Negotiating Emerging Adulthood at the Onset of COVID-19 in Singapore

Abstract

Historical events and cultural contexts have major implications for emerging adults’ developmental experiences. Underpinned by the theory of emerging adulthood, this study examined how COVID-19 interacted with Singapore youths’ negotiation of emerging adulthood. We employed a mixed-methods design and drew on Telegram text messaging among 757 Singapore youths ( Mage = 19.60, SD = .63) at the onset of the pandemic. Using qualitative analysis, we examined whether the five features of emerging adulthood were salient in the context of the pandemic among Singapore youths. Using the quantitative methodology of topic modelling, we identified five culturally salient domains that emerged in Singapore youths’ negotiation of the developmental features of emerging adulthood at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with work and studies being the most salient domain. Finally, quantitative analysis using a person-centered approach revealed four classes of youths with varying patterns of how experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic interacted with their negotiation of developmental features and domains of emerging adulthood: the Struggling youths, Relationship-Oriented youths, Me generation, and Go-Getters. Results from this study revealed how the pandemic and socio-cultural conditions of the Singapore society presented a unique developmental context for emerging adults. Practical implications for supporting each group of emerging adults are discussed.

Trajectories of emotional disclosure with parents during the college transition among Asian first-year students.

“…Fourth, the present study was conducted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Except for a few recent studies (e.g., Yeo & Yang, 2023), there is limited research on how the pandemic affected college attendance and stressors among emerging adults worldwide, including Asian contexts such as Singapore (Yeo & Yang, 2023), and this can present possible effect on the emotional disclosure processes, but the nature of the effect is difficult to predict. The fact that there are different theoretical perspectives for some of the facets (as outlined in the introduction) also makes it difficult to conjecture the effects, if any, of COVID-19.…”