The End of Adolescence: The Lost Art of Delaying Adulthood

Nancy E. Hill · Alexis Redding

Jun 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Mia Ellis

About this audiobook

Experts and the general public are convinced that young people today are trapped in an extended adolescence-coddled, unaccountable, and more reluctant to take on adult responsibilities than previous generations. Nancy Hill and Alexis Redding argue that what is perceived as stalled development is in fact typical. Those reprimanding today's youth have forgotten that they once balked at the transition to adulthood themselves. From an abandoned archive of recordings of college students from half a century ago, Hill and Redding discovered that there is nothing new about feeling insecure, questioning identities, and struggling to find purpose. Like many of today's young adults, those of two generations ago also felt isolated and anxious that the path to success felt fearfully narrow. Yet, among today's young adults, these developmentally appropriate struggles are seen as evidence of immaturity. If society adopts this jaundiced perspective, it will fail in its mission to prepare young adults for citizenship, family life, and work. Instead, Hill and Redding offer an alternative view of delaying adulthood and identify the benefits of taking additional time to construct a meaningful future. When adults set aside judgment, there is a lot they can do to ensure that young adults get the same developmental chances they had.

About the author

Nancy E. Hill is the Charles Bigelow Professor of Education at Harvard University, an expert in adolescent development, and the President-elect of the Society for Research in Child Development. She is a recipient of the American Psychological Association's Ernest R. Hilgard Award for Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.

Alexis Redding is a member of the Higher Education faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition to her research on the college experience, she has counseled students in both the United States and Europe for more than two decades.

Mia Ellis is a member of the Resident Acting Company at Trinity Repertory Company. Based in Providence and New York, she is also a teaching artist and writer. Some of her film and television credits include Elementary, Person of Interest, and Louder Than Words. Mia is a graduate of the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting Program.