Emerging adult (EA; aged 18-29) military-connected students experience major developmental changes, often coupled with the transition into the civilian sector and higher education. This conglomeration may exacerbate anxiety, stress, and negative coping mechanisms, including substance use. Substance use rates are highest among EAs, across the…

Sought to describe and categorize specific processes by which friends serve to influence emerging life structures of early adulthood. Five categories were developed from open-ended interviews of 34 young adults between 20 and 28 years of age. These categories describe friends in the roles of models, active agents for change, reactors, interactors,…

Some research suggests that sources of social support change through the lifespan. Given that the support network changes because of both the individual's needs and the particular life stage of the individual, peer relationships may emerge as crucial sources of emotional support at different times in the lifespan. This study examined friend and…