Factors Contributing to Quarter Life Crisis on Early Adulthood: A Systematic Literature Review

Introduction

Individuals must accomplish a range of developmental activities (task development) in order to stabilize at each stage of development. Every stage of a person’s life has its own distinctive qualities. According to Santrock, if a person is unable to complete each of their developmental responsibilities, their progress would be interrupted (referred to as “miss development”). It is more crucial for older individuals to be responsible, capable of thinking, socializing, and making the right decisions as their personal growth gets more complex. Changes in developmental stages thus commonly lead to crises in people, particularly when they take place during the transition from adolescence to early adulthood.¹ As they approach the early adulthood age, people begin to show indicators of anxiety and uncertainty about making future career decisions.² The fear and anxiety experienced during this period of early adulthood is referred to as a quarter-life crisis.³

The term “quarter life crisis” or the “twenty something” phenomena was originally used by Alexander Robbins and Wilner. It is seen in people (aged 20 to 29) making the transition from a comfortable existence to one that is grounded in reality, which commonly causes worry and concern about the future.³ Issues related to the quarter life crisis might result from external influences in addition to internal dynamics. The quarter life crisis is a result of a number of expectations from both insiders and outsiders. Most of the time, responses to quarter life crises take the shape of certain emotions, including: (1) anger at the situation, (2) feeling terrified, (3) feeling powerless, (4) feeling aimless or lacking in any kind of life objectives, and others. Quarter life crisis commonly leads in stress, despair, and other psychological problems, according to.⁴

LinkedIn Corporate Communications surveys shows that 75% of adults between the ages of 25 and 33 experienced a quarter-life crisis, according to the findings of a 6014-person LinkedIn online poll done in the United States, United Kingdom, India, and Australia. An insurance company in Indonesia conducted a study of 63 young adults in Surabaya City found that around 55.6% of those surveyed admitted to experiencing a mid-life crisis. In the same research showed that around 59% of the 80 students in Makassar’s last year of study had a quarter-life crisis, which is characterized by emotions of worry and concern about the future.⁵

The symptoms of a quarter-life crisis, such as stress and worry in general, can have an influence on a person’s wellbeing. People who experience a quarter-life crisis are more prone to have sadness, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to research from the American Psychological Association. Because early adults are usually impacted by uncertainty in their career choices, love relationships, and life accomplishments, identity confusion is another aspect of quarter life crisis. As a result, people could begin to doubt their identity and principles. According to study findings reported in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, identity confusion increases a person’s risk of developing depression, anxiety, and a lack of life satisfaction.⁶ Extreme emotional swings, such as being incredibly joyful or melancholy, may also be impacted by a quarter-life crisis. This might lead to relational problems that ruin relationships with others.⁷

Since there is currently a dearth of study on this subject, it is crucial to conduct an evaluation linked to factors that are connected to or may impact quarter life crisis in order to learn more, especially for early adult persons and the development of psychology. Quarter life crisis is a condition that young people are becoming more regularly encountering. Because many young adults find it challenging to make the transition from childhood to adulthood, a thorough literature evaluation can aid in identifying the factors that influence quarter life crisis. Systematic literature reviews can contribute to knowledge advancement and offer a structure for future quarter life crisis research. By looking at the factors that lead to quarter life crisis, we may gain a better understanding of how young adults react in everyday situations and the need of social and psychological assistance in maintaining their mental health.

A lot of young adults experienced panic attacks and wonder if they can contribute to society.⁸ The results of this investigation show that the quarter life crisis phenomenon is real. This terrifying occurrence has to be investigated, dealt with, or treated in order to lessen the intensity of the quarter life crisis experienced. Scientists must work to generate and advance information in order to provide a series of instruction or solutions to this quarter-life crisis dilemma. In accordance with the definition stated above, a study of research articles on the factors that influence early adulthood individuals’ levels of Quarter Life Crisis is necessary.

