The current study contributes to the ongoing discussion about validity and utility of global and domain-specific assessment of identity processes in emerging adulthood (EA) by using a three-dimensional model of identity development and examining four identity domains (best friend, education, occupation, and partner). The links between global and domain-specific identity processes and main features of EA are analyzed in the Eastern European context, which is largely underrepresented in studies on identity development. Participants were 1,217 (49.9% females) emerging adults aged between 20 and 31 years ( M_age = 25.89, SD_age = 3.51). This study showed that global identity processes only partly explain domain-specific ones and that domain-specific processes have unique links with features of EA. Taken together, this study shows that consideration of different life domains to measure identity processes is essential, since identity development in friendship, partnership education, and work domains can have different associations with outcomes of interest.

Young adulthood (18–30 years old) is a crucial period due to its developmental tasks such as career establishment and financial independence. However, young adults’ relative lack of resources makes them vulnerable to employment disruptions (job loss and income loss), which may have both immediate and long-term effects on their financial wellbeing and mental health. The economic impact of COVID-19 restrictions resulted in an increase in unemployment and a decrease in income worldwide, especially for young adults. This study examined to what extent and how job loss and income loss due to the pandemic influenced young adults’ perception of their present financial wellbeing, future financial wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing by using cross-sectional survey data collected from six countries (China, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, and the United States). Results showed that the impact of income loss and job loss on all three types of wellbeing were mediated by young adults’ negative perception of the COVID-19 lockdown restriction (i.e., perceived as a misfortune). Cross-country differences existed in the key variables. The association between employment disruptions, young adults’ perception of the COVID-19 lockdown restriction, and wellbeing were equivalent across countries except China. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Financial behaviors are grounded in family financial socialization, and its effects continue well into people’s life course. However, only a handful of studies have addressed dimensionality of family financial socialization practices. Even fewer studies have investigated how different dimensions of financial socialization are linked to financial identity and distal outcomes such as financial behaviors and anxiety. To address this gap, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 481 emerging adults (57.8% women; M _age = 20.27, SD _age = 1.39). The results suggest that family financial socialization practices are multidimensional and that they have different effects on the outcomes. Specifically, direct parental teaching on money management and openness about family finances are related to favorable outcomes (i.e., higher spending self-control, less impulsive buying, and lower financial anxiety), while experiencing financial distress within a family is related to less favorable outcomes. The results also suggest that financial identity may play an essential role in this process.

Becoming independent from parental financial support and developing financial capabilities are important life tasks in emerging adulthood (EA). However, research on how the accomplishment of these tasks contributes to perceptions of EA features is rare. This study investigates how functioning in the financial domain shapes perceptions of EA features during the early years of EA. Participants in this short-term longitudinal study were 533 emerging adults (57.2% women; M_age = 18.94, SD_age = .73, range 18–21 years) freshly enrolled into a set of programs at three higher education institutions. Results show that (a) financial well-being promotes more desirable (perceived) EA features, while financial difficulties tend to be related to more negative ones; (b) change in economic dependence is primarily driven by financial well-being; (c) (perceived) features of EA also contribute to how one functions in financial life; and (d) parental socioeconomic status plays at least some role in these matters.