Here is the New Yorker cover mentioned in the article, http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2010-05-24

I feel that Arnett and the proponents of "Emerging Adulthood" are really on to something. I think that I'm not ready to declare that "emerging adulthood " is a distinct dsevelopmental stage, but I'm really glad that Arnett is. As I worked out with Shane my partner, I would like to provide some counterpoints as to why this phenomenon may be good for our society and why the research is really essential. (However I am terribly late in posting)

The amount of evidence and scientific research necessary inorder to conclude that there is a new developmental stage is monumental. In the beginning of the 20th century childhood was not recognized as a developmental stage. It was only with the pioneering work of Sigmeund Freud and other instrumental figures of psychology that childhood and adolescence became accepted developmental stages. Now since then there are very few mental health professionals practicing the intitial science of Freud and Co. because the field has rapidly developed.

Similarly we may be on the cusp of such a monumental discovery about the later years development of the Human being. Shane remarked that the fuzzy definition of adulthood is a weak point in the discussion, but its also a strength as well. How can we as a society be satisfied with such a limited understanding of our adult lives?

Unlike in the earlier developmental stages of a human where we are less eloquent, "Emerging Adulthood" is in stark contrast because it has a very large and growing grass roots movement of emerging adults who are speaking for themselves. Here are two blogs by emerging adults:

The first is mentioned in NPR discussion which Shane dug up.(which is really interesting and it gives new life to the Henig article because you can hear her personal opinion which i feel is very skeptical of emerging adulthood.) This blog is very polished and articulate. http://20-nothings.blogspot.com/

Here is a wonderful little blog that is pretty raw but is extremely creative. The Blogger has written a cartoon and made a playlist of songs that capture his feelings as an emerging adult.

http://blogs.pitch.com/wayward/2010/08/better_living_in_emerging_adul.php

Consider how the demographic of emerging adulthood has a growing voice. Examine how Arnett and his collegues are organizing conferences of mental health professionals, widening their studies, and building networks where both professionals and emrging adults themselves can share their experiences with the world. If you feel that you are an emerging adult you can participate in Arnett's studies on his website.

Here is a wikipedia page founded for emerging adulthood, Arnett's homepage and a fellow colleague of Arnetts who is quite the blogger http://www.jeffreyarnett.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerging_adulthood

http://emergingadulthood.blogspot.com/2007/02/at-last-months-emerging-adulthood.html

Here is the Yellow Brick clinic mentioned in the Articles website

http://www.yellowbrickprogram.com/

Furthermore I think that this research is spurring on scientists to examine how the adult brain continues to change. Emerging adults and beyond were previously believed to have finished their primary brain growth and studies now show that significant growth occurs late in the twenties and maybe even more. (This discovery was mentioned in the article) See one well published study:

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/short/22/3/629

The Emerging adulthood phenomenon brings the point home that there is just so much more for us to learn about ourselves and how we function. It also can give us a hopeful sense that even as we age we can still change if we want to, rediscover and adventure.