The transition from adolescence to adulthood is taking longer

“It is a paradox that both puberty and physiological and cognitive maturation come earlier, while it takes longer to reach social milestones associated with adulthood. Young adults are increasingly older before they have completed their education, got their first job and had children – for those who have children. This means that the transition phase between youth and adulthood is becoming longer,” says researcher Vegard Skirbekk at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. At the same time, legal age thresholds – such as those for obtaining a driving licence, voting, and criminal responsibility – remain unchanged.

The article is published in Advances in Life Course Research. 

• Diverging trends in the age of social and biological transitions to adulthood (sciencedirect.com) 

Review of a wide range of markers

The study is an interdisciplinary review article, in which the researchers have analysed a number of studies on the transition from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. The sources span fields such as labour market research, demography, economics, law, religious studies, psychology and biology. The article is the first to gather insights from so many disciplines and shows how biological, social, legal, cultural and subjective markers of adulthood both vary and develop in different directions. The study introduces a framework with seven main categories: demographic, economic, legal, cultural, subjective, psychological and biological. This provides a comprehensive picture of how the transition to adulthood manifests itself in our time.

For example, global studies show that the average age for women's first marriage has increased from 21.9 years in 1990 to 23.3 years in 2010. In Norway, the average age at first birth for women has increased to over 30 years – from just over 20 years in the 1970s. At the same time, puberty has occurred increasingly earlier: the average age for the onset of puberty has fallen by several years over the past century. Biological changes, such as earlier puberty and brain maturation, occur earlier than before, while social milestones such as getting a job, starting a family and moving out of the home occur increasingly later. Legal and cultural transition rituals, such as confirmation or coming of age, remain stable. The result is that many young people spend several years as biologically mature, but without having taken on adult roles in society.

Challenges

Although a longer transition between youth and adulthood can obviously have positive aspects, with more opportunities to choose education, profession, and explore the world, it can also be problematic, says Vegard Skirbekk. The increasing gap between physical and social adulthood has important consequences, as it can create confusion, uncertainty, and identity challenges in the 'extended adolescence'. Delayed establishment and economic independence make it more difficult to achieve life goals, such as having children. From a political perspective, one should consider whether laws, institutions, and education systems are adapted to today's realities.

“Demographic change and aging can lead to challenges with a significant portion of the population not being in the workforce. It can partly create challenges with people remaining biologically adult for longer without having the rights and opportunities they had in earlier years, when, for example, they could both get a job, income, and recognition as an adult already from the mid-teens.”

“How might this be addressed?“

“Factors that can influence this include the organization of education systems, labor legislation, and regulations that delay the transition to adulthood. For example, ways can be found to get people into the workforce earlier. A late entry into the labor market incurs significant costs for the individual, but also for society – and can make it more difficult to maintain economic growth, the welfare state, and our competitiveness in addition to lower individual purchasing power and standard of living. Should we adapt our systems to earlier physiological and cognitive maturation? Can we accelerate the education pathway for those who can manage it? Can changes in regulations make it easier to enter the labor market earlier?” asks Skirbekk.

To address the challenges that arise in this extended transition phase, the article suggests more flexible support schemes for young adults, clearer transitions and frameworks in education and working life, as well as better adaptation of legislation and welfare systems to a society where biological and social maturity no longer coincide. The study concludes that adulthood is not a single state, but an interplay between body, mind, and society – and these develop at different rates. There is no universal age for when one becomes an adult. This requires a more nuanced understanding in both research, politics, and social planning.

About the study

The study examines long-term developments, with a particular focus on empirical findings from recent decades. There were no geographical limitations. The selection was based on literature searches in research databases up to and including 2023, followed by a synthesis and analysis of the research literature.

Limitations of the study

Limitations of the study include that it is a narrative review and not a systematic review. The studies cover a wide range of different research fields, so it does not cover all research that has been done. Most of the studies are also from Western countries, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to non-Western contexts.

The article has been slightly revised linguistically since its publication on 26 June 2025, and some additional information has been included.