Emerging Adulthood As A Group Of Individuals Who Lack...

The older generations view emerging adulthood as a group of individuals who lack discipline and express self-destructive behavior’s for no apparent reason, however studies have shown that it is more complex and dynamic than just lacking discipline. The group comprising emerging adults surpasses every other group in the use of drugs, alcohol, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s). Emerging adults have a feeling of being â€Å"in-between† and are focused on figuring out who they are while trying to reach stability (financially and emotionally) in a world with ample opportunities and myriad distractions. There is a dynamic interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors that drive this unique stage of development and†¦show more content†¦Research conducted by Hingson (2005) estimated that â€Å"1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.† Noting as well that â€Å"696,000 students† of the same age group were assaulted by another student that was drunk and â€Å"97,000 students reported alcohol related sexual assault or date rape† (Hingson et al, 2005). The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) found that men were more likely to obtain an accidental injury than women. About 13% of men sustained an accidental injury compared to about 7.5% of the women, noting that the age group was 18-24 and was significantly higher than any other age group (NCHS, 2014). In the category of STD’s, emerging adults once again take the lead compared to other age groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that â€Å"young people aged 15-24 years acquire half of all the new STD’s and that 1 in 4 sexually active adolescent females have an STD (CDC, 2014). The statistics speak for themselves, however, they do not explain why this particular group’s behavior is more destructi ve relative to the other stages of development. In comparing the destructive behaviors of emerging adults with other stages, several factors have to be considered, one of which is biological. Brain maturation, primarily the area of the brain responsible for