ArticlePsychological medicine2025
Impact of young adult life transitions on adult mental health problems: a propensity score analysis.
Article in Psychological medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Nuts4Brain-RCT: Protocol for a Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Dose-Response Effects of Nut Consumption on Mental Health in Young Adults.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Transitions to adulthood among U.S. young adults with mental health disabilities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: traveling multiple pathways in uncertain times.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundMental health problems commonly persist from childhood to adulthood. This study tested whether young adult life transitions can improve adult mental health symptoms after adjusting for childhood mental health symptoms.
methodsThe analysis uses data from the prospective, representative Great Smoky Mountains Study. Life transitions (e.g., high school completion, partnering, parenthood, and living independently) were assessed up to three times in young adulthood (ages 18 to 26; 3,241 observations). A cumulative variable counted the number of young adult transitions. Emotional, substance use, and antisocial personality symptoms were assessed at age 30 (1,154 participants or 81.2% of the original sample). Propensity models adjusted for early life adversities and psychiatric symptoms.
resultsMultiple young adult transitions were common (m = 4.62; SD = 1.57). After adjusting for childhood mental health problems and adversities, each additional transition was significantly associated with a reduction in subsequent adult emotional symptoms (β = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.59, -0.08,
conclusionsIn this cohort study, life transitions during young adulthood were associated with reduced emotional and behavioral symptoms in adulthood. These transitions may constitute a potential mental health turning point and a specific, modifiable target for social policies.
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