Methodology

Data Sources and Searches

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was used for this research’s systematic review. Reviewing, classifying, and categorizing previously produced evidence-based content are all components of the systematic review methodology. We conducted systematic searches in the bibliographic databases PubMed, APA PsycNet, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, and Semantic Scholars. The following terms were used (including synonyms and closely related words) as index terms or free-text words (keywords):“quarter life crisis” or “early adult crisis”. The references of the identified articles were searched for relevant publications. Duplicate articles were excluded.

Study Selection and Data Extraction

We used the Publish or Perish application for screening the articles. Independently screened the titles of articles identified in the searches and references and eliminated irrelevant studies. Next, they independently screened the abstracts of the remaining studies according to the inclusion criteria. A reference check was performed as well. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) Articles that published in the English-language scientific peer-reviewed journals, (2) published in journals between 2013 and 2023, (3) Research publications that have been indexed by Scopus and the Science and Technology Index, (4) Research projects that seek to identify the factors that contribute to early-adult quarter-life crisis.

Articles that examine variables that affect the occurrence of quarter-life crises were of interest to the researcher. Based on eligibility requirements, titles, abstracts, and keywords of identified papers were investigated and chosen. In addition to longitudinal studies that track individuals across time from adolescent to middle age, there are also quantitative, qualitative, mixed-method, and experimental studies. The researcher was especially interested in studies that included people who had gone through a quarter-life crisis while they were in their 20s. The chosen papers went through a rigorous screening procedure that began with a review of the inclusion requirements. We searched publications from 2013–2023 because studies on quarter life crisis in early adulthood is still quite limited, a range of the last 10 years to reach the articles related to quarter life crisis was considered sufficient, also to highlighted the latest updates from the literatures.

Data Collection Process

The following information was utilized in the data collection process: authors, keywords, journal or conference name, year, country and types of nations, (ex: developed country and developing country), title, study methodology, and variables impacting quarter life crisis. Both manually and via the publish or perish technique, data was gathered. The writers examined potential relevant publications. Reading the full text and data extraction were required for the evaluation.

Data Items

In order to gather information for the review topic of this systematic literature review, data from selected primary studies were collected. Articles exploring the variables that lead to quarter life crisis were extracted based on keywords and abstracts that included the type of research methodology used and participant characteristics (age).

Results

Selection and Inclusion of Studies

The literature search generated a total of 3100 publications: 1000 in Semantic Scholars, 200 in Elsevier, 1800 in Taylor and Francis, 100 in PubMed. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 57 studies were selected for full-text evaluation. Ultimately, 14 studies were included in the systematic literature review. (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 Article screening process flowchart.

Study Characteristics

This section provides a description of the demographic data for the 14 selected articles. The results of this study show that the causes of the quarter-life crisis have been identified by 14 studies. These factors have links to both internal and external variables. Table 1 describes the authors, the year, the types of nations, the methodology, the participant characteristics, and the causes of the quarter life crisis.

Table 1 Results of Individual Study

Results of Individual Study

The following is a list of individual research results which includes author, year, country of origin grouped into developing and developed countries, research methods, participant characteristics, and factors causing quarter life crisis grouped by internal and external factors.

Results of Syntheses

In this systematic literature review, 14 papers have been selected in accordance with the inclusion criteria set by the researcher, namely papers published in 2013–2023, papers indexed by Scopus and SINTA, and papers explaining factors related to or contributing to the quarter-life crisis.

Based on these 14 papers, we categorized them into two groups: internal factors (ie, factors that influence from within) and external factors (ie, factors that influence from the environment). The grouping then found 12 internal factors and 10 external factors that contribute to quarter-life crises. This systematic literature review found three internal factors contributing to the level of quarter-life crisis that were most commonly found in previous studies (commitment to purpose, religiosity and spirituality, and anxiety) and three external factors (relationship, age, and gender).

