tthe past deccade. The tra
ansition perriod
following
g high schoo
ol is a time of
o many chan
nges as indivviduals makke strides to adulthood.
Some ind
dividuals atttend college while otherrs go on to rreceive tech
hnical trainin
ng or join th
he
workforc
ce. This deve
elopmental phase has been charactterized by A
Arnett (2002)) as consistin
ng of
identity exploration,
e
, instability,, self-focus, a feeling off being in-be
etween adollescence and
d
complete
e adulthood, and unpara
alleled oppo
ortunities. Itt is a time w
when individuals attemp
pt to
support themselves
t
by part or fu
ulltime jobs and establiish many new
w friendship
p networks. This
new inde
ependence requires
r
the individual to
t make dailly decisions regarding tiime use and life
style cho
oices without direct adu
ult input. These same de
ecisions are also require
ed about the
e use
of alcoho
ol, drugs, an
nd risky sex.
Unfortun
nately, data suggest that a high percentage of iindividuals m
make decisio
ons to drinkk in a
frequentt heavy episo
odic mannerr, use prescrription and iillegal drugss regularly, a
and engage in
high-risk sexual activvities. Thus,, it has been
n argued thaat these beh
haviors pose the greatesst
risk to th
he health of individuals as they mak
ke the transiition from a
adolescence to adulthoo
od
(Hingson et al., 2002
2; Maggs & Schulenberg
S
, 2005). The
e widespread
d prevalence of substan
nce
abuse an
nd high-risk sexual
s
activity has unde
erscored the
e need for em
mpirically su
upported
interventtions. As an example, numerous approaches to
o preventive interventions with have
e
been forw
warded, inc
cluding unive
ersal (Turrisi et al., 20001), selective
e (Larimer e
et al., 2001;
2007) and indicated preventive efforts (Marrlatt et al., 1998).
In additio
on to policy-based apprroaches (Borrmann & Sto
one, 2001), ssuggested m
modalities for
these intterventions have
h
include
ed environm
mental, grou p-based, and individuall-level
interventtions (see La
arimer & Cro
once, 2002; 2007 for a rreview). Eacch unique ap
pproach carries
with it bo
oth advanta
ages and disa
advantages, and the sco
ope of substtance abuse requires tha
at it
be addre
essed across multiple do
omains, thro
ough the inte
egration of vvarious emp
piricallyvalidated
d approache
es.
The Prevvention Rese
earch Centerr in the Colle
ege of Healtth and Huma
an Developm
ment, as parrt of
its missio
on, promote
es research on
o the etiolo
ogy of preve
enting risk behaviors and
d developingg
sustainab
ble evidence
e-based inte
erventions fo
or this criticcal developm
mental perio
od.
GOALS
1) To con
nduct and su
upport high-quality scho
olarship on tthe etiology of preventing risk
behaviorrs in emergin
ng adulthood
d that inform
m preventio
on efforts.
1
Emerging Adulthood Research Area
Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
The Pennsylvania State University
2) To conduct and support high-quality scholarship on developing sustainable evidence based
prevention efforts as individuals’ transition from adolescent into adulthood.
3) To develop and support a community of scientists and practitioners that conduct highquality scholarship on preventing risk behaviors in emerging adulthood.
4) To disseminate scientific findings to support the prevention of risk behaviors in emerging
adulthood for individuals, families, schools, communities, workplaces, and government
agencies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Rob Turrisi, Ph.D.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16803
rturrisi@psu.edu
(814) 865-7808
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