The Transitory Nature of Parent, Sibling and Romantic Partner Relationships in Emerging Adulthood

This volume provides a theoretical and empirical review of the societal and educational factors that contribute to ’emerging adulthood’. This developmental stage occurs between adolescence and adulthood and can be regarded as a relatively new phase in research on development. The book specifically examines how these societal and educational changes have contributed to the transitory nature of emerging adulthood and the resulting consequences. Particular attention is paid to the transitory nature of this stage of life, primarily in regard to relationship dynamics. The book examines the nature of the parental relationship during emerging adulthood. It uses qualitative data from a recent phenomenological study to illustrate unique aspects of the parental relationship during this stage and discusses the findings in the context of existing empirical work. The book provides a holistic and thorough examination of emerging adulthood in general and the parental dynamics present during this stage, in particular.

AVIDAN MILEVSKY, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and a licensed clinical professional counselor at Wellspring Counseling, Towson, MD. He was the founding chair of the Psychology Department at Touro College South and is a visiting professor at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He serves as the director of the Center for Parenting Research at KU. His research has produced over 100 conference presentations, and more than 20 papers in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Social Development, Educational Psychology, the European Journal of Developmental Psychology, Child and Family Studies, and the Journal of Adult Development. He is also a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Adolescence. His most recent book on siblings, Sibling Relationships in Childhood and Adolescence: Predictors and Outcomes, was published by Columbia University Press.