Professor Oliver Robinson: "Quarter-life crisis" around the world

Prof Oliver Robinson, Regent's University will present "Quarter-life crisis" around the world: An analysis of brief written accounts from emerging adults in 8 countries

"Quarter-life crisis" around the world: An analysis of brief written accounts from emerging adults in 8 countries

Abstract: I will present and discuss a recent research study in which we assessed prevalence and brief written descriptions of early adult crisis in 18–29-year-olds from eight countries (UK, Greece, Czechia, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Brazil), with
a total sample of N=2247. The three research questions that directed the inquiry were as follows: 1) What is the prevalence of self-reported developmental crisis episodes in emerging adults across the UK, Greece, Czechia, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Indonesia
and Brazil? 2) What emotions and events are conveyed within brief written descriptions of these crisis episodes? 3) How do the written emotions and events compare in content and frequency across the participating countries? Crisis prevalence rates found ranged
from 40% to 77% per country. Thematic analysis of descriptions of crisis elicited external and internal crisis features. With regards to external features, the most prevalent were career transition, financial difficulties, studying-based stress and struggle,
and family difficulties. Internal features that were most prevalent were feeling fearful/anxious/worried, negative self-evaluation, feeling sad/down, and feelings of confusion/uncertainty. Some countries showed specific features, such as a high prevalence
of political and economic issues in Pakistan, but there was a high level of consistency across countries, pointing to similar transitional challenges and issues faced by young adults around the world.

Professor Oliver Robinson is a specialist in the psychology of adult development and life transitions. He has also developed a range of widely used qualitative methodological techniques. He has authored over 70 journal articles, and written the textbook
Development through Adulthood, published by Bloomsbury, which is used by students and academics around the world.

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