Trends in Literature About Emerging Adulthood: Review of Empirical Studies

The body of knowledge related to emerging adulthood has grown in the past decade. This study surveyed published empirical research studies on emerging adulthood, from 2000 to April 2015, using Academic Search Complete and PsycINFO databases and references from The Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood website resources. These studies (N = 1,334) consisted of peer-reviewed journal articles reporting on empirical research. This study adds to the current knowledge base for the field of emerging adulthood by providing a critical examination of the main topics, the methods, current research trends, and the most prolific authors and publishing outlets in the field. Implications from these results support emerging adulthood as a global and cross-cultural developmental period and field of study. Additionally, results reveal current research trends and expose the need for significant future research to further expand the emerging adulthood knowledge base.