Introduction Outline
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Hypothesis: There is a direct relationship between role transitions and perceived stress
such that the greater number of role transitions a person is experiencing, perceived levels
of stress also increase.
Key Definitions:
 Perceived Stress- an individual’s perception of the amount of stress they are
experiencing (Cohen 1983)
 Role Transition- a shift in a person’s identity that can occur at different points
throughout the aging process; key developmental tasks include becoming
employed, getting married, completing education, and becoming a parent
(Howard, Galambos & Krahn 2010)
 Emerging adulthood- period of development spanning from ages 18-29 marked by
many major life transitions
Main Points:
 Life transitions on their own may not increase perceived stress, however, if a life
transition is perceived as unsuccessful this may increase perceived stress (Article
#2, Article #1, Article #4, Article #5)
 Gender does affect the amount of perceived stress an individual experiences
(Article #5 and #7), but it does not moderate the relationship between emerging
adulthood and stress
 Certain life transitions may be perceived as being more stressful than others; for
example, changes in employment or housing (Article #2, #4, and #7)
 Role transitions may relieve stress temporarily (Article #1, #2, and #4)
 How an individual copes or how much an individual believes they have the
capacity to succeed with a role transition matters more than the transition itself
(Article #3 and #7)
 Perceived stress caused by role transition may result in an individual using
unhealthy coping mechanisms (Article #1) or have negative impacts on an
individual’s health, causing more physical health symptoms (Article #5) (could
potentially use more research, would be good to have information on nicotine or
e-cigarette usage in emerging adulthood as well)
Article #1: Negative Evaluation of Role Transitions is associated with perceived stress
and alcohol consequences (Cadigan et. al. 2021)
 Sample: Young adult drinkers in the PNW (n=767, ages 18-25, 57% women)
 Increased number of role transitions is not linked to perceived stress but is linked
to HED (heavy episodic drinking) and negative alcohol-related consequences
 Negatively perceived role transitions are associated with both increased perceived
stress and higher risk for negative alcohol-related consequences
 Participants went to an initial in-person evaluation session, then completed
follow-up surveys for 24 consecutive months following their in-person session
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Surveys asked participants about what role transitions they have recently
experienced as well as the number of HED episodes they had in the last month,
and they were also asked to take Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale
 Role transitions were negatively associated with stress, with individuals reporting
less stress during months with more role transitions
 There is a need for increased coping skills and support for young adults
experiencing negative role transitions
Article #2: Transitions in emerging adulthood and stress among young Australian women
(Bell & Lee, 2008)
 Major life transitions that are normal (for example, marriage, or moving out of the
house) are not found to increase perceived stress
 Life transitions outside of the norm are associated with higher levels of perceived
stress
 Residential transitions had the largest change in stress levels, with those who are
still living with parents or moving back in with parents experiencing highest
increases in stress levels
 Going from single to married actually brings a significant decrease in perceived
stress
 Individuals that studied, worked, and lived independently experienced the highest
levels of perceived stress
Article #3: Self-Efficacy, Perceived Stress and Individual Adjustment Among CollegeAttending Emerging adults (Madson et. al 2022).
 Sample (N=693, ages 18-29)
 Greater amounts of self-efficacy have a negative association with perceived stress
(the greater amount of self-efficacy an individual has, the lower amount of stress
they perceive themselves to have)
Article #4: Life Transitions, Role Histories, and Mental Health (Wheaton 1990)
 Life events actually may provide a temporary reprieve from chronic stress
associated with that role
 Job loss may provide temporary stress-relief amongst most groups of people
(except for unmarried women)
 When transition out of a stressful role provides benefits for mental health, it
cancels out the stress effects the transition itself may have
Article #5: Transitioning Through Emerging Adulthood and Physical Health Implications
(Barlett, Barlett & Chalk 2020)
 Perception of unsuccessful role transition is linked to higher amounts of perceived
stress
 Stress acts as a mediator in the relationship between unsuccessful role transition
in emerging adulthood and physical health symptoms
 Stress did not mediate the relationship between feeling “in-between” or identityconfusion and physical health symptoms
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Women are more likely to report higher levels of stress, however, gender does not
moderate the relationship between emerging adulthood and physical health
symptoms
Article #6: Paths to Success in Young Adulthood from Mental Health and Life
Transitions in Emerging Adulthood (Howard, Galambos & Krahn 2010)
 “Mental health in adolescence foreshadows adult outcomes”
Article #7: Stress and Psychological Distress in Emerging Adulthood: A Gender
Analysis” (Matud, Bethencourt & Ibáñez 2020)
 Women report higher levels of psychological distress and perceived stress than
men
 Minor stressors have a higher impact on well-being than major life events
 Changes related to work were most frequently cited by emerging adults as a
source of stress
 Emotional coping style and lower self-esteem are the bigger predictors of
psychological distress
References:
Barlett, C. P., Barlett, N. D., & Chalk, H. M. (2020). Transitioning Through Emerging
Adulthood and Physical Health Implications. Emerging Adulthood, 8(4), 297–305.
https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696818814642
Bell, & Lee, C. (2008). Transitions in emerging adulthood and stress among young Australian
women. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15(4), 280–288.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10705500802365482
Cadigan, J., Fleming, C. B., Patrick, M. E., Lewis, M. A., Rhew, & et. al. (2021). Negative
evaluation of role transitions is associated with perceived stress and alcohol consequences:
Examination of the Transitions Overload Model in young adulthood using two years of monthly
data. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 45(8), 1607–1615.
https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14636
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A Global Measure of Perceived Stress.
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404
Grahe, J. E. et. al. (2018). Emerging Adulthood Measured at Multiple Institutions 2: The Data.
Journal of Open Psychology Data, 6: 4, DOI: https://doi.org/10/5334/jopd.38
Howard, Galambos, N. L., & Krahn, H. J. (2010). Paths to success in young adulthood from
mental health and life transitions in emerging adulthood. International Journal of Behavioral
Development, 34(6), 538–546. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025410365803
Madson, R. C., Perrone, P. B., Goldstein, S. E., & Lee, C.-Y. S. (2022). Self-efficacy, perceived
stress, and individual adjustment among college-attending emerging adults. Youth, 2(4), 668–
680. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth2040047
Matud, M., Díaz, A., Bethencourt, J., & Ibáñez, I. (2020). Stress and Psychological Distress in
Emerging Adulthood: A Gender Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(9), 2859. MDPI AG.
Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm9092859
Wheaton. (1990). Life Transitions, Role Histories, and Mental Health. American Sociological
Review, 55(2), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095627