Young People’s Perceptions of Adulthood: Is there a Gender Difference?

Due to the cultural impact on the formation of adulthood concept, the purpose of this study is determining gender differences in the concept of adult and finding markers that are necessary to perceive adult in Iranian society. So, through a phenomenological qualitative study and conducting interviews among a sample of 19 persons (9 males,10 females) at age intervals of 18-25 that were selected among students in Tehran, using the purposeful and criterion sampling, the markers of adulthood were extracted. Colaizzi analysis yielded six dimensions: Cognitive-emotional self-mastering, regulatory management to achieve the goals, ability to play a role in the family, commitment to personal, religious, and social values, independence and role transitions. Findings indicated traditional markers of adulthood (i.e. reaching the age of 18 or married) have transformed to individual skills and family capacities. In two dimensions, the ability to play a role in the family and independence, subcategories including employment, financial and mental support of family for men, and capacity of child caring, and psychosocial support of the family for women are criteria that are more important. In addition, in other dimensions, the subcategories of well-meaning behavior for men, and the resilience and emotional mastry for women were emphasized more.