Premature behavioral autonomy: Correlates in late adolescence and young adulthood

Timing matters in the development of adolescents' behavioral autonomy. Drawing from two German national surveys, the present studies showed that premature curfew autonomy (measured retrospectively) was associated with developmental risks in late adolescence (16-21 years, assessed in 1996) and young adulthood (25-30 years, assessed in 2005). Premature individuals neither experienced socioeconomic disadvantages nor had lower educational aspirations in late adolescence, but they attained lower levels of education in young adulthood. Premature curfew autonomy was further associated with maladjustment regarding certain developmental challenges of late adolescence (higher deviant behavior, lower disclosure, higher identity diffusion, and lower planfulness) and young adulthood (no differences in employment and partnership status, but higher demands of social change in work, family, and public life). Finally, premature curfew autonomy was related to lower subjective well-being in late adolescence and young adulthood.