The early adult transition and friendships: mechanisms of support

The early adult transition is a neglected but increasingly important stage in the human life cycle. Research indicates that friends are a primary choice of support for young adults faced with developmental tasks such as choice of careers, consolidation of personal identity, and formation of long-term intimate relationships. This study sought to describe and categorize the specific processes by which friends serve to influence the emerging life structures of early adulthood. Five categories were developed from open-ended interviews of 34 young adults ranging from 20 to 28 years of age. These categories describe friends in the roles of models, active agents for change, reactors, interactors, and passive influences. Further specificity is gained through the descriptions of 13 subcategories. Implications of preliminary findings using these categories are discussed.