Emerging Adult

The purpose of this paper is to address the trend of declining church attendance among emerging adults by discovering what makes for an effective college-age ministry in hopes that the needs of emerging adults will be better understood and effective methods of ministering to them replicated. A review of relevant literature was conducted in combination with a series of interviews of current and former college-age ministers. The findings of this research suggest that emerging adults need a unique sort of ministry from the church which serves as a bridge between youth and adult ministries and has three key components: (1) authentic community among peers, (2) meaningful service opportunities, and (3) intentional discipleship by older, more mature believers in the church.

Pornind de la concepţia lui Arnett despre faza de dezvoltarea de adult emergent, scopul acestui studiu a fost acela de a examina concepţiile tinerilor din România despre maturitate şi percepţia lor asupra propriului statut. Participanţii au fost 100 de studenţi români de la diferite facultăţi din Cluj-Napoca. Rezultatele au arătat că majoritatea tinerilor români cu vârsta cuprinsă între 18 şi 25 de ani nu se consideră adulţi, iar principalele caracteristici ale maturităţii, în opinia lor sunt capacitatea de a-ţi asuma propriile decizii, de a-ţi asuma responsabilităţi, obţinerea independenţei financiare şi atingerea unui echilibru emoţional. Pentru studenţii români a fi adult înseamnă în primul rând a-ţi asuma propriile decizii independent de părinţi sau alte influenţe, a fi responsabil şi independent financiar. Rezultatele sunt similare cu alte studii realizate în societăţi occidentale putând concluziona că şi în România există o perioadă specifică adulţilor emergenţi.

Abstract
Undergraduate students lack the opportunity and environment to contemplate and develop ecoliteracy skills that serve to integrate subject matter into their everyday experiences. Ecoliteracy is grounded in Capra's web of life theoretical framework and represents students' capacities to read world systems objectively with their head, heart, hands, and spirit. Contemplative pedagogy provides educators with exercises that give students time to reflect on the integration of learning. Ecoliteracy and contemplative pedagogy research has shown little quantitative data pertaining to how contemplative pedagogy affects undergraduate student ecoliteracy. To address that gap, this causal-comparative study measured the use of contemplative pedagogy exercises relative to undergraduate student ecoliteracy. A convenience sample of 150 undergraduate students who did and did not experience contemplative pedagogy exercises completed the New Ecological Paradigm Scale and Self-Compassion Scale Short Form. Independent-samples t tests measured the differences between the 2 groups. Findings indicated that students who did not experience contemplative pedagogy exercises in the classroom were more likely to self-report higher ecoliteracy. A possible interpretation of these findings is that current contemplative pedagogy exercises may focus students' attention internally and not adequately promote the world-centered view that would more readily advance student ecoliteracy skills. Results of this study provide further insight that may inform professional development and contemplative pedagogy exercises that empowers students' ecoliteracy skills by encouraging critical thinking, action, and compassion towards positive social change.

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between Zimbardo time perspectives (TPs) and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE). In total, 1,753 young adults participated in the longitudinal study. For the present study, we selected only participants who were students and provided information on TPs, CDMSE, and sociodemographic characteristics (n ¼ 492, M ¼ 22.97 years, SD ¼ 1.32, 82.9% women). The results of multilevel modeling showed that future orientation and present-hedonistic TPs were positively related to CDMSE, whereas present-fatalistic and past-negative TPs were negatively related to CDMSE. These findings indicate that besides the beneficial effect of widely studied future TP, the negative role of past-negative and present-fatalistic TPs should be considered in connection with the career development of emerging adults.