The commitment to purpose factor is an internal factor that plays a role in quarter-life crises. Commitment to purpose is defined as an individual’s effort to commit to every responsibility and goal of his life in the future, such as completing or continuing his education to a higher level,²² finding a job,¹¹ getting an ideal job,¹¹ confusion about career direction after graduating from college,¹⁷ establishing a more intimate relationship, or getting married.¹⁵ These circumstances often make individuals feel trapped in realizing their life goals.¹³ Early adult men are prone to experiencing quarter-life crises due to work-related crises, while women are more concerned about romantic relationships leading to marriage.²²

Religiosity and spirituality, which refer to how an individual expresses their belief in the existence of God via worship or religious activities, are other internal factors that can heavily influence quarter-life crises.²³ A high degree of spirituality and religion might lessen the severity of quarter-life crisis.¹⁵ Additionally, the anxiety component may play a major role in affecting each person’s quarter-life crisis. The Complete Dictionary of Psychology defines anxiety as a collection of unfavorable emotions that manifest as fears and worries about the future without a known reason behind them.²⁴ Anxiety-related factors such as stress, uncertainty, depression, and despair influence how severe a person’s quarter-life crisis is.^{11,12,15,17,18,25,26}

This systematic review of the literature also discovered additional factors that influence quarter life crises, including identity factors,⁹ self-disclosure factors,²⁷ and motivational factors from Anggraini’s research.¹⁵ Identity characteristics have an impact on quarter-life crises as well. Additionally, the self-confidence element has a role in reducing stress and anxiety in those going through a quarter-life crisis.^9,15,17 In your twenties, a period of responsibility and stress, your self-esteem is crucial. Individuals with strong levels of self-efficacy will be less affected by the quarter life crisis.^17,26

Reflection is another internal element that causes quarter-life crisis. Good emotions may be fostered in people going through quarter-life crises by elements that are upbeat and meaningful.^9–11 Additionally, people going through the early adult period frequently deal with issues connected to their future that are unknown, making them more likely to feel pessimistic about it.

In addition to the internal elements mentioned above, external circumstances also affect how many people in their early adulthood have quarter-life crises. Relationships, such as social support, parental support, and breakups, have been proven to be the most frequent external element. A relationship is a person’s connection to other people or other social groupings that might bring them comfort on a physical and emotional level.²⁸

The degree of a person’s quarter-life crisis might be influenced by the presence of connections that help or assist them in resolving issues. As a result, each component of the social system participating in the interaction receives social support. Due to the assistance they receive from their surroundings, social support affects people by lowering anxiety or assisting them in coping with various life stressors.^{9,11,12,14,16,21,29}

Furthermore, quarter-life crises are influenced by characteristics such as age and gender. Ethnicity, age, and gender can all have an impact on quarter-life crises.¹¹ Comparatively speaking, people between the ages of 25 and 33 are more likely to encounter quarter-life crises since this is the period when people are transitioning from the campus to the real world. In comparison to other age groups, participants in their 20s experienced the highest degree of quarter-life crisis.¹⁸ Women are more likely than males to have quarter-life crises.^9,14

The severity of quarter-life crisis in people in their 20s is also influenced by other outside circumstances. Financial issues are among these swaying outside variables.²² According to study find that travel, alcohol, and fitness variables have an impact on quarter-life crisis.¹¹

Discussion

Furthermore, quarter-life crises are influenced by characteristics such as age and gender. Ethnicity, age, and gender can all have an impact on quarter-life crises.¹¹ Comparatively speaking, people between the ages of 25 and 33 are more likely to encounter quarter-life crises since this is the period when people are transitioning from the campus to the real world. In comparison to other age groups, participants in their 20s experienced the highest degree of quarter-life crisis.¹⁸ Women are more likely than males to have quarter-life crises.^9,14

Adult mental health issues begin in adolescence and finds that perhaps half of all adult mental health disorders have begun by the teenage years.³⁰ The severity of quarter-life crisis in people in their 20s is also influenced by other outside circumstances. Financial issues are among these swaying outside variables.²² Travel, alcohol, and fitness variables have an impact on quarter-life crisis.¹¹

Quarter-life crises may also come on by anxiety and hesitation while committing to long-term objectives (commitment to purpose), such as future issues with one’s life, job, or finances that cannot be resolved on one’s own.¹⁵ The concentration on professional studies causes significant levels of stress in those who are enrolled in college or have recently graduated. Participants who had recently finished their schooling went through a quarter-life crisis, which manifested bewilderment and intense concern about their options in the future.

