An Investigation of Developmental Goals and Well-Being in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to investigate emerging adulthood from a goal-setting perspective in the frame of a developmental regulation model. The sample consisted of 396 participants aged between 18 and 30 years. The participants were administered a battery that consisted of Self-Esteem Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Loneliness Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory and questions to determine their life goals and appraisals of these goals. Both future and pasts goals were assessed. Qualitative data analysis indicated that emerging adults’ future goals were mostly related to occupation, education and family and their previous goals were frequently related to education and occupation. Furthermore, older or engaged/married participants stated goals related to family, while single participants most frequently stated goals related with occupation. The study revealed that life satisfaction of the goal engagement participants was significantly higher than those of the goal striving participants. The results showed that young adults set goals appropriate to properties of their developmental period. Furthermore, the results were emphasized the importance of goal appraisals and goal engagement for emerging adults’ well-being.

Keywords

• developmental regulation model
• developmental goals
• well-being
• emerging adulthood