Pathways to Independence: Family and Individual Dynamics of Leaving Home in Emerging Adulthood

Research output: ThesisDoctoral thesis 1 (Research UU / Graduation UU)

Abstract

Despite the increasing trend of young individuals postponing home-leaving over the past decade, leaving home after high school, particularly to attend university, remains a common pathway to independence. Many young individuals still take this opportunity to leave the parental home, and questions regarding the predictors of this significant life course event and its effect at the individual and family level remain important. How do individual and family-related factors influence the likelihood of leaving home in emerging adulthood? To what extent does adolescents’ motivation play a role in the home-leaving process? What is the impact of home-leaving on parent-child relationship quality and well-being? Can we say that leaving home after high school is good or bad for emerging adults’ well-being and their relationship with their parents, or can it be both? The present dissertation aimed to answer these questions by focusing on young individuals’ home-leaving experience starting from the time when they were living with their parents, and by investigating the first potential opportunity for adolescents to leave their parental home: attending university. Four studies were conducted to address the two overarching aims of the present dissertation. The first aim was to provide insight into the multiple predictors influencing young individuals’ home leaving tendencies as they transitioned from late adolescence to emerging adulthood. The second aim was to investigate changes in parent-child relationship quality and young individuals’ well-being during the transition to university, and to what extent leaving home affected these changes. Given that home-leaving patterns are influenced by country-specific factors, cultural norms, and expectations, this dissertation examined the above-mentioned aims in two distinct cultural contexts: an individualistic (the Netherlands) and a family-oriented culture (Türkiye). Together, the findings of this dissertation offer novel insights into the home-leaving process of young individuals, particularly those attending university. They demonstrate the interplay between family-level and individual-level factors that shape this process in two cultures.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
  • Utrecht University
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Branje, Susan, Supervisor
  • Breeman, Linda Danielle, Co-supervisor
Award date9 Dec 2024
Publisher
Print ISBNs978-94-93406-23-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Dec 2024

Keywords

  • Leaving home
  • life transition
  • parent-child relationship quality
  • motivation
  • well-being
  • emerging adulthood

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