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Work and Family Commitment and Decision-Making Status Among Emerging Adults

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Abstract

This study was designed to investigate work–family attitudes among emerging adults. Participants were 46 male and 49 female college juniors and seniors. Men and women had similar levels of work and family commitment. For women there was a negative correlation between work and family commitment. Exploratory analyses indicated different relationships between work decision-making status and commitment and family decision-making status and commitment. In addition, whereas men were more likely than women not yet to have thought about family roles, women were more likely than men to have decided about family roles. Implications of these findings for our understanding of the processes and meanings of emerging adult men's and women's decisions about entry into and commitment toward work and family roles are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Consultation Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 389 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, 06511, Connecticut

    Stacey R. Friedman

  2. Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, D.C.

    Carol S. Weissbrod

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  1. Stacey R. Friedman
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  2. Carol S. Weissbrod
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Correspondence to Stacey R. Friedman.

Additional information

Although earlier literature employs the term “young adults” to refer to individuals in the emerging adult stage of development, for the sake of consistency we use the term “emerging adults” throughout this article.

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Friedman, S.R., Weissbrod, C.S. Work and Family Commitment and Decision-Making Status Among Emerging Adults. Sex Roles 53, 317–325 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-6755-2

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