Pathways to Adulthood in Rural America: A Latent Profile and Latent Transition Analysis of Adult Social Roles.

The transition to adulthood is characterized by the assumption of adult social roles, which are well documented in the literature; however, rural young adults remain understudied, especially using nationally representative samples. Therefore, this study analyzed a rural subsample of young adults from Add Health (N = 2562, 63.8% white, 34.2% Black, 50% female) using latent profile and latent transition analyses. Latent profiles at the average ages of 21-22 and 28-29 were identified highlighting transitions in education, work, and family formation. Two profiles previously unidentified in the literature emerged, high school graduates living with parents and prolonged transitioners, characterized by living with parents and limited transitions in romantic relationships and parenthood. Rural young people most likely to be in these profiles were male, Black, and from disadvantaged backgrounds. High school graduates living with parents and prolonged transitioners also had high probabilities of living in a rural area late in the transition to adulthood. Female and Black rural young adults had the highest probabilities of transitioning from the high school graduates living with parents profile to the prolonged transitioners profile. These empirically established role transitions and pathways to adulthood in rural communities can help inform investments, policies, and future research to support rural young adults following varying pathways during the transition to adulthood.