Pornography has become increasingly accessible in the United States, and particularly for younger Americans. While some research considers how pornography use affects the sexual and psychological health of adolescents and emerging adults, sociologists have given little attention to how viewing pornography may shape young Americans' connection to key social and cultural institutions, like religion. This article examines whether viewing pornography may actually have a secularizing effect, reducing young Americans' personal religiosity over time. To test for this, we use data from three waves of the National Study of Youth and Religion. Random and fixed effects regression models show that more frequent pornography viewing diminishes religious service attendance, prayer frequency, religious salience, and perceived closeness to God, while increasing religious doubts. These effects hold regardless of gender. The effects of viewing pornography on religious salience, closeness to God, and religious doubts are stronger for teenagers compared to emerging adults. In light of the rapidly growing availability and acceptance of pornography for young Americans, our findings suggest that scholars must consider how increasingly pervasive pornography consumption may shape both the religious lives of young adults and also the future landscape of American religion more broadly.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Koru, a mindfulness training program for college students and other emerging adults. Participants: Ninety students (66% female, 62% white, 71% graduate students) participated between Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. It was hypothesized that Koru, compared with a wait-list control group, would reduce perceived stress and sleep problems, and increase mindfulness, self-compassion, and gratitude. Results: As hypothesized, results showed significant Group (Koru, Wait-List) × Time (Pre, Post) interactions for improvements in perceived stress (F[1, 76.40] = 4.50, p = .037, d = .45), sleep problems (F [1, 79.49] = 4.71, p = .033, d = .52), mindfulness (F [1, 79.09] = 26.80, p < .001, d = .95), and self-compassion (F[1, 74.77] = 18.08, p < .001, d = .75). All significant effects were replicated in the wait-list group. Significant correlations were observed among changes in perceived stress, sleep problems, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Conclusions: Results support the effectiveness of the Koru program for emerging adults in the university setting.

Abstract
Educational research affords the opportunity for teacher training programs to bridge learning theory and instructional design. Examining social and emotional learning and the use of pragmatic social constructivism can address the current climate surrounding a high school student and the 21st Century College. A program recommendation concerning the use of a living systems theory lens and learning gardens illustrates how social and emotional learning and pragmatic social constructivism can find practical application. Data collection and research methodologies provide the necessary tools for today’s teacher to engage in the educational system as he or she enters the field or is already involved.
Keywords: social and emotional learning, education research, constructivism, living systems, learning gardens, high school adolescents, college students, emerging adulthood, teacher training

Emerging adulthood is identified as a time of identity exploration, during which emerging adults (EAs) may engage in sexual exploration and risky behaviors, potentially resulting in the contraction of a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Many EAs, do not disclose their status to partners or those who can provide social support, like parents. Nor do they often get tested. This may be due to the changing status of stigma surrounding STIs. This study examines traditional measures of the stigma/shame of STI diagnoses, treatment, and testing, and their relevance alongside both increased opportunities for casual sex and not only heightened education surrounding STIs, but also heightened prevalence of STIs in the U.S. Results show EAs perceived that if their community found out they got tested, they would likely be treated differently. They also felt they would be uncomfortable disclosing an STI to parents as well as to sexual partners. However, disclosing to a monogamous partner yielded less felt shame and stigma by EAs. Lastly, stigma/shame was associated with STI communication, as well as with overall perception of STI knowledge, and getting tested. Further explanation of the results and possible implications of this study are discussed.

Purpose: To determine (1) how reports of the ages of first cigarette smoked and daily smoking onset change from adolescence through emerging adulthood and into young adulthood and (2) what predicts reporting inconsistencies and recanting for both smoking milestones. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression models compared relative risks of the following: (1) consistent reporting of milestone age (reference group); (2) recanting at either subsequent wave; or (3) inconsistent reporting of age in at least one subsequent wave, using data from Waves I, III, and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Results: Instability and forward telescoping between adolescence and emerging adulthood leveled off by young adulthood. For smoking first cigarette, those who started younger had more inconsistencies and recanting than those who started later, as did African-American, Latino, and Asian respondents compared with non-Latino white respondents. Native American respondents also had higher relative risks of recanting, as did those with low parental education. Males were more inconsistent than females. Depression, same-sex attractions or relationships, and family structure were not associated with reporting stability. Binge drinking, marijuana, and other illegal drugs were associated with lower levels of recanting. For age of daily smoking, starting older versus younger, sex, race, ethnicity, and use of marijuana were significant predictors of report stability. Conclusions: Stage of life may influence forward telescoping in smoking self-reports. Stability of reports of adolescent smoking by emerging and young adults in the United States appears biased by age of onset, sex, race, and other substance use.