Hurry up and wait: Developmental anxiety during the transition to adulthood

Abstract

Growing up is rarely easy, yet adolescents and young adults today are reporting distress at rates never seen before. We propose this trend can be traced to societal forces that accelerate and suppress development, resulting in developmental anxiety (i.e., worry about meeting adult milestones on time, if ever). Drawing on foundational theories from developmental and family sciences, we introduce hurries and waits as umbrella terms for these simultaneous and contradictory forces and explain how developmental anxiety may arise from the tension they place on young people. We next identify strengths that both young people and their families can use to navigate hurry–wait tension, and close with an agenda for future research. This updated, systems‐based lens on the transition to adulthood prepares the field to help young people achieve the fulfilling adult life that previous generations looked forward to with greater promise.