Quarter-life crises can also be brought on by anxiety and hesitation while committing to long-term objectives (commitment to purpose), such as future issues with one’s life, job, or finances that cannot be resolved on one’s own. The concentration on professional studies causes significant levels of stress in those who are enrolled in college or have recently graduated.¹⁵ Participants who had recently finished their schooling went through a quarter-life crisis, which manifested as bewilderment and intense concern about their options in the future.

High quarter-life crises are connected to the desire to find employment after graduation and be able to support themselves while working, also provide credence to this.²² Participants in their 20s exhibit a high level of interest in their future selves, and this circumstance greatly contributes to a quarter-life crisis. According to the findings, 43% of respondents in their 20s expressed frustration with their professions, disappointment, and extreme concern for their ability to survive as adults in the future. Respondents in their 20s were anxious about a variety of issues, including choosing a profession, completing their education, and getting married. The desire for financial independence is another factor that contributes to the quarter-life crisis in early adulthood.²⁷ This is consistent with Putri, Lestari, and Khisbiyah’s (2022) research, which shows that quarter-life crises are frequently experienced by young adults owing to financial issues or a desire for financial independence.¹⁸

Participants with quarter life crisis have high anxiety, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and high worry, always feel depressed, and worry about their abilities and future also supports this.^11,13,18,21 Quarter life crisis reports are related to graduates’ wellbeing and depression symptoms twelve months after graduating from college.¹³

Early adult women are more worried about romantic connections that might lead to marriage, whereas early-adult men are more likely to experience quarter life crisis owing to work-related crises.²² This has to do with relationships since connections, especially the caliber of social support people receive throughout the early stages of adulthood, have a big impact on quarter life crisis. Early adulthood, being the age of entering into a more serious relationship such as marriage, brings with it increased responsibilities. Getting married or into a more intimate relationship in early adulthood can be stressful.¹⁵ The numerous requirements to becoming an adult, such as finishing studies on time, obtaining the perfect job, choosing the proper spouse, or continuing education to a higher degree, are what lead to the quarter life crisis.

Furthermore, collective culture—the propensity for people to affect or judge the actions made by others in life—makes young adults from collective countries like Indonesia more vulnerable to midlife crisis. Arnett claims that Asian people have high expectations from their families, particularly from parents who anticipate their early-adult offspring getting married before turning thirty.³¹ This circumstance demonstrates how Asian cultures and norms are collective in character because of the need to propagate progeny and take into account the responses that they will receive from their environment. In addition to marriage, people in their 20s and 30s may experience uncertainty, worry, and perplexity during the transition from school to the workforce. Compared to individualistic nations, collective culture societies rely more on the opinions of others, therefore families will always push or require early adults to succeed in order to prevent negative reactions from the surroundings.³² The urge to constantly contrast one’s own accomplishments with those of others likely to result in an emotional crisis.

Furthermore, the United States, France, England, and other western cultures place a strong emphasis on individualism, independence, and personal wellbeing. Kids are brought up to be self-sufficient. In contrast, Asian cultures place a strong emphasis on collectivity, giving group objectives and well-being priority. Decision-making is facilitated for children, and parents frequently act as their children’s decision-makers.^33,34

According to research, people in western nations are more inclined to respect others’ privacy by staying out of other people’s personal matters. On the other hand, inquiries into personal life and meddling in other people’s concerns are more common in Indonesia.³⁵ According to another research, adults in Indonesia frequently go through a quarter-life crisis as a result of feeling under pressure from those closest to them to fulfill their ambitions, which leaves them perplexed and under pressure. As a result, society as a whole maintains a culture of shame and low self-esteem.⁵

The most significant component of Indonesian society’s eastern customs is shame culture. Shame culture, according to Soedjito Sostrodihardjo, is a custom that was created to control how family members and society at large interacted. A vital component of children’s emotional growth toward maturity is this experience of shame. Shame may prevent someone from enforcing their expectations and expressing their demands.³⁶ Quarter life crises are experienced by people, and they are correlated with dreams and hopes, obstacles linked to scholastic pursuits, employment, religion, and spirituality.³⁷ Students who endure quarter-life crisis for an extended period of time will have detrimental effects on their lives, such as stress and sadness. Early adulthood (18–25 years) is typically a time when religious appreciation (religiosity) declines, which frequently leads to emotional crisis issues, including despair and a sense of purposelessness.²⁸

According to this justification, religious variables, such as enjoyment of religion, might affect quarter-life crisis. Religiosity is defined as the degree of religious knowledge, belief, practice, and appreciation of religion via actions.³⁸ Growing religious beliefs and practices can lead to greater pleasure, good feelings, life satisfaction, and higher morality.³⁹ This is consistent with a number of research findings about the connection between religion and spirituality and the quarter-life crisis in adolescence that have been found in this study.

Religiosity and spirituality were also revealed to be the most prevalent characteristics in earlier research that looked at what causes quarter life crisis in young adulthood. High levels of religion might lessen students’ quarter-life crises.²⁰ While internal and external causes make up 96.6% of the quarter-life crisis, religion only has a 3.4% influence on it.¹⁵

An emotional crisis known as “quarter life crisis” frequently affects people when they make the transition from late youth to early adulthood and from the campus to the outside world. People going through this transition are instantly presented with a variety of obligations, so they need to have a distinct sense of who they are. Early adulthood is also a time for developing one’s understanding of oneself in relation to future aspirations.

Identity enables people to adjust to multiple roles, meet expectations, and bury pressure sensations.⁹ Respondents in their 20s felt irritated and confused about who they were.⁹ This occurs because early adulthood is a stage of emerging adulthood, which is tumultuous in that it presents difficulties for assuming responsibility for different tasks that have the potential to improve the future.³¹ For those who experience it, the quarter-life crisis turns into an exhausting phase of emerging adulthood during which they obsess over the past to determine how it fits with their present situation, worry about the future, and struggle to deal with difficulties.

People going through the early adulthood phase are already in the period of developing worldviews or doing more identity searches since they are needed to discover a purpose in life at this phase but are frequently not fulfilling it to their full potential.³¹ The pursuit of a deeper sense of identity frequently results in emotions such as pressure, uncertainty, and future anxiety. Identity demands that people fit into numerous roles, meet expectations, and conceal pressure sensations. This is consistent with the findings of Robinson’s study, which found that respondents in their 20s had a quarter-life crisis that manifested as frustration and identity confusion.⁹

The developmental job of stabilizing one’s life posture is presented to people in the developmental period between the ages of 18 and 25. This assignment frequently causes people to feel powerless. Each person, however, has a unique capacity for handling a crisis. There are people who can cope, but there are other those who are being stuck in a quarter-life crisis more and more. Before acting, people must evaluate their potential and become aware of it. This is accomplished through self-efficacy, or the conviction that one has control over how one behaves, which impacts behavior and may lead to a decrease in stress.

A person’s self-evaluation and self-understanding might be more positive if they believe in their potential. Additionally, less objective self-evaluation that compares oneself to others often results in emotions of worthlessness, humiliation, and poor self-esteem, which can lead to an emotional crisis—in this case, a quarter-life crisis. Therefore, having a high degree of self-esteem is crucial for navigating the pressures and obligations of life in your 20s.

People experiencing quarter-life crisis dynamics need to take some time to consider their current transitional state. The act of introspection can assist people going through a quarter-life crisis in getting rid of unpleasant feelings and building a new base for their adult identity. Reflection can aid people in coping with quarter-life crises because it contains insights that mirror the high levels of curiosity and questions that have been shown to be present in such episodes, provide proof of this.^9–11 When someone is going through a quarter-life crisis, the reflection process might help them feel happier and more optimistic. Optimistic elements can encourage joyful feelings in those going through quarter-life crisis.^10,11

People can gain a better understanding of themselves by the reflection process, which also enables them to plan ahead and keep a record about the steps they take to accomplish their objectives throughout the early adulthood period. Quarter-life crisis time is marked by anxiety because there are too many options for the future, making it difficult to decide what to do.⁴⁰ One option for reducing quarter-life crisis is the application of mindfulness techniques. The purpose of mindfulness treatments is to promote an open awareness and acceptance of the person’s thoughts and feelings, including a mindful attitude toward the frame of mind and feelings that present themselves while the person is going through a period of extreme anxiety or from hopelessness to hope.

Early adulthood is characterized by the quarter life crisis, a typical emotional crisis that is impacted by both internal and external circumstances. The connection was identified in this study as an external element that significantly affects an individual’s quarter-life crisis. People who have a good balance between themselves and their surroundings may express themselves in interpersonal interactions and lessen the impact of the quarter-life crisis. Relationships and communication can have a good impact on people’s mental health.⁴¹ Exercise may be used as a coping mechanism for quarter life crisis which indicated that it is an effective means of controlling stress.¹¹ People in their 20s struggle with relationships and their professions and feel confused about who they are.¹²

Individuals with a social environment full of good social-emotional, instrumental and informational support when they need it, show lower levels of stress and depressive symptoms in dealing with life events than those who do not.⁴² Social support is a pleasure, attention appreciation or help that is felt by other people or groups⁴¹ Individuals who get social support believe that they are loved and cared for, valuable, and are part of a social network such as family, friends, and community organisations, which can provide kindness, service and mutual support when needed.⁴¹ Social support can reduce the psychological pressure experienced by individuals, improve emotional health, and regulate negative emotions that are needed by individuals in facing quarter life crisis.³ Social support can affect individual perceptions in facing challenges such as individuals can share the problems or failures they face with family, friends, or partners so that individuals get a new perspective and more positive emotions.⁴³

According to this study, friends and other key social support factors significantly affect quarter-life crisis. Relationships with family, spouses, and friends are among the additional important elements.²² According to the research study, partnerships do not always help people feel less like they are experiencing a quarter-life crisis. Relationships, however, may have a negative effect that heightens quarter-life crisis. This study discovered a substantial link between social support and quarter-life crisis.

The respondents experience pressure from their partners, families, and social groups. Respondents experience pressure from others such as family, spouse, and a social group.²² Lack of social support among participants influences the rise in quarter-life crises. High life crisis participants were on the verge of death and in an abusive relationship. There are 43% of respondents in their 20s reported feeling irritated with romantic relationships.¹⁴ Respondents who live with their parents and do not have paid employment often feel depressed and aimless.¹²

Early adulthood is a time of possibilities, when people may change the course of their life.³¹ She explains that there are two ways that adults might approach maturity: either they will be hopeful about the future, or they will struggle to realize it. Students’ experience of the early adult period may be both an opportunity and a catastrophe for them. People in their early adult years are more susceptible to crises because of the different demands they must meet expectations from others as well as expectations they have of themselves. According to this study, young adults from collective nations are more likely to have a quarter-life crisis due to the collective culture, which is the inclination for people to influence or pass judgment on other people’s decisions. The collective culture and customs of rising nations like Indonesia change because of people’s ongoing attempts to improve the lot of their descendants and take the environment’s affects into consideration. Therefore, it is not surprising that Indonesia, a developing and community country, depends more on other people’s ideas than individualistic countries. As a result, to stop adverse reactions from the environment, families continuously set an example for or expect success from young individuals. It may also give rise to the urge to compare one’s own achievements to those of others.³² People in this situation typically have a quarter life crisis, which is a common occurrence of emotional crisis in early adulthood because they regularly compare themselves to others. Feelings of inferiority are commonly brought on by this situation.

Early adulthood is a stage when people begin to live up to the expectations of those who are closest to them, including finishing their schooling on time, finding a job, getting married, and being able to care for oneself.⁴⁴ Individuals who lacked social support experienced more quarter-life crises. High life crisis participants were on the verge of death and in violent relationships.²¹ According to the findings, 43% of respondents in their 20s expressed relationship dissatisfaction. This is consistent with a research, which found that individuals who do not work for a living and live with their parents experience depression and aimlessness.¹² Graduates who lived with their parents tended to be more sad. Compared to people with permanent occupations, they have greater levels of depression.²²

The move from the academic realm to the actual world occurs throughout early adulthood. Because they must be autonomous to fulfill their numerous social duties at that time, people going through this transition are more prone to emotional crises. People who have just finished their education frequently experience unpleasant feelings due to the availability of employment rivalry. Demands for knowledge and skills will be placed on people as they get ready to enter adulthood.³¹ At the ages of 18 to 25, the early adulthood era frequently results in a crisis. As you become older, your obligations increase. Age can influence a person’s quarter-life crisis intensity. People aged 26 appears to be the most likely age for beginning and experience of a quarter-life crisis, with 75% of those aged 25 to 33 reporting having gone through one. Many sociologically controlled and stress-related life stage transitions, such as completing university education, occur between the ages of 25 and 35.⁴⁵

People in their early 20s, especially those who are in their final year of school or who have recently finished their schooling, are more prone to feeling melancholy as they navigate the responsibilities and challenges of early adulthood. This circumstance frequently results in emotions of helplessness, an unclear sense of purpose in life, and uncertainty about how to go in the future. Early-adult students will undoubtedly find it challenging to deal with this predicament; occasionally, even pupils know what to do. On the other side, he is unsure about where to begin. This may lead to a quarter-life crisis among students.³ Early adults have the resources to conduct out development and finance to realize their life’s purpose throughout the transitional phase also lends credence to this.⁴⁶

The study discovered that gender has an impact on quarter-life crisis in addition to age. According to the survey, a quarter-life crisis occurred in 39% of males and 50% of women over the age of 30. Female participants said that family conflict or turmoil, being stuck in a relationship you no longer desired, being in an abusive relationship, losing a loved one, and divorce or relationship breakdown were the most frequent forms of quarter life crises they had to deal with. Participants in their 20s had more participants in crisis than participants at other ages.⁴⁵

Women are more likely than males to have a quarter-life crisis.^47–49 Women are more emotional than males, and as a result, they are more likely to go through a quarter-life crisis. The anatomy of the brain and reproductive systems, which can impact psychological moods and behavior, are said to be the two main differences between men and women, according to Dr. Alexis Carrel, the 1912 medical Nobel Laureate.

This is also reinforced by Mellisa Hines from California University that “from there” women and men are different. Hormonal differences between women and men amplify the expression of male and female brain development. Women’s hormones are dominated by oestrogen and progesterone, making them more expressive and emotional than men in living each of their lives. Furthermore, the male hypothalamus is 2.5 to 3 times larger, making men more sensitive to stimulus (sound, touch, etc.) rather than emotion, while women are the opposite. Furthermore, the memory centre (hippocampus) of women is larger than men, so women take longer even to the details in remembering.

Conclusion

On the basis of this study’s findings, it is possible to conclude that quarter life crises frequently occur during early adulthood, as this stage is characterized by a process of exploring and experimenting with numerous alternatives, including higher education, employment, a career, and marriage. A prevalent occurrence during the twenties, the quarter life crisis is precipitated by both internal and external factors. Spirituality, anxiety, and commitment to a higher purpose are the most influential internal variables on quarter life crises. Age, gender, and social support are the external factors that exert the greatest influence.

Despite recent developments, research on quarter life crisis in emergent adults remains quite limited, and interventions for dealing with quarter life crisis have not yet been implemented. Further, individuals who are transitioning from adolescence to early adulthood are more susceptible to developing mental health issues. This research endeavor has the potential to educate young adults about the emotional crisis or quarter life crisis, a prevalent occurrence during the twenties that is distinguished by feelings of hopelessness, despair, negative self-evaluation, being ensnared in challenging circumstances, anxiety, depression, and concern for interpersonal